And the Oscar goes to … “The Artist”.
“The Artist” resurrected the craft of black-and-white silent films, which have been extinct since the 1930s. The plot of the film is about two silent movie actors who struggle to maintain their careers with the new innovation of films with sound.
“I like looking down and being able to hear the movie, but you’d have to watch the whole time,” said senior Christine Peterson.
Not only did “The Artist” win Best Picture, it also received Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), Best Costume Design, Best Directing and the Best Original Music Score.
“It looks pretty good, because it’s intense with the actors,” Peterson said.
The Academy Awards have been promoting the film industry since 1929. Members of the Academy vote using secret ballots. Results of the vote remain an absolute mystery until the opening of the envelopes. There are 25 different categories voted on.
Every year, a select few walk home with an eight-and-a-half pound golden statue. Academy Awards of Merit, better known as Oscars, feature a man holding a sword on a film reel. The reel has five spokes that signify the original five branches of the Academy: actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers.
Oscars are not the only thing given out. These other honors include Scientific and Technical Awards, Honorary Awards, and Special Achievement Awards. Honors like those are typically awarded for things like visual effects, lifetime achievements, being a new filmmaker, and making advancements in the film industry.
Oscars have been recognizing cinematic success for over 80 years, and will probably be around for much longer. So if you missed this year’s award show, there’s always next year.