This year’s Oscars saw numerous deserving wins, in a relatively unsurprising ceremony full of disguised political jabs, light-up props during “Golden” and painfully long presenter bits.
One Battle After Another and Sinners were the biggest winners of the night. Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson took home his long-overdue Oscar (three, as a matter of fact), along with Michael B. Jordan besting Timothée Chalamet for the coveted Best Actor award.
But one of the best outcomes of the night was the number of wins for Canadian filmmakers. This year’s crop of winners is flooded with Canadian talent and stood out at every trophy moment:
‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ garners Animated Feature, Original Song
Canadians took over the animation categories this year.
Korean-Canadian Maggie Kang was among the winning trio honoured for KPop Demon Hunters, the out-of-nowhere animated hit of the year.
The film is about HUNTR/X, a K-Pop singing trio who secretly fights demons to protect the world against otherworldly forces while balancing their idol career and a rival boy band.
Maggie Kang co-wrote and directed with American Chris Appelhans. The two were joined by Chinese-Canadian producer Michelle Wong. The film became Netflix’s most-watched film ever, and its soundtrack became a summer sensation.
“For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this,” Kang said during her acceptance speech. “It is here, and that means that the next generations don’t have to go longing.”
KPop Demon Hunters’s “Golden” also won best original song. HUNTR/X stars EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami performed the track during the ceremony, as celebrities and seat fillers waved golden lightsticks in the air, rather uncoordinatedly, to the beat.
Montreal love, Canadian shoutout for ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’
Montreal-hailing duo Maciek Szczerbowski and Chris Lavis won Best Animated Short for their flick, The Girl Who Cried Pearls.
The stop-motion film tells the story of a girl who — you guessed it — cried pearls in her sleep. The film explores the greed and love the pearls fosters in the impoverished protagonist.
The duo’s puppet animation is set in their hometown, which they shouted out loud and proud during their speech.
“Thank you, the fantastic city of Montreal. Thank you, Canada.”
The duo was previously nominated for their 2007 short, Madame Tutli-Putli. This also marks the 12th Oscar win in history for the National Film Board of Canada.
Canadian stylists win for ‘Frankenstein’
Frankenstein also won big in technical categories, including costume design and production design.
The fantastical, gothic set design for Guillermo Del Toro’s retelling of Mary Shelley’s story won the lot, thanks to many Canadians behind the scenes.
In production design, Nova Scotians Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau were among the winners. Toronto-based Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey won as part of the team behind Frankenstein’s hair and makeup.
Canadians steal the red carpet show pre-ceremony
Many Canadian stars captured attention without taking home a statuette.
The in memoriam segment honoured the late iconic actress Catherine O’Hara, presented by fellow Canadian Rachel McAdams in an extended tribute section after controversy over last year’s memorial.
Rising Vancouver-based star Hudson Williams of the hit Canadian show, Heated Rivalry, was also in attendance to much fanfare online.
An unfortunate mention goes out to controversial Canadian business mogul and Marty Supreme star Kevin O’Leary, whose film went 0 for 9 in Oscar nominations. The contentious Canadian showed up in a garish suit, sporting a comically large $30 million Tiffany & Co. NBA chain.
The night, however, was about all the nominees and celebrating our Canadian victors, marking Canada’s place in Hollywood’s red carpet and award-winning scene.
Featured graphic by Matt Piaskoski with photos from IMDb.
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