[2022 Academy] 'CODA' Wins Top Honor Best Picture and 3 Awards (Comprehensive)

Apple TV+ Wins Top Award as First OTT... Also Takes Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actor
Will Smith of 'King Richard' Wins Best Actor... Apologizes for Violence and Swearing Incident
Youn Yuh-jung Announces Supporting Actor Winner in Sign Language, Appeals for Refugee Aid

Director Shawn Haider's film 'CODA' became the first original movie from an online streaming service (OTT) to win the top prize, Best Picture, at the Academy Awards in the United States. It also took home awards for Best Adapted Screenplay (Shawn Haider) and Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur), achieving a triple crown.

Purchased by Apple TV+ for $25 million (approximately 28 billion KRW), 'CODA' was announced as the Best Picture winner at the 94th Academy Awards held on the 27th (local time) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. It triumphed over strong contenders such as 'Belfast,' 'Don't Look Up,' 'Drive My Car,' 'Dune,' 'King Richard,' 'Licorice Pizza,' 'Nightmare Alley,' 'The Power of the Dog,' and 'West Side Story.' This achievement marks Apple TV+, a latecomer in the OTT market, surpassing long-standing film industry giants like Netflix, Walt Disney, and Warner Bros. to claim the highest Oscar honor.

'CODA' is a family drama about a hearing child and her deaf parents who gift and share music with each other. It conveys both emotion and entertainment through images incorporating sign language and lyrical songs. The original work is the French film 'La Famille B?lier' (2014) directed by Eric Lartigau. Director Haider placed significant emphasis on youthful growth, creating a brighter atmosphere than the original. By calmly capturing individual emotions, he amplified the power of the true story.

The Best Supporting Actor award won by Troy Kotsur also contributed to this success. His sign language acting, honed on the theater stage, effectively conveyed complex emotions such as love, concern, and anxiety toward his daughter. Particularly, his subtle gestures showing his realization of his daughter Ruby's (Emilia Jones) talent with a flushed face are considered the highlight of the film.

'CODA' is a relatively recent remake and did not attract much attention until mid-award season. However, after gaining focused attention in Hollywood this month, it managed to overcome the momentum of the favored 'The Power of the Dog.' It is only the second time a film that was not nominated for the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award has won the Oscar for Best Picture, following Bruce Beresford's 'Driving Miss Daisy' (1989).

The Best Actress award went to Jessica Chastain for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye.' The film is a drama about Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband, who established a Christian broadcasting network in the 1970s, gained popularity, and then fell amid various controversies and fraud. Chastain attracted much attention for her performance with makeup that made her almost unrecognizable. Linda Dowds, who contributed to the natural expression, won the Makeup Award that day.

The Best Actor award was claimed by Will Smith for 'King Richard.' After being nominated three times, including for 'Ali' (2001) and 'The Pursuit of Happyness' (2006), he finally took home the trophy. 'King Richard' is a biographical film focusing on Richard Williams, the father who raised tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams. Smith portrays Richard Williams as a demanding yet deeply loving father. Through his warm and profound presence, he simultaneously highlights the sorrows of the Black community and the importance of proper child-rearing.

Although Smith was recognized for his acting, he could not smile freely. He became the center of controversy for slapping fellow actor Chris Rock and using profanity during the ceremony. The incident occurred after Rock insulted Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. While presenting the Documentary Feature Award on stage, Rock joked about Pinkett Smith's shaved head, referencing the sequel to 'G.I. Jane,' in which the female lead shaves her head during military service. Pinkett Smith has been struggling with hair loss since 2018.

Watching from the audience, Smith lost his temper and rushed onto the stage. He then struck Rock's cheek hard, stepped down, and shouted, "Keep my wife's name out of your mouth," while cursing. Most of the audience, mistaking it for a staged act, applauded and cheered but soon showed signs of confusion. Rock tried to ease the tension by saying, "It was just a joke about 'G.I. Jane.' Today is the greatest day in TV show history." Smith apologized during his acceptance speech, saying, "I want to apologize to the Academy, my fellow nominees, and everyone."

The Best Director award went to Jane Campion for 'The Power of the Dog.' She became the third female director to receive this honor. The previous female directors to win Oscars were Kathryn Bigelow for 'The Hurt Locker' in 2008 and Chlo? Zhao for 'Nomadland' last year. 'The Power of the Dog' is a psychological thriller set on a Montana ranch in the 1920s American West. It unfolds a thorough revenge drama within a story that might be expected to be about love. The film lacks emphasis on victim narratives or opportunities for character empathy. It reflects on the decline of things eroded by systems and civilization, dissecting masculinity while broadening the understanding of the American spirit.

The Best Screenplay award was given to Kenneth Branagh for 'Belfast.' The film is a drama about Buddy (Jude Hill) and his family’s experiences in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. Branagh wrote and directed the screenplay based on his autobiographical experiences during the late 1960s, including riots caused by conflicts between Catholics and Protestants. He previously noted the connection between the story of barricades that trapped people after the rioters left Belfast in 1969 and the pandemic situation where movement was restricted, forcing families to worry about safety.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 'Drive My Car' (Japan) won the International Feature Film award. This was a long-anticipated win. Starting with the Best Screenplay at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, it swept awards including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Best Picture and Screenplay, New York Film Critics Circle’s Best Picture, Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, British Academy Film Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, and multiple honors from the National Society of Film Critics including Best Picture, Screenplay, Director, and Actor. The film explores a middle-aged intellectual man shedding his protective shell and honestly accepting himself at a leisurely pace and perspective. At its core lies an insight into the expansion of language. Using a play-within-a-play format, it places dialogue throughout and creates simple metaphors, presenting new possibilities for cinematic language.

The song 'No Time to Die' from the title sequence of the film '007 No Time to Die' won the Best Original Song award. The song was composed and recorded by musician Billie Eilish. It expresses Bond’s complex emotions caught between love and distrust with a poignant and desperate will. The James Bond series is no stranger to Oscar Best Original Song awards, with recent winners including Adele’s 'Skyfall' and Sam Smith’s 'Writing’s On The Wall.'

Technical awards were swept by Denis Villeneuve’s 'Dune.' These included Best Cinematography (Greig Fraser), Best Film Editing (Joe Walker), Best Production Design (Patrice Vermette), Best Sound (Mac Ruth), and Best Visual Effects (Paul Lambert). The film was praised for largely satisfying readers’ imaginations stimulated by Frank Herbert’s original novel through cutting-edge technology. The Costume Design award went to Jenny Beavan for 'Cruella.' She is a designer who had previously won trophies for 'A Room with a View' and 'Mad Max: Fury Road.' It is said that 277 costumes were created to effectively portray Estella, a girl interested in fashion, growing into the designer Cruella. She contributed to the birth of a new villain through various efforts, including consistently communicating with lead actress Emma Stone to determine the direction of the costumes.

The Best Supporting Actress award went to Ariana DeBose for 'West Side Story.' She was recognized for infusing overwhelming energy into every moment she appeared, based on her solid experience on Broadway musical stages. The Best Animated Feature award was given to 'Encanto,' co-directed by Byron Howard, Jared Bush, and Charise Castro Smith. The story follows Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), the only ordinary member of the Madrigal family, who saves the magical village of Encanto in crisis. It depicts Mirabel’s growth while highlighting family harmony. The film was praised for completing the village’s appearance with vibrant colors and adding a lively rhythm, interestingly following the hero’s narrative.

Meanwhile, Youn Yuh-jung, who became the first Korean actor to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar last year, attended as the presenter for the Best Supporting Actor award. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which hosts the Oscars, traditionally invites the previous year’s winners as presenters. Youn won the Best Supporting Actress award last year for the film 'Minari.' At the ceremony, she announced the name of 'CODA'’s Troy Kotsur, the Best Supporting Actor winner, using sign language. Kotsur is a deaf actor.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the ceremony, Youn Yuh-jung said, "I am not a Hollywood person, but I am happy to be here again." She added, "Seeing the names of the nominees here, I realized how difficult it is to pronounce them correctly," apologizing. At last year’s Academy Awards, she said, "My name is Youn Yuh-jung, but Europeans often mispronounced it as ‘Yeo-young’ or ‘Yu-jung.’ I forgive everyone who has mispronounced my name until now." On this day, Youn appeared on the red carpet wearing a black dress and holding a clutch. On her left shoulder, she wore a blue ribbon from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) campaign '#WithRefugees.'