Oscars 2020: who won what?

Parasite makes history by becoming first non-English language film to take top gong

Bong Joon Ho
Bong Joon Ho
(Image credit: (Rachel Luna/Getty Images))

South Korean film Parasite has made history at the Oscars by becoming the first non-English language film to take the top prize.

The film won four awards in total, including Best Picture. The Guardian described the moment as a “spectacular final-reel twist” after an awards season “marked by its predictability”.

Only 10 foreign-language films have previously been nominated for best picture but without ever winning. At last year’s ceremony, Alfonso Cuaron’s autobiographical drama Roma was hotly tipped for the gong, but it was controversially beaten by Green Book.

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Sky News says that this year, many thought Sam Mendes' wartime epic 1917 would “nab the prize” but it was beaten by the South Korean “word-of-mouth box office smash”.

Director Bong Joon Ho said his film had “opened the door” for non-English films at the Academy Awards. “I feel like I'll wake up to find it's all a dream. It all feels very surreal,” he said.

Producer Kwak Sin-ae, who collected the trophy, said: “I'm speechless. We never imagined this to happen. I feel like a very opportune moment in history is happening right now.”

Elsewhere, Renee Zellweger won best actress for playing Judy Garland in Judy and Joaquin Phoenix was named best actor for Joker.

Brad Pitt and Laura Dern scooped the supporting acting awards for their roles in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and Marriage Story respectively.

During his acceptance speech, Pitt joked about Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, quipping that his 45 seconds to speak on stage was more than “the Senate gave [former national security adviser] John Bolton this week”.

Joaquin Phoenix also got political, raging against the dairy industry. “We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakeable,” he said. “Then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.”

Among the British winners on the night were Sir Elton John and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin won best original song for (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from Rocketman.

CNN says Oscar voters “spread the wealth” this year, with eight of the nine nominated best pictures grabbing at least one award. The BBC has published a full list of the winners.

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