This Sunday, many Argentines will be waiting for the new edition of the Hollywood Academy Awards, since “Argentina, 1985” by Santiago Mitre, starring Ricardo Darín, is nominated. It is the eighth national production to be a candidate for Best Foreign Film, and it will seek the statuette that “The Official Story” and “The Secret in Their Eyes” won. Meanwhile, it is interesting to learn about a dozen curiosities around the most famous prizes on the planet.
1. A prize to improve the image.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars, was created to improve the image of the film industry and mediate the growing union conflicts in Hollywood studios, a product of the stark salary differences between stars and the rest. . That was the idea of Louis B. Mayer, president of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who gave the first ceremony in 1929, when the work of 1927 and 1928 was awarded.
2. “Oh, he looks like my Uncle Oscar.”
It was the librarian and later executive director of the Academy, Margaret Herrick, who said these words when seeing the art deco statuette and weighing almost 4 kilos for the first time and, without knowing it, thus christening these awards forever.
3. The first winner, because he had to leave before.
The first winner of an Oscar award was the Swiss Emil Jannings, and he registers that condition simply because he had to return to Europe. So the Academy – which at that time gave out the awards without nominees, that is, without suspense – decided to give him the statuette before the others, for his performances in “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh”.
4. Secret ballot, since 1940.
It was not until 1940 that the secret about the winners began, which were revealed after the famous sealed envelope was opened. Until then, the winners were announced hours before to the press, which meant that the losers, logically, did not show up for the ceremony. The secret made the stars return.
5. How many and who vote?
There are 9,487 members of the industry who decide the winners of the 23 categories. And how do you access the Oscars voter? They must first be “sponsored” by two members representing their same branch. The winners and nominees can already be. Members had the right to vote for life, but since 2016 it has been limited to 10 years, to avoid having voters who are no longer active. Every 10 years they must revalidate their status. After 3 periods, they are for life. The Academy does not reveal its voters, but a member is not prevented from revealing himself.
6. The best film, in a ranking from highest to lowest.
Since 2009, the method of choosing the best film has been particular. It is a “preferential” voting system, whereby all nominees are ranked from “most favorite” to “least favorite.” Then it is compared which is the most voted. Of course, if one of them gets 50% of the votes, she already wins.
7. Alfred Hitchcock, completely ignored.
Incredibly, the British director, considered one of the masters of the seventh art, never won an award. “Rear Window”, “Psycho” or “Los Pájaros”, classics on the big screen, were worth nothing. In the injustice category, “Citizen Kane” also ranks very high, Orson Welles’ debut film, which barely won an award for best original screenplay in 1941. “Citizen”, it must be said, systematically wins all the polls for best film in the history. Charles Chaplin, exiled for decades from the industry, only received an honorary Oscar in 1972, with the longest applause in the history of these awards: 5 minutes in a row.
8. The most winners in history.
Among the actresses, Katharine Hepburn, is the winner with four awards, for “Glory for a day” (1933), “Guess who’s coming to dinner tonight” (1967), “The lion in winter” (1968) and In The Golden Pond” (1981). Frances McDormand and the Swedish Ingrid Bergman won 3 times, as did Meryl Streep, with the difference that the latter was nominated 21 times! Among the actors, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jack Nicholson and Walter Brennan tie with 3 Oscars Nicholson, like Streep, sweeps nominations: 12 times The curious detail: Day-Lewis announced his retirement from the tables several years ago.
9. Marlon Brando and the indigenous activist.
Marlon Brando won two Oscars, in 1954 and 1972, for “Rat’s Nest” and “The Godfather.” On the second opportunity, he decided to send an indigenous activist, in protest of “how they were treated in the movies”, who made a fiery allusive speech. In a train of snubs, it is impossible not to remember that Woody Allen refused to attend the ceremony when it was held on Mondays, on the grounds that that day he played the clarinet with friends in a bar in Manhattan. Allen won the Oscar for Best Picture for “Two Strange Lovers” (1978), and finally made an appearance in the 2002 installment, after the attack on the Twin Towers.
10. A movie steak.
It was almost unbelievable at last year’s ceremony to see Will Smith get up from his seat, walk onto the stage, and smack Chris Rock, who was doing a monologue at the time. The comedian made a “joke” about the physical appearance of Jada Pinkett-Smith, Will Smith’s wife, which sparked his fury: she compared her hairless head (due to alopecia) with that of the film’s protagonist G.I. Jane. Smith was sanctioned with 10 years of not being able to attend the ceremony. That is to say: he can be nominated and even win, but he must send someone in his place.
