Universal Pictures’ film Green Book, about race relations in the US South in the early 1960s, was crowned best picture of 2018 at the 91st Academy Awards.
This triumph dashed Netflix’s hopes that Roma would garner the streaming giant’s first top Oscar.
The film is based on a true story of friendship between working-class Italian-American bouncers who becomes a driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960’s American South.
Mahershala Ali plays the role of jazz pianist Don Shirley in the Peter Farrelly-directed biographical drama.
It received its fair share of criticism and controversy, including over whether it is the latest in a stream of “white saviour” movies, but the stars and the film’s team have vigorously defended it.
Mahershala won the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in the film.
He took the stage, where he first thanked the man he portrayed, saying:
“Trying to capture Dr Shirley’s essence pushed me to my ends, which is a reflection of the person that he was and the life that he lived, and I thank him.”
He proceeded to thank his co-star Viggo Mortensen, along with Farrelly, before dedicating the award to his grandmother, who “has been in my ear my entire life telling me, if at first, I don’t succeed, try try again”.
Here is the full Winners list of Oscars 2019:
Best Director:
Alfonso Cuaron – Roma
Best Actor:
Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Actress:
Olivia Colman – The Favourite
Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali – Green Book
Best Supporting Actress
Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Original Screenplay
Green Book
Best Adapted Screenplay
BlacKkKlansman
Best Animated Feature Film
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Best Original Score
Black Panther
Best Original Song
Shallow – A Star Is Born
Best Production Design
Black Panther
Best Visual Effects
First Man
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Vice
Best Costume Design
Black Panther
Best Cinematography
Roma
Best Sound Editing
Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Sound Mixing
Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Foreign Language Film
Roma
Best Feature Documentary
Free Solo
Best Film Editing
Bohemian Rhapsody
Best Animated Short
Bao
Best Short Documentary
Period. End Of Sentence.
Best Short
Skin
Heartiest congratulations to all the winners!
