The 98th Academy Awards, a night usually dedicated to celebrating cinematic achievement, unfolded this year against a backdrop of significant global anxieties. While host Conan O’Brien’s playful entrance, with children in tow, attempted to set a lighter tone, the underlying tensions of ongoing conflicts, political instability, and the burgeoning impact of artificial intelligence on the film industry were undeniably present. This year’s Oscars felt like a high-anxiety affair, a palpable mix of celebration and apprehension filling the Dolby Theatre.
Despite the prevailing uncertainties, there was a clear and deliberate effort to inject a sense of optimism into the proceedings. O’Brien himself acknowledged this delicate balancing act in his opening monologue, stating, “We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today — optimism. We’re going to celebrate. Not because we think all is well, but because we work, and hope for better.”
A Film Reflecting Troubled Times
The last time the Oscars coincided with significant global conflict was in 2003, amidst the early days of the Iraq War, when the musical “Chicago” took home the coveted best picture award. However, this year presented a starkly different narrative. “One Battle After Another,” a powerful father-daughter story delving into themes of revolution, immigrant detention, and white supremacy, resonated deeply with the contemporary global landscape. Its triumph, securing an impressive six Academy Awards, underscored its profound connection to the pressing challenges of our time.
Paul Thomas Anderson, the director of “One Battle After Another,” was visibly still processing his first Oscar wins after a distinguished 30-year career, including accolades for best director and best adapted screenplay. When asked backstage about the film’s relevance and America’s future, he initially expressed a lighthearted surprise. “I thought we were supposed to be partying,” he quipped. However, Anderson, who had largely refrained from directly discussing the film’s message during its awards season sweep, conceded that its timeliness was a significant factor in its power.
“Our film obviously has a certain amount of parallels to what’s happening in the news every day,” Anderson stated, acknowledging the overt connections. When pressed about the future, he offered a thoughtful, if uncertain, response. “In terms of where it’s going, I don’t know,” he added, shrugging. “But I know that the end of our movie is our hero, Willa, heading off to continue to fight against evil forces, and, I think, like I said in my speech, bring at least common sense and decency back into fashion.”
Cinema in Step with the Moment
The direct correlation between the narratives unfolding on screen and the pressing events of the world outside made the 98th Academy Awards a uniquely destabilised, yet fitting, affair. For the first time in a considerable period, the films being celebrated and the Oscars ceremony itself seemed to be in sync with the prevailing mood of the moment. This was evident not only in “One Battle After Another” but also in other nominated films such as the apocalyptic road movie “Sirāt,” the Iranian revenge drama “It Was Just an Accident,” and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” a film exploring the forces that target and exploit Black culture.
While films like “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” – which garnered four awards, including best actor for Michael B. Jordan and, in a historic first for women and Black directors of photography, best cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw – might have suggested a hopeful resurgence for big-budget, original American cinema, their victories also highlighted the rapidly shifting landscape within Hollywood itself.
Warner Bros., the studio behind these acclaimed films, achieved a record-tying 11 Oscar wins. David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, hailed it as “a remarkable moment for Warner Bros. Discovery” in a memo to staff. However, this success could also mark a significant turning point, potentially a last hurrah for Warner Bros. as an independent studio, given its agreement to be acquired by David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance in a deal valued at $111 billion. This industry trend, which has already seen MGM absorbed by Amazon and 20th Century Fox acquired by The Walt Disney Co., signals a period of contraction that inevitably leads to job losses. Film production in Los Angeles has seen a significant decline in recent years.
The Future of Storytelling and the Oscars
Even the host, Conan O’Brien, mused about his own job security, playfully referring to himself as “the last human host” of the Oscars, especially with the ceremony slated to transition from ABC to YouTube in three years. Throughout the broadcast, O’Brien’s comedic segments often focused on the precarious state of the film industry. One notable sketch satirised iconic widescreen films being re-edited to fit the vertical format favoured by smartphones. Another segment reimagined “Casablanca” – a classic Warner Bros. production – as a dumbed-down narrative, complete with constant plot explanations, catering to the perceived habits of half-watching streaming audiences.
This year, it was demonstrably harder to deliver the usual celebratory pitch for Hollywood’s “Dream Factory” on its biggest night. The Oscars felt more like a crucial pep talk, an urgent call to persevere in the face of considerable challenges. Amidst the excitement surrounding Timothée Chalamet’s comments about the potential for movies to become akin to opera or ballet, a more profound concern for the future of popular culture’s primary storytelling medium was brewing.
“The theatrical experience is something that’s a little bit vulnerable right now,” director Joachim Trier told reporters backstage after winning best international film for “Sentimental Value.” “So I’m very proud that (for) our film … people have shown up.”
Voices of Concern and Hope
While many winners chose to steer clear of overt political commentary – with neither the word “Iran” nor the name of President Donald Trump being uttered during the broadcast – the underlying political currents were undeniable. Presenter Jimmy Kimmel, in a moment of wry observation, alluded to the absence of Melania Trump before announcing the best documentary nominees.
However, after an awards season that often tiptoed around contentious issues, some figures were more direct. Presenter Javier Bardem took to the stage and unequivocally stated, “No to war, and free Palestine.” Pavel Talankin, the schoolteacher featured in the documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” accepted the best documentary Oscar and, through an interpreter, implored, “In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these wars now.”
Jessie Buckley, who won best actress for her portrayal of a grieving mother in “Hamnet,” also turned her thoughts towards children, specifically her eight-month-old daughter Isla, who she described as having “absolutely no idea what’s going on and is probably dreaming of milk.” Buckley expressed a more optimistic outlook than many regarding the future. From the stage, she playfully declared her desire for “20,000 more babies” with her husband. Nevertheless, time and again, those accepting awards grappled with finding the right words to articulate the present moment of fraying societal bonds and expanding global conflict. Their speeches frequently returned to the crucial subject of the world the younger generation would ultimately inherit. Director Joachim Trier, in his acceptance speech, powerfully paraphrased the sentiments of the celebrated American writer James Baldwin:
““I want to end by paraphrasing the wonderful American writer James Baldwin, who makes us remember that all adults are responsible for all children,” he stated. “Let’s not vote for politicians who don’t take this seriously into account.”
Ultimately, the success of “One Battle After Another” felt almost inevitable, given its clear reflection of what was on the minds of many. Paul Thomas Anderson’s film concludes with its young protagonist, portrayed by Chase Infiniti, rushing out to join a protest, accompanied by the stirring chords of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”
“What happens when your parents, who are damaged, have handed quite a difficult history to you, how do you manage that?” Anderson reflected backstage. “That’s our story.”
