AUSSIES swept the Academy Awards this year in the technical departments but Cate Blanchett missed out on a best actress gong for Carol.
George Miller’s long-gestating and troubled production Mad Max: Fury Road picked up six golden statues out of its 10 nominations.
The film was awarded the coveted accolade for film editing (Margaret Sixel), costume design (Jenny Beavan), makeup and hairstyling (Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin), sound mixing (Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo), sound editing (Mark A. Mangini and David White) and production design (Colin Gibson – production design and Lisa Thompson – set decoration).
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READ NOWLeaving many shocked, the film and its director failed to win over voters in the best film and director categories, however.
In a twist many did not expect, Spotlight was crowned the best film of 2015 over favourites The Revenant and The Big Short while Alejandro G. Iñárritu won best director for helming The Revenant.
He won the same category last year for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), making him the third director in the academy’s history to win back to back awards.
“Our Cate” missed out taking home the gold with the academy voters giving the award to Brie Larson for her role in Room.
There was a chorus of “finally” when Leonardo DiCaprio was awarded the best actor award for his role in The Revenant, his fifth nomination for acting (he was also nominated for best film for his producing credit on The Wolf of Wall Street).
The USA’s biggest grossing film in history Star Wars: The Force Awakens failed to pick up any awards out of five nominations.
Host Chris Rock made the ceremony about the lack of diversity in the nominations this year, which was dubbed Oscars So White, drawing attention to the elephant in the room from the opening monologue and between every award presented.
Attendees applauded (sometimes awkwardly) his jokes and observations but a gag involving long forgotten Clueless star Stacey Dash tanked.
The winners: Best Picture: Spotlight – Winner The Big Short Bridge of Spies Brooklyn Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room Actor in a leading role: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant – Winner Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Matt Damon, The Martian Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Actress in a leading role: Brie Larson, Room – Winner Cate Blanchett, Carol Jennifer Lawrence, Joy Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Actor in a supporting role: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies – Winner Christian Bale, The Big Short Tom Hardy, The Revenant Mark Ruffalo, Spotlilm: Inside Out – Winner Anomalisa Boy and the World Shaun the Sheep Movie When Marnie Was There Directing: The Revenant – Winner The Big Short Mad Max: Fury Road Room Spotlight Foreign language film: Son of Saul – Winner Embrace of the Serpent Mustang Theeb A War Writing (Adapted screenplay): The Big Short – Winner Brooklyn Carol The Martian Room Writing (Original screenplay): Spotlight – Winner Bridge of Spies Ex Machina Inside Out Straight Outta Compton