 | | | Wallace and Gromit celebrate their Oscar in their Paul Smith bow ties. © Aardman 2006 |
The Oscars are the biggest movie event of every year, and are always a star-studded, glamorous occasion. Their full title is ‘Academy Awards’, and the first awards took place in 1929, when films had only just begun being ‘talkies’, and not silent movies. The famous golden ‘Oscar’ statuettes represent the greatest honour an actor or film-maker can achieve. This year’s event, the 78th Academy Awards, was as fashionable as ever, with designer frocks and tuxedos parading up the red carpet. The awards this year were dominated by intimate, thought-provoking films, and there was a good spread of awards – no one film swept the board. ‘Crash’ was the surprise winner of the coveted best film award, as well as two other awards. The film is about racial tension in Los Angeles, and features an ensemble cast – lots of different characters with no one lead role. Despite being tipped as ‘the hottest favourite ever to win best picture’, ‘Brokeback Mountain’ only won three of its eight nominations, including a best director award for Ang Lee. George Clooney won the best supporting actor award for ‘Syriana’, but was also nominated as a director for ‘Good Night and Good Luck’. He joked about why he likes directing, “You can get old and grey and they still let you do the job!” British films had limited success, but a seven-months pregnant Rachel Weisz collected the best supporting actress award, and British-made ‘Six Shooter’ won in the best short film category. British animators Nick Park and Steve Box were surprised and jubilant that their film ‘Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ won the animated film award. They collected their award wearing matching oversized stripy bow-ties. Steve Box commented, “We really didn't think we would win because a lot of the films were worthy and meaningful and deep and our film is just ridiculous.” | 
