There were many Latinos who tuned in to the Oscars yesterday to see what this 95th edition had in store for their people. There weren’t as many nominees as years ago, but part of the public and critics did harbor some hope that Argentina 1985, the film by Santiago Miter that talks about the trials of the high command of the country’s military dictatorship, would win the golden statuette for the best international film.
It wouldn’t have been crazy. In fact, it started out as one of the favorites after winning this time ago with the Goya and Golden Globe in this same category, in addition to the FIPRESCI at the Venice Festival and the public award at the San Sebastian Festival, among others. However, she was unable to complete her triumphant career last night in the awards race because the German All Quiet on the Front ended up snatching that option from her. A declaration of intent that has already advanced at the Bafta, where she swept away her anti-war message, taking the award for best foreign-language film as well as best film, and which has been repeated again.
Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek were in charge of presenting the award and, judging by the many comments on Twitter, viewers did not miss the disappointment on the Mexican’s face when announcing the German film as the winner. Both she and the man from Malaga had admitted in the preview that the Argentine production was her favorite and that was evident on stage.
In addition to presenting that category, Antonio Banderas was also pending another nomination, that of best animated film, in which he participated with Puss in Boots: Last Wish. The film, whose protagonist Banderas gives the voice, has also left empty although the award, this time, has gone to another Latino: Guillermo del Toro.
Set in Mussolini’s Italy, the Mexican filmmaker’s Pinocchio has finally won the Oscar. It should be said that he was the loudest in the pools and that is something that Banderas himself was aware of: “It will be very difficult. This liar may win, I say Pinocchio. He is a liar, his nose grows. I’ve been with my cat for twenty years so that a lying doll comes to win me the Oscar”, the Spaniard joked a few hours before the winner was announced. However, he did not hesitate to applaud his bosom friend loudly when he got up from his seat to collect the award and to vindicate animation in the movie conversation. “He is not a cadet and he is ready to take the next step, we are already on it,” said the director.
Another Mexican, Alfonso Cuarón, had his eye on the best live action short film category for Le Pupille, a film he produced and directed by Italian Alice Rohrwacher. The story, which puts the innocence of some boarding girls in a religious school at the forefront, was finally surpassed by An Irish Goodbye, by Tom Berkeley and Ross White. That didn’t stop the Rome and Gravity director from expressing his displeasure that there aren’t more female filmmakers nominated this year. “Three female directors took three of the main prizes at the Berlinale. It makes me sad that this event is not celebrated in the same way, ”she lamented at the post-Oscar party.
The Latin triumph in the field of interpretation could only come from the hand of Ana de Armas for her role as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, who in her presentation left the audience at the Venice festival speechless due to her enormous resemblance. The award, however, has ended up in the hands of Michelle Yeoh, star of Everything at the same time everywhere, who took the award for best actress, defeating Cate Blanchett by surprise, who aspired to her third after The Aviator in 2004 and Blue Jasmine in 2013.
In any case, the Spanish-Cuban woman did not miss the opportunity to pay tribute to Monroe with her champagne-colored dress, created by the creative director of Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière, and which emulates one of the most iconic designs of the actress. “I never imagined getting here and I owe it to her,” she concluded.
