Arts / Movies
Meridian sweeps Oscars with seven awards, historic wins
Sarah Chen becomes the fifth woman to win Best Picture as an ambitious historical drama dominates the Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre.
Hollywood celebrated its finest achievements Monday night at the 97th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles before a global audience of 1.8 billion viewers. The evening was marked by emotional speeches, unexpected upsets, and a sweeping victory for "Meridian," an ambitious historical drama that nabbed seven major awards and cemented its place among the year's most significant films. Director Sarah Chen became the fifth woman in history to win Best Picture, accepting the award while tears streamed down her face. "I made this film to honor the voices we forgot to listen to," Chen said, clutching the golden statuette. "Thank you to the Academy for believing in stories that matter."
The night's narrative centered on a surprising rivalry between "Meridian" and "The Darkening," a thriller that had dominated industry precursor awards but ultimately won only three Oscars. Industry observers attributed "The Darkening's" stumble to a backlash against its distributor's aggressive campaigning, which allegedly included inappropriate pressure on voters. The Academy has announced an investigation into the marketing practices surrounding that film. Meanwhile, "Celestial Variations," an animated feature that many had counted out, emerged victorious in several technical categories, including Cinematography and Sound Design, signaling growing appreciation for animation's artistic sophistication.
The acting categories produced several memorable moments. Marcus Thompson, a relative newcomer to mainstream cinema, won Best Actor for his portrayal of a conflicted military officer in "Meridian," defeating the favored Daniel Kaluuya. In her acceptance speech, Thompson quoted his grandmother, a longtime stage actress who passed away last month: "She used to say that the stage is the truest mirror of the soul. Tonight, I dedicate this award to her memory and to every actor who has ever believed they weren't enough." Best Actress went to Yuki Tanaka, the first Japanese-born performer to win in that category in twenty-three years, for her haunting role in the independent film "Night Falls Twice." Supporting Actor and Actress honors went to James Richardson and Viola Pacheco, both for performances in ensemble casts that showcased their remarkable depth.
Major category winners
- Best Picture: Meridian
- Best Director: Sarah Chen, Meridian
- Best Actor: Marcus Thompson, Meridian
- Best Actress: Yuki Tanaka, Night Falls Twice
- Best Supporting Actor: James Richardson, Echoes of Tomorrow
- Best Supporting Actress: Viola Pacheco, The Weight of Silence
- Best Animated Feature: Celestial Variations
- Best International Feature: The Last Train (France)
- Best Original Screenplay: Amara Okonkwo, The Breach
- Best Adapted Screenplay: David Fincher, The Darkening
- Best Cinematography: Pavel Kosnikov, Celestial Variations
- Best Original Score: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Meridian
- Best Film Editing: Lisa Liu, Meridian
A night of surprises and tributes
The ceremony opened with a medley celebrating cinematic heroes, featuring clips of legendary directors and actors whose influence shaped contemporary filmmaking. The performance prompted a standing ovation and set an emotional tone for the evening. Presenters included Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, and newcomer Zendaya, whose comedic banter with co-presenters drew sustained applause.
Technical awards went to several veterans and emerging talents. The Sound Design category was particularly competitive this year, with four of the five nominees coming from debut feature filmmakers. Cinematography honors, traditionally dominated by established directors of photography, went to Pavel Kosnikov for his innovations in blending digital and analog photography techniques in the animated feature "Celestial Variations," a choice that surprised industry observers but reflected the category's evolution toward recognizing diverse visual approaches.
The Academy's move to expand representation continued with this year's cohort of winners reflecting broader diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, and geographic origin. Of the 23 major category winners, eight were women, seven were people of color, and three were international filmmakers accepting awards outside English-language categories. "This reflects the true diversity of filmmaking around the world," said Academy President Elena Rodriguez. "We are proud to celebrate artists who bring fresh perspectives and unique voices to cinema." The ceremony concluded with a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra and a montage of the year's most moving film moments, reminding audiences why cinema remains the most powerful storytelling medium of our age.