A walk down the red carpet 

Why the night of the Academy Awards is important

Why does everyone love to hate the Academy Awards? I have been befuddled by this ever since I began watching the show keenly two decades ago. My first year of breathless excitement is one for the record books: when Titanic swept the awards.

Since then, my fascination for Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremony has only increased, as my knowledge of cinema and of the lives of the rich and famous have expanded in equal measure. The awards are not just about cheering on the films that captivate us, but getting a ringside seat in order to witness the emotions of the crème de la crème of the film fraternity, on a night when anything can happen.

As a film journalist, my excitement for the awards sets in January, when the nominations are first announced. From that moment, I frantically attempt to watch as many missed movies as possible before late February, when the event is traditionally scheduled. This is no mean feat living in India, where award candidates either have staggered/late releases or none at all, though this has improved in recent times with the influx of streaming platforms. Expectations intensify when the Academy host/s are finalised, by which time firm camps are in place for the Best Picture and Best Actor categories. (My favourite category is Best Animated Feature.)

I often stay up the whole night in wide-eyed anticipation instead of setting an alarm to watch the show. There’s always a shocking fashion revelation or faux pas to look forward to. And when showtime begins, I try to figure out if the hosts are going to create a viral moment, such as when Ellen DeGeneres took that famous selfie, or if there is going to be a spectacular train wreck, such as in 2011 when Anne Hathaway and James Franco hosted the show. From the presenters’ banter to the jaw-dropping musical acts to the awards themselves, the Academy Awards are a breathless four hours of elation, heartbreak, shock and surprise.

Unlike others, I enjoy watching the post-interviews too, as winners are given a chance to speak in-depth about their craft, as opposed to the dramatic and rushed speeches on the Academy stage. And then comes my one true guilty pleasure: the after parties such as the Governors Ball or the Vanity Fair event where Hollywood royalty cuts loose.

It is a lot to take in. And it’s easy to understand where the reluctance to celebrate this show of avarice and privilege comes from, not to mention the many problems that have surrounded the gala in recent years: the #OscarsSoWhite protest in 2016 and #MeToo and Time’s Up taking center-stage in 2018 in the wake of Academy heavyweight Harvey Weinstein’s conviction. However, it is also important to note that the Academy (unlike, say, the Golden Globe Awards) have acted quickly to correct several fundamental mistakes. They also provide stars the biggest stage to shed light on issues that are close to them. This often makes the Academy Awards a night of political activism, unlike the popular award ceremonies in India. Whether it is Frances McDormand’s demand last year for an “inclusion rider” in clauses or Ariana DeBose this week batting for queer and Afro-Latina representation, the Academy Awards have always led to heated debates and increased awareness on topics of significance (Of course you looked up ‘alopecia’ too). After having doubled the number of female members and tripled the members of colour, the Academy has put out another promise: from 2025, films will be eligible for consideration only if they meet the standards of two out of four broad groups of criteria.

This time, after two years of the pandemic (and last year’s pared-down event), it was surreal to welcome the stars back to the Dolby Theatre. While there will always be certain riveting moments from the awards that we will remember years later, the Oscars are a great night to appreciate and celebrate the movies, to appreciate and identify with struggles, to see up-close-and-personal the emotions of stars as they unfold, to root for favourites, to enter a world of glamour. What’s there not to like?