At the 98th Academy Awards, host Conan O'Brien warned viewers the ceremony could get political, and it did not disappoint. Javier Bardem, presenting the best international feature film award, declared: 'No to war, and free Palestine,' prompting applause at the Dolby Theatre.
Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another dominated the night with six awards, including best picture. In his acceptance speech for best adapted screenplay, Anderson said he wrote the film for his children, 'to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we're handing off to them.'
Joachim Trier, accepting the best international feature film award for Norway's Sentimental Value, criticised short-sighted leaders: 'All adults are responsible for all children. Let's not vote for politicians that don't take this seriously into account.'
Michael B Jordan, winning best actor for Sinners, paid tribute to Black actors who paved the way, including Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington. Maggie Kang, co-director of KPop Demon Hunters, tearfully accepted the best animated feature award, saying: 'I'm so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this.'
One of the most powerful moments came from the documentary short All the Empty Rooms, which highlights children killed in school shootings. Subject Gloria Cazares, whose daughter Jackie was killed aged nine, said: 'Gun violence is now the number one cause of death in kids and teens.'
