“Spotlight”‘s Best Picture win at the Academy Awards Sunday night was met with emotion and approval by survivors of the Boston clergy sex abuse scandal.
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Spotlight recounts the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation into child sex abuse in the Catholic Church and how the Globe journalists unveiled decades of systematic cover-ups. Comedian, actor and filmmaker Chris Rock returns as host of the event for a second time.
Another producer, Blye Pagon Faust, said that “Spotlight” showed the importance of a robust media amid years of financial struggles for the industry in the United States.
Presenter Sasha Baron Cohen talks with Mark Ruffalo (R), nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Spotlight”, as they arrive at the 88th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 28, 2016. At Sunday’s ceremony, producers said the top honor means more for the abuse survivors.
Birdman, for example, won four Oscars; 12 Years A Slave (2013) three; Argo (2012) three; The Artist five; The King’s Speech four, The Hurt Locker six; Slumdog Millionaire (2008) eight; and No Country For Old Men (2007) four.
The post-apocalyptic thrill ride took home statuettes for editing, production design, costume design, sound editing, sound mixing and makeup and hairstyling.
“When journalism is at its best, this is what it can illuminate for us”, McCarthy said.
“The rewards will come if this movie has impact: On journalism, because owners, publishers and editors rededicate themselves to investigative reporting”.
Thus the supporting actor category is known for rewarding actor’s actors – see J.K. Simmons’ win for Whiplash (2014).
McCarthy, who also won an Oscar last night for best original screenplay, played Scott Templeton – a fictional Baltimore Sun reporter whose career ambitions led to unethical practices – in the fifth and final season of the HBO series. Bright and cheerful Inside Out triumphed as Best Animated Feature Film.
ABC on Monday morning will release audience ratings for the program that will show whether the viewing public responded to Rock’s humor and efforts to call attention to racism in Hollywood, a community known for its liberal leanings and support of civil rights. The award for Best Foreign Language Film was predictably won the by Hungarian WW2 drama Son of Saul. “He loved it and had a great conversation with her and talked her through it”.
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“It’s not enough to just listen and agree: We must take action”, she said.
