Once Again, Africa “Missing” at the Oscars! Winners & Red Carpet Photos from the 84th Academy Awards

If there was a theme at this year’s Oscars, it seems as though it was “vintage”.

We had  Hollywood veteran and seasoned Oscar host Billy Crystal back on the Academy Awards stage; Legendary actor Christopher Plummer won the supporting actor prize at the grand old age of 82 – entering the record books as the oldest ever Academy Award acting prize winner. Octavia Spencer won the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her stellar performance in 1960s based “The Help“. We can’t forget Meryl Streep‘s triumphant moment as she picked up her third Academy Award, her first since the 1980s.

To sum it all up, a black and white silent movie “The Artist” won the major awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor in a Leading Role.

When the nominees were announced a few months ago, we were hopeful that an African film or actor would make the list but it wasn’t to be. What’s holding African cinema back from the international stage?

84th Academy Award Winners
* BEST PICTURE – The Artist
* BEST DIRECTOR – Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
* BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE – Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
* BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE – Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
* SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Octavia Spencer (The Help)
* SUPPORTING ACTOR – Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
* CINEMATOGRAPHY – Hugo
* FILM EDITING – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
* ART DIRECTION – Hugo
* COSTUME DESIGN – The Artist
* MAKE-UP – The Iron Lady
* FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – A Separation (Iran)
* ANIMATED FEATURE FILM – Rango
* ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – Midnight in Paris – Screenplay by Woody Allen
* ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – The Descendants – Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
* VISUAL EFFECTS – Hugo
* MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) – Ludovic Bource (The Artist)
* MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) – Man or Muppet, from The Muppets – Bret McKenzie
* SOUND EDITING – Hugo
* SOUND MIXING – Hugo
* DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE) – Undefeated
* DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT) – Saving Face
* SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION) – The Shore
* SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

Red Carpet

Photo Credit: AP | Getty Images | Zimbio | UK Daily Mail