Oscar 2017 was the one memorable event in its history. The Academic Award Ceremony held on February 26 disappointed on another count when it goofed-up the winner for the Best Picture. Presenter Warren Beatly wrongly announced La La Land as the Best Motion Picture. The mistake was not rectified then because the musical drama with its record tying 14 nominations did not raise any suspicion at all. The elated team went up on stage, and halfway through the acceptance speech the gaffe came to light. But the Barry Jenkins directed Moonlight got sidelined either way. As the host Jimmy Kimmel puts in his customary style,” La La Land was somehow the biggest winner and the biggest loser last night. You know it’s strange night when the word ‘envelope’ is trending on twitter.”
The incident reminded us all of the 2015 Miss Universe beauty pageant when the crowd watched in astonishment as the crown had to be removed from Miss Columbia Ariadna Gutierrez and placed on its rightful recipient Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo. And the otherwise forgetful event became the one to be remembered.
To make a movie out of mainstream cinema is itself a challenge and if there is no marketing involved then it is doom to go unheeded. But then it is the Oscars to provide much needed advocacy to these conservative dramas. Moonlight belonging to one such category presents the life of the protagonist in the three stages of his life through physical and mental abuse. But with all the media attention having squarely shifted to the embarrassing faux , the 89th Academy Awards will be forever significant for a cause other than the opportunity for Moonlight to get the right reorganization rather than the spotlight.
SARJANA 
Nyc
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