Oscars 2019 : Our Take On The 91st Academy Awards

Five years later, the 2019 Oscars remain a watershed moment in how Indian audiences evaluate global award credibility.

The VoxSpace Verdict

The 91st Academy Awards revealed an institution struggling to maintain its relevance. While technical categories proved worthy of recognition, the Best Picture choice felt safe rather than inspired. For Indian viewers accustomed to merit-based awards discourse, the Oscars’ apparent political maneuvering serves as a reminder that no award show—regardless of prestige—escapes bias.

91st Academy Awards

The Oscars happened and I guess people care. I don’t really know. All my life, I have been conditioned to believe that the Academy Awards are the gold standard for awards. They always felt above the petty politics of every other awards show. But, ever since the new introduction and removal of the ‘Best Popular Film’ category or the hosting controversy and most of all, ever since I looked more into the Miramax lobbying controversy, the Oscars have lost the value they once held.

Even with my low expectations, this year was even worse due to the lack of great films. Don’t get me wrong, there were some great films, but not enough. Films like Roma and The Favourite are masterpieces, but they were put next to the likes of a boring propaganda film like Vice. But still, I won’t give my opinion on who deserved it and who got snubbed. So, let’s begin.

The Technical Awards

People don’t really care about these categories because of the lack of glamour quotient attached to the people behind the scenes. But, as a film-maker, these are fascinating to me. Bohemian Rhapsody won for editing, but, I think Blackklansman deserved it because of the beautiful balance of comedy and social commentary that the editor mastered. The rest of the categories like cinematography for Roma, make-up for Vice and Visual effects for First Man were pretty much a given. I had hoped Roma would take home Production design, but Black Panther deserved it too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8foTTBhahyM

Music and SFX

Bohemian Rhapsody took home both SFX awards. I actually think Roma should have won both sounds-mixing and editing due to the absolute mastery of the soundscape created for the film, but they gave it to the boring biopic. As usual, the Academy voters went for the safe bet. Love that A Star Is Born took home the award for best song for Shallow. I was elated that Black Panther took home the best score award due to the brilliant score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqgDCyUQxUw

Script And Acting Categories

Most of the awards in these categories were locked from a long time like Mahershala Ali, Olivia Coleman, Rami Malek and Regina King. But it would have been fair if the Best Original Script would have gone to The Favourite rather than Green Book. While Green Book does have a great script, it is just that The Favourite is so daring with the tone and the kind of story it is telling that I thought it deserves it more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsqCv7-Bk-4

Final Two

The best director obviously went to Alfonso Cuaron for his tour de force Roma. A well-deserved award for a master at the prime of his artistic career. There was no other contender even close to the artistic brilliance of Roma.

Now, here I have my biggest problem, the best picture going to Green Book is just plain wrong. The Academy chose the film because it’s the safest of them all. Clearly, The Favourite or Roma deserved it. And, because Roma already won Best foreign language film, this award should have gone to The Favourite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t0h6TynTFk

Finally for my closing words. Congrats to Rayka Zehtabchi for representing India and winning Best Short Documentary for Period – End Of Sentence. Also congrats to Mr Cuaron for winning both cinematography and directing awards in the same year. A feat nobody is going pull off in the near future.

The Full List Of 2019’s Academy Award Winners

Documentary (Feature) — Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Free Solo

Actress in a Supporting Role — Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Makeup and Hairstyling — Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe, and Patricia Dehaney, Vice

Costume Design — Ruth E. Carter, Black Panther

Production Design — Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart, Black Panther

Cinematography — Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Sound Editing — John Warhurst, Bohemian Rhapsody

Sound Mixing — Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin, and John Casali, Bohemian Rhapsody

Foreign Language Film — Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Film Editing — John Ottman, Bohemian Rhapsody

Actor in a Supporting Role — Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Animated Feature Film — Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Animated Short Film — Domee Shi, Bao

Documentary Short Subject — Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton, Period. End of Sentence.

Visual Effects — Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles and J.D. Schwalm, First Man

Live Action Short Film — Guy Nattiv and Jamie Ray Newman, Skin

Best Original Screenplay — Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, Green Book

Best Adapted Screenplay — Spike Lee, Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Raymond Mansfield, Jordan Peele, BlacKkKlansman

Original Score — Ludwig Goransson, Black Panther

Original Song — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt, “Shallow,” A Star Is Born

Best Actor in a Leading Role — Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Actress in a Leading Role — Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Best Director — Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Best Picture — Green Book

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Roma deserve Best Picture at Oscars 2019?

Roma was a technical masterpiece with stunning cinematography, but Green Book ultimately won Best Picture. Many critics, including Indian film analysts, felt Roma’s narrative depth deserved the top honor. The choice sparked debate about voting bias and the Academy’s preferences.

Why did Bohemian Rhapsody win Best Editing over Black Klansman?

Bohemian Rhapsody’s editing rhythm matched its musical narrative, making it technically impressive. However, Black Klansman’s editor achieved a delicate balance between comedy and social commentary, which some film professionals felt was more challenging work deserving recognition.

What was the Miramax lobbying controversy mentioned in Oscars coverage?

The Miramax lobbying controversy exposed how the Academy’s voting process could be influenced by aggressive studio campaigns. This revelation changed how serious cinephiles—including Indian critics—viewed Oscar wins, questioning whether merit or marketing power determined winners.

Why was the Best Popular Film category removed from Oscars?

The Academy introduced and quickly scrapped the Best Popular Film category due to backlash from filmmakers and critics who felt it created a hierarchy between ‘popular’ and ‘artistic’ cinema. The move signaled internal confusion about the Oscars’ purpose and audience appeal.

How did Vice and Black Panther perform at the 91st Academy Awards?

Black Panther won Best Production Design, while Vice won for Best Makeup. Black Panther’s historic win marked the first superhero film nominated for Best Picture, though it didn’t win. Vice garnered multiple nominations but faced criticism for being described as propaganda rather than nuanced political cinema.

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. VoxSpace may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you. This does not influence our editorial opinions or reviews.