By Poorvi Roopesh and Srishti Sawant

The Oscars are officially known as The Academy Awards and are the most prestigious film awards in the world. They are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an organization that honors achievements made in the art of film. The awards celebrate excellence across categories like acting, directing, cinematography, music, and screenwriting. Every year the ceremony recognizes the films released in the previous year highlighting the hard work many individuals. Traditionally, the Oscars are held every year in early March in Los Angeles, California, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Since their first event in 1929, the Oscars have grown into a global cultural event watched by many people, including those at IA; as IA students chose a night at the Oscars as the 2026 Prom theme.

The Oscars are a place where everyone is celebrated and winners are congratulated. This year, the awards recognized the film One Battle After Another, which earned several major wins, including Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, and the Oscars’ first-ever Best Casting award. The film also earned Sean Penn the award for Best Supporting Actor. Another major highlight of the night came from Sinners, which led with 16 nominations and a win from Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor based on his performance in the film. Jordan won his first-ever Oscar while Ludwig Goransson won Best Original Score for the same movie. Director Ryan Coogler also took home Best Original Screenplay for Sinners, showing just how influential and impressive the film was.

In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her role in Hamnet, while Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons. The animated category celebrated KPop Demon Hunters, for Best Animated Film!

However, the night wasn’t without its memorable and controversial moments—something the Oscars are known for. One of the biggest surprises came when Timothée Chalamet did not win Best Actor for his role as Mark Mauser in Marty Supreme, despite widespread praise for his performance. The moment quickly became a topic of conversation among students as well. Armaan Punjani [10] shared,

“I believe that Timothée Chalamet should have won Best Actor for his role as Mark Mauser in Marty Supreme because the way he portrayed the character and the mindset of winning he embodied truly reflects how the character acted as a person.”

Another moment that stood out came during the Best Animated Film acceptance speech for KPop Demon Hunters, when the winners were abruptly cut off before finishing their remarks. This sparked criticism online and within our own school community, with Uddip Kashyap [10] commenting that they

“Shouldn’t have cut them off at awards.”

These moments remind us that while the Oscars celebrate achievement, they also create discussions and differing opinions that keep audiences engaged long after the ceremony ends.

Overall, the Oscars continue to be more than just an awards show; they are a major pop cultural event that brings people together through film, conversation, and shared reactions. From major wins to unexpected outcomes, this year’s ceremony gave students plenty to talk about, connecting Hollywood to our own school community. Whether it’s debating who deserved to win or reacting to memorable on-stage moments, events like the Oscars show how storytelling can spark opinions and unite audiences everywhere. As our school embraces its own “Night at the Oscars” theme this year, it’s clear that the excitement and influence of the Academy Awards extend far beyond Hollywood, inspiring creativity and conversation right here among students.