All About the Oscars: History, Ceremony, and Winners

The Oscar is an award annually bestowed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences located in Beverly Hills. These Academy Awards are the most prestigious and coveted in the film industry, highly revered and recognized globally as the Oscars. It honors outstanding film professionals including directors, writers, actors, designers, composers, and many more in an annual event celebrated by the film industries worldwide.

Main U.S. Film Award

The Oscar is awarded in recognition of achievements in the film industry. Here are a few facts about the award:

• Guest ticket prices for the first Academy Awards were $5;
• The Oscar statuette stands 13½ inches tall and weighs 8.5 pounds;
• Since 1929, nearly 3,000 statuettes have been awarded;
• The design of the Oscar statuette features a knight holding a crusader's sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes, symbolizing writers, technicians, producers, actors, and directors;
• The "Best Animated Feature Film" category was only added in 2001;
• The length of the red carpet is 500 feet, and it is 33 feet wide.

Today's Oscar is a dazzling event where stars display their expensive attire on the red carpet, and photographers buzz everywhere. It is interesting to note that this glitz and glamour starkly contrast the original ceremonies, which were more or less away from the public gaze.

History of the Award

The Oscars are intimately linked to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), established in 1927. The combined efforts of 36 prominent film industry figures led to the creation of this academy, which decided that talented representatives of the film industry should be awarded annually.

The ceremony has been broadcast live since its inception, on radio until 1953 and on television annually thereafter. In 1966, the Oscars were broadcast in color for the first time. Initially, winners' names were provided to the newspapers even before the ceremony began. The tradition of announcing the results on camera during the awards wasn't adopted until 1941. Since then, the results have been meticulously guarded and kept in a sealed envelope.

Significant Oscars

We decided to compile a list of five key moments when the Academy Awards truly made history by overcoming social inequality and recognizing genuine talent that had previously been overlooked.

• When Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar in 2010. Kathryn Bigelow made history as the first woman to win the coveted award for her direction of the war thriller "The Hurt Locker."
• Marlon Brando refused his Best Actor award for "The Godfather" in 1973. He not only boycotted the ceremony but also sent actress Sacheen Littlefeather in his place. She declined the Oscar and read a letter stating that Brando could not accept the award due to the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans by the film industry.
• Charlie Chaplin received a 12-minute standing ovation at the Oscars in 1972. Chaplin, a global icon and pioneer of silent comedy, was barred from returning to the US for 20 years after being labeled a communist. Thus, his honorary Oscar was significant not only because Hollywood finally recognized his significant contributions to the industry but also because his attendance at the awards marked his first return to the United States. He received the longest-standing ovation in Oscar history, lasting 12 minutes.
• Halle Berry became the first African American woman to win the prestigious Best Actress award for "Monster's Ball" in 2002. She was so overwhelmed with emotion that she was speechless for minutes.
• The night became even more special when another African American actor, Denzel Washington, also took home the Best Actor award for "Training Day."
• The awards also overcame some barriers. Actress Hattie McDaniel received the first Oscar given to an African American actor for her supporting role in "Gone with the Wind," which had a record 13 nominations and 8 wins.