45 minutes before the gala was about to start, the arriving guests received an SMS with instructions to stay in their cars – a pro-Palestinian demonstration blocked the red carpet. But the disruption was short, barely ten minutes later the stars could step out in front of the flashing cameras again.
Only a few days after the heated meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the tense geopolitical situation was noticeable in both the nominations and at the Oscars gala itself.
Supported Ukraine
Slava Ukraini! shouted actress Daryl Hannah when she presented the award for best editing.
The filmmakers behind the documentary "Porcelain War", about artists fighting to survive the war in Ukraine, wore pins with the Ukrainian flag on the red carpet. So did "The Conclave" author Peter Straughan.
Let's not turn our backs on Ukraine, he said to Variety's reporter on the red carpet.
Conflict film awarded
"Brutalistan" actor Guy Pearce showed up with a "Free Palestine" pin. "No other land", which deals with the conflict in Israel and Palestine, won the award for best long documentary.
— We made this film for Palestinians and Israelis because our voices are stronger together, said Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, one of the people behind the film.
Palestinian activist Basel Adra called for "stopping injustices and stopping the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians".
Poked fun at Trump
Sebastian Stan was nominated for best male lead for his portrayal of Donald Trump in "The Apprentice", about how the American president formed his political persona.
Host Conan O'Brien poked fun at Trump when he joked about the film "Anora", which is about a stripper who marries a Russian oligarch's son.
Anora is having a good night. I assume Americans are excited about someone who finally dares to stand up to a powerful Russian, said O'Brien.
