Video: Oscar 2017's historic faux pas moment- 'La La Land' mistakenly announced for Best Picture

The Best Picture award officially went to "Moonlight".
Video: Oscar 2017's historic faux pas moment- 'La La Land' mistakenly announced for Best Picture
Video: Oscar 2017's historic faux pas moment- 'La La Land' mistakenly announced for Best Picture
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The award for best picture officially went to "Moonlight," not "La La Land" as presenters announced in historic error.  

The award for best director went to Damien Chazelle, whose celebrated musical "La La Land" is a tribute to the Golden Age of Tinseltown musicals. Chazelle, who is 32-years-old, is the youngest filmmaker ever to win the category. He also wrote the screenplay for the film. Chazelle triumphed against nominees including Mel Gibson for “Hacksaw Ridge” and the directors of “Manchester by the Sea,” “Arrival” and “Moonlight. 

In another big win for the musical, Emma Stone took home the award for best actress for her portrayal of Mia Dolan, a determined actress. While clutching the award, Stone said "I still have a lot of growing and learning and work to do and this guy is a really beautiful symbol to continue on that journey."

In a surprise win, Casey Affleck took home an award for best actor for his performance in “Manchester by the Sea.”

Best foreign film brings a notable absence

Popular German comedy "Toni Erdmann" lost the Oscar for best foreign film. Instead, the award went to "The Salesman," a film by Asghar Faradhi, an Iranian director who did not attend the Oscars out of respect for nations targeted by president Trump's travel ban. 

Iranian astronaut Anousheh Ansari accepted the award on behalf of the director. "I'm sorry I'm not with you tonight," Ansari read in a statement. "My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of other six nations who have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S."

Although overlooked by critics, “The Salesman,” which tells the story of a couple performing Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” became a rallying cry for immigrant rights after the ban. 

The six directors of the foreign film nominees released a joint statement condemning "the climate of fanaticism and nationalism we see today in the U.S. and in so many other countries."

The documentary short winner about Syria’s civil war, U.S. immigration authorities also barred entry to a 21-year-old Syrian cinematographer who worked on the documentary short winner, "The White Helmets," about the country's civil war.

The best support 

Mahershala Ali celebrated took home the best supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of a drug dealer who mentors a troubled youngster in "Moonlight.” The film was nominated for eight awards, including best picture. The 43-year-old thanked his "many wonderful teachers " for teaching him to serve the stories and characters he plays. His win is the first for an African-American actor since 2006, when Forest Whitaker won top acting honors for "The Last King of Scotland.”

Viola Davis took home an Oscar for her acclaimed role as a determined mother desperate to hold her family together in Denzel Washington's "Fences.” Her first Academy Award, the 51-year old actress beat past Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Octavia Spencer

Major awards yet to be announced are best actor and best picture. Featuring actor Ryan Gosling and actress Emma Stone, "La La Land" is considered a favorite for best picture. The film won reaped a total of 14 nominations.

The evening opened with laughs as the host, Jimmy Kimmel, started the ceremony on a political note. He joked that the ceremony was now being watched by "220 countries that now hate us.” Kimmel continued his antics throughout the evening, organizing an LA tour bus to appear in the auditorium and recreating a scene from "The Lion King" by lifting up 8-year-old Sunny Pawar.

This piece was originally published on DW.

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