“Sentimental Value,” by Norwegian director Joachim Trier, won the Oscar for best international feature film, beating “The Secret Agent” by Brazil’s Kléber Mendonça Filho and “The Voice of Hind Rajab” by Tunisia’s Kaouther Ben Hania.
In his acceptance speech, Trier — whose film tells the story of a dysfunctional family — called on audiences never to vote for politicians who do not “take seriously” people’s lives. “At a moment like this, I would like to acknowledge the wonderful films with which we were nominated together, important and beautiful films that reflect our current crisis and crises of the past,” said the filmmaker, who described himself as “just a Norwegian film nerd.” He closed by “paraphrasing the wonderful American writer James Baldwin, who reminds us how all adults are responsible for all children,” concluding: “So let us not vote for politicians who do not take this seriously.”
The award was presented by Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who invoked the war and called for a “Free Palestine!”
The other nominees for best international feature film were “It Was Just an Accident” from France and “Sirât” from Spain.
“The Secret Agent” arrived at the ceremony with four nominations in total: best picture, best international feature film, best actor for Wagner Moura’s performance, and best casting. The film premiered last May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the directing prize, the critics’ award and best actor for Moura. Its cast also includes Alice Carvalho, Tânia Maria, Maria Fernanda Cândido and Portuguese actress Isabél Zuaa.
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“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” also nominated for best international feature film, tells the true story of the Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024 while waiting for rescue teams, built around her phone calls to the Red Crescent made from inside a car beside her deceased family members. The film won the Silver Lion — Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and received a standing ovation of nearly 24 minutes there, the longest in the Italian festival’s history.
The Oscar for best original song went to “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters,” by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park.
The winners of the 98th Academy Awards were announced tonight at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, in an edition where the favourites were “Sinners” with a record 16 nominations and “One Battle After Another” with 13. “One Battle After Another” took six Oscars — the highest of the night.
