Oscars Special: Films with more than 10 nominations at the Academy Awards
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Moonlight by Barry Jenkins was bestowed with the Best Picture Award in the 89th Academy Awards but in a rare and unexpected gaffe, La La Land, was announced the winner of the Best Picture category.
Presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway who were called to announce the winner, pondered a while before reading the cue card, which ended up being wrong.
Just when the La La Land makers were about to deliver the acceptance speech, producer Jordon Horowitz announced: "There's a mistake… Moonlight, you guys won Best Picture… This is not a joke, I'm afraid they read the wrong thing. Moonlight Best Picture."
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Moonlight, reportedly one of the films with the lowest budget ($1.5 million) to win an Oscar, was nominated for the Best Picture honour with Hidden Figures, Hell or High Water, Arrival, Lion, La La Land, Fences, Manchester by the Sea and Hacksaw Ridge.
The film is about a young Cuban black man who struggles through life in a rough neighborhood of Miami. The victory of this tale also goes on to make a strong statement at a time when US President Donald Trump has launched a tirade against immigrants in the country.
After the unintended goof-up, Presenter Warren Beatty clarified, "I looked down at the card and thought, this is very strange, because it says best actress," he told The Times. "Maybe there was a misprint. I don't know what happened. And that's all I have I have to say on the subject."
Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel tried to normalise the situation by saying, "I blame myself for this. I knew I'd screw this up… I promise I'll never come back."
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