DIVERSITY featured heavily at this year’s 74th edition of the Golden Globes awards where five categories had wins for people of colour at a ceremony that often predicts Oscar winners.
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This year’s Golden Globes which was held last Sunday saw an increase in black actors being either nominated or winning the awards.
In fact, the all-black film Moonlight won the top gong of the night, Best Picture in a drama for its very intriguing story.
Moonlight tells the story of a young man dealing with his dysfunctional home life while trying to find himself. The story is of his struggle to find himself and is told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and the beauty of falling in love while grappling with his own sexuality.
One of the main aspects of the film was the lead coming to terms with being gay and coping with it. As homosexuality is still taboo among black people, the film did well to highlight that fact while showing other social norms among black Americans.
However, it is Moonlight’s overall message — one of finding oneself after going through a traumatic experience — which ultimately carried it through. This theme was well-delivered from start to finish.
The heightened level of acting was on display in what was a slew of excellent performances from the cast. Despite the film’s excellent story and cast, it should be noted that films with a great storyline, where homosexuality is one of the main themes, often do not win big at the Oscars.
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For example, look no further than 2005’s acclaimed gay film Brokeback Mountain which won Best Director for the film’s director Ang Lee but failed to get the Best Picture prize.
But, out of all the performances in Moonlight, none shined more than actor Mahershala Ali who played a drug lord who became a father figure to the lead character. Though Ali did not win the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor despite being nominated, he is still a favourite at winning the Oscar.
Besides Moonlight, the other categories that had people of colour winning was the Best Supporting Actress in a tv drama for Viola Davies, Best series, musical or comedy Atlanta, Best Actor in TV Series, musical or comedy Donald Glover, and Best Actress TV series musical or comedy Tracee Ellis Ross.
Davies won the award for her role in drama film Fences and is popular for acting as the lead in the current television drama How to Get Away with Murder. She is considered to be one of the top black female actresses of her generation.
Fences also stars Hollywood veteran and two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington who was nominated in the Best Actor category at the Golden Globes for his stellar performance, bu
Fences was a widely-praised film but was not nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes. The film tells the story of a sanitation worker Troy Maxson played by Washington, who is left a bitter family man after losing a chance to be a professional baseball player.
The film is set against the backdrop of 1950s Pittsburgh in the United States. Maxson lost the chance to become a baseball player after he was deemed too old when the major leagues finally started admitting black athletes. His bitterness over his missed opportunity leads to him creating further tension in his family when he squashes his son’s (Jovan Adepo) chance to meet a college football recruiter.
Davies won Best Supporting Actress in the drama for playing Rose Maxson, the loving and supportive wife to Troy who really showed the emotional struggles she went through in keeping the family together.
The emotional performances from both Washington and Davies really carried the film’s core element forward, showing the consequences of missed opportunities. In this regard, Davies delivered one of her best performances to date.
The big night for people of colour has put pressure for film industry’s biggest awards, the Oscars, to do likewise.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — sponsors of the Oscars — last year came under increased scrutiny for not nominating more people of colour because members of the academy who vote are mainly white.
In response to the backlash, the academy put new rules which will see more diversity in the people they invite to join them in the coming years.
These efforts are meant to increase the chances of films with people of colour getting nominated at the prestigious event.
Out of the top films vying for awards, Ster Kinekor Zimbabwe is screening the Mel Gibson directed Hacksaw Ridge dubbed as his “Hollywood comeback” after years of anguish.
Hacksaw Ridge tells the extraordinary true story of conscientious objector (a person who for reasons of conscience objects to serving in the armed forces) Desmond T Doss, played by former Spiderman actor Andrew Garfield, who saved 75 men in the famous Okinawa battle of World War II.
But, unlike other war heroes, what makes Doss widely remembered was his refusal in one of the bloodiest battle of World War II to pick a gun or kill an enemy.
Yes, in one of the bloodiest battles of human history, one man’s religious beliefs prevented him from taking arms or firing. As such, he went through the whole battle without ever firing a single shot.
Doss was the only American soldier in World War II to fight on the front lines without a weapon. As an army medic, Doss single-handedly evacuated the wounded near enemy lines — braving enemy fire and putting his own life on the line.
He was the first conscientious objector to ever win the Congressional Medal of Honour.
During World War II, every able-bodied man had to fight in the war despite their beliefs or protests, which is the only reason why Doss participated.
Of course his tale has never been repeated and is considered one of the most exceptional acts of bravery after he pulled over 75 men to safety!
If people remember the 2004 enthralling film Passion of the Christ, then rest assured Gibson really brings out the core elements of Hacksaw Ridge elements, which are courage and bravery.
The direction of Gibson and the heart-warming portrayal of Garfield make this movie not only a must see but one for the ages!
