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| Oscars So White |
The Academy Awards are tonight February 26th. Last year was infamous for the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite after the lack of diversity in the nominations. It is worth noting that there is more diversity represented among the nominees this year.
Consider, the film Loving. This is a film about a black woman who married a white man and successfully defeated Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage through a famed Supreme Court ruling. The actress Ruth Negga got a nomination for her portrayal of Mildred Loving.
Consider, the film Hidden Figures. This is a film that dares to show African American women in a non-stereotypical light. The media and BET especially usually portrays African American women as catty Real Housewives or as the plump spunky type like Queen Latifah. This film goes in the opposite direction by putting real women who dared to pursue their own careers in rocket science on a pedestal rather than Real Housewives clawing each other to a bloody pulp over a spilled drink.
The real drama on Oscar night will be between Moonlight and La La Land. Moonlight is a hard hitting coming of age film set in Miami. It deals with family, the criminal justice system, and urban poverty. The movie critic from Variety called it: “A socially conscious work of art as essential as it is insightful.” La La Land is a musical. It is fun but Moonlight is the harder hitting film. We shall see who wins and whether more diverse voices get their golden Oscar.