America’s soft power is in full, electric flow across the world when the Oscars are awarded every year. People all over the world rejoice when a film or actor with links to their collective identity receives an award. Indians are happy that RRR received the Oscar for the best original movie song for its dance sensation Nattu Nattu. But their joy pales in comparison with that of Asian Americans for the honours showered on Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, which received 11 nominations and won seven Oscars – for best film, best actress, best director, best original screenplay, best actor in a supporting role, best actress in a supporting role, and best editing.
This is the first time the same movie has won the best film, best actress, best supporting actor and best supporting actress awards. It is also the first time an Asian-American person has won an award for a leading role, and the second time ever a woman of colour has won the best actor award at the Oscars in their 95 years of history.
Asian Americans are 6.2% of the US population and one of the highest achieving communities. Yet their representation in popular culture has been both stereotyped and exotic, quite outside the mainstream. Michelle Yeoh recently recalled being asked if she could speak English. Screenplay writer and co-director Daniel Kwan as well as producer Jonathan Wang are Asian-American.
Seven Oscars for Everything, Everywhere, All At Once goes some way towards correcting this imbalance….
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