I love the excitement and the hype surrounding the Oscars- the parties, the red carpet dresses, the controversies. I remember watching the Oscars on a tiny TV in a drafty living room with my bored siblings wandering in and out. I remember watching them alone when I was a student and it wasn't cool to even have a TV. 


I love the tribute to those that have passed away. It makes me sound morbid, but it's a reminder that those people- many of whom were not world famous -had expressed their creativity and contributed to the wealth of films that exist today. My favorite category is the best original screenplay, which to me exemplifies the verve and dedication of filmmakers. There's no well known comic strip, no Oprah validated best selling book, no iconic TV series to deliver a ready made audience. There's just the writer's imagination, passion, a blank page, and copious amounts of coffee. (You may see things differently if you were say a certain US army bomb disposal soldier). 


Think back to The Apartment, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, Chinatown, Dog Day Afternoon, Ghandi, The Crying Game - all incredible commentaries on under represented people and challenging issues in society. So in amongst the souffle of dresses and glitz, is a window into issues we might just pay attention to once the party's over.


The best Original Screenplay award is the highlight of my night and the winner is...