The Oscars! Latin America Won Big At The 90th Academy Awards.

by Nubia - 12:11 AM

Hey Nubians,

Some of you may know I am of Latin descent and proud of it! My mom is from Colombia and my father is from the Dominican Republic. I think yesterday may have been the first time in a long time that I enjoyed watching the Oscars / Academy Awards. Not only because I saw so many beautiful moments including Latin Americans, but also because of the way they highlighted women, the #MeToo movement and different ethnicities in general.

Times are changing and EVERYONE is fighting for what they deserve. It's a brave and both interesting time in history. You get to see everyone's reactions to everything which is kind of scary but inevitable. No matter what, I think things are changing for the better. It's about time we start rewarding people for their hard work, talent, and dedication... NOT for the color of their skin, gender or sexual preference.

Now back to Latin America, here are my favorite highlights in no particular order.

1) Guillermo del Toro takes home an Oscar for Best Director for The Shape of Water & for Best Picture which is absolutely bonkers! Amazing! I am so unbelievably happy for him and his crew. His speech when he received the Best Picture award was incredibly moving and inspirational.

“Growing up in Mexico as a kid, I was a big admirer of foreign films like E.T., William Wyler, Douglas Sirk, Frank Capra. And a few weeks ago, Steven Spielberg said, ‘If you find yourself there, find yourself at the podium, remember that you are part of a legacy. You are part of a world of filmmakers, and be proud of it.’ I’m very, very proud. I want to dedicate this to every young filmmaker, the youth that is showing us how things are done. Really they are, in every country in the world.”

2) Salma Hayek looked stunning along with Ashley Judd and Annabella Sciorra. All 3 of these ladies were unfortunate victims of producer Harvey Weinstein. They came forward about their experience of his sexual misconduct last year. Last night they took a stand and presented a very powerful, raw, & informative montage about the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Salma said with pure fierceness and sincerity behind her voice, "So we salute those unstoppable spirits who kicked ass and broke through the biased perceptions against their gender, their race and ethnicity to tell their stories.”

3) Gael García Bernal sang! I couldn't believe it. I've been his fan for many, many years after watching his hypnotizing performance on "Y Tu Mamá También". It's so impressive to see how his career has blossomed. Gael performed the song “Remember Me” from the film Coco which also was a winner last night for Best Original Song. Miguel and Mexican singer/songwriter Natalia LaFourcade joined him singing in both English and Spanish. It was a vibrant, beautifully lit stage that represented parts of Mexican culture. Coco is the biggest blockbuster in Mexico's history!

4) Rita Moreno walked out in the same dress she wore to receive her Oscar for best-supporting actress for her role in the musical film "West Side Story" in 1962! She is vibrant and so full of energy. She definitely has that Latin fire in her and I could only wish to be that glamorous when I'm her age.

1962

2018

5) Chilean director Sebastian Lelio takes the win for Best Foreign Language Film with "A Fantastic Women" A powerful film about a trans woman faced with a heartbreaking situation.