Success for Directors UK member James Reed and Chloé Zhao makes history at 2021 Oscars

The 93rd Academy Awards were held on Sunday, and we were pleased to see UK filmmaking talent recognized in multiple categories. 

In a novel ceremony that included several video links from international locations – including the BFI’s South Bank venue – director Chloé Zhao made history by becoming the first ever woman of colour (and only the second woman ever) to take home the award for Best Director. Nomadland also took home awards in a number of different categories, including Best Picture. 

Earlier this year we were pleased to be joined by Chloé on the Directors UK Podcast, as she discussed her film with Directors UK member Asif Kapadia and DoP Joshua James Richards. You can listen to the podcast below, and on all good podcast platforms.

Meanwhile, Directors UK member James Reed and director Pippa Ehrlich saw success for their film My Octopus Teacher, which took home the award for Best Documentary Feature. Below, James talks to the press about what makes the film so unique. 

There was a strong UK presence across the categories, with Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Kaluuya, and Emerald Fennell winning the awards for Lead Actor, Supporting Actor and Original Screenplay respectively – and this extended across genres, with Directors UK member Will Becher receiving a Best Animated Feature nomination for A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmaggedon.

Elsewhere, the award for Best International Feature Film was presented to Another Round, directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Earlier this year, we hosted a special event with Thomas in conversation with Paolo Sorrentino (himself an Academy Award winner). You can listen to their conversation below, and on our podcast.

A huge congratulations to all of this year’s Oscar winners and nominees! You can read a full list of the results here.