A genre-bending South Korean picture about a poor family tricking its way into the employ of a wealthy one, “Parasite” became the first non-English film to take top prize at the 92nd Academy Awards on Feb. 9.
While the ceremony was still clouded by criticism about lack of diversity in major acting categories, “Parasite” was also the first film to win with an entirely Asian cast. Aside from winning, it was one of only 11 non-English films to be nominated for best picture in the entire history of the Oscars. Writer-director, Bong Joon-ho, was also named best director
Bong, who is widely respected in smaller circles but lesser known to general audiences, shared the auspicious moment with co-writer Han Jin Won. The film also won in the International Feature Film category (formerly known as Best Foreign Film). “I’m ready to drink tonight,” said Bong, speaking in English for the first time as he accepted the trophy. He thanked Scorsese and Tarantino in his acceptance speeches for being supportive of his work in the past.
Several presenters noted the lack of diversity among acting nominees. Cynthia Erivo, star of the biopic “Harriet,” was the only actor of color nominated. None of the South Korean actors from “Parasite” were nominated. Chris Rock jokingly noted that Erivo did “such a good job playing Harriet Tubman that the academy hired {her} to hide all the black nominees,” according to The Washington Post.
There was also noted a dominance of men among the directing and technical nominees, most explicitly by Hildur Guonadottir, composer and winner for original score for “Joker.” The Academy stiffed both Scarlett Johansson- nominated for best actress in a leading role in “Marriage Story” and best supporting actress in “Jojo Rabbit”- and Greta Gerwig, whose “Little Women” was nominated for best picture while she was left off the list of nominated directors.
Tom Quinn, whose company, Neon, distributed “Parasite” in the United States, said, “This is a win for all of us tonight.” He added, “We put the rest of the industry in check because cinema won.” But did it? Executives only pay attention to the world when it pertains to them, leaving the “Parasite” win on the precipice of two options: being forgotten in five years or transforming an industry, according to the New York Times.
Bong, now an A-List author, had a tricky time getting to the top after infamous Harvey Weinstein buried his U.S. debut and his follow-up “Okja” went straight to Netflix. Both times, revisions and language were a topic of contention. The success of “Parasite” could usher in a new era of modern foreign-language major motion pictures. Where “Parasite” joins the highest-grossing films in the United States, Bong enters a club of elites with Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón.
The Academy Awards might see the first ripples of change if any come at all. Frequently called “too white” and “too insular” and “too devoted to milquetoast crowd-pleasers” by The New York Times, the academy might begin prowling the Cannes Film Festival to find the next “Parasite.” What the film can provoke remains to be seen, but the accomplishment in and of itself is impressive.
First published in print by The Stillman Exchange on February 24, 2020.
