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The Oscars Q&A

01:00 Mon 26th Mar 2001 |

Q.� So who did the night belong to

A.� Gladiator won Best Picture. The Roman epic, directed by Ridley Scott, won five awards in total, including Best Actor for its star Russell Crowe, Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design.

Q. What about the other hotly-tipped star, Julia Roberts

A. Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her role as feisty single mother Erin Brockovich in the film of the same name.

Q.� How did Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fare

A. The martial arts extravangza was loved by Hollywood and well received around the globe. It picked up four awards for Best Foreign Language film, Music, Cinematography and Art Direction.

Director Ang Lee thanked his family and friends in Tawian and the people of China when he picked up his award.

Q. Who won Best Director

A. The drug war drama Traffic also won four prizes - Best Director for Steven Sonderbergh, Best Supporting Actor for Benicio Del Toro, Best Adapted Screen Play for Stephen Gaghan and Best Film Editing.

Q.� Any real surprises in the awards

A.� Outsider Marcia Gay Harden won Best Suporting Actress for Pollock about the life of artist Jackson Pollock. She beat British star Julia Walters who had been niminated for her part in Billy Elliott.

Q.� Who hosted last night's ceremony

A.� The comic Steve Martin hosted the 73rd Academy Awards in Los Angeles and this year's stars were told to keep their acceptance speeches brief. There was a television up for grabs if celebrities kept it short and sweet.

Q. So there was no success for the Brits

A.� The first British success of the night went to Janty Yates , costume designer on Gladiator. And in a previously announced award Jack Cardiff, one of the greatest British cinematographers, was honoured for a lifetime achievement award. He is best known for films such as A Matter of Life and Death, The African Queen and Black Narcissus, for which he won an Oscar.

Q.� Where did the Academy Awards start

A.� The Oscars are the pinnacle of the film awards season pushing actors and film-makers professionally skywards. The annual ceremony attracts the glitterati of the film world and massive media coverage. The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences was set up in 1927 in California as a non-profit corporation boasting 36 members chosen from film industry notables. The first ceremony handed out 15 gold statuettes. It did not receive full media coverage until the following year, when a radio station did a one-hour live broadcast and it has been broadcast since then. This year 23 statuettes were handed out and membership is strictly by invitation only and consists of actors, directors, music producers and writers. For more information on the history of the Academy Awards, click here.

Q.�So can you�give me a list of all the winners of the 73rd academy awards

A. Here you go:

  • Best picture: Gladiator
  • Best Director:�Steven Soderbergh (Traffic)
  • Best Actor:� Russell Crowe (Gladiator)
  • Best Actress:�Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich)
  • Best Supporting Actor:� Benicio Del Toro (Traffic)
  • Best Supporting Actress:�Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock)�
  • Best Original Screenplay:�Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous)
  • Best Adapted Screenplay:� Stephen Gaghan (Traffic)
  • Best Foreign Language Film:� Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Best Original Song:� Things Have Changed (Bob Dylan, Wonder Boys)
  • Best Original Score:� Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Best Sound:�Gladiator
  • Best Sound Effects Editing:�U-571
  • Best Cinematography:�Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Best Film Editing:�Traffic
  • Best Art Direction:�Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Best Costume Design:�Gladiator
  • Best Visual Effects :� Gladiator
  • Best Makeup:�The Grinch
  • Best Documentary (Feature):� Into The Arms Of Strangers: Stories Of The Kindertransport
  • Best Documentary (Short Subject):�Big Mama
  • Best Animated Short:�Father And Daughter
  • Best Live Action Short Film:�I Want To Be...

To ask more Film & TV-related questions, click here

By Katharine MacColl

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