Photos: (Getty)
The dresses, the jewels, the celebrities…Oscar Sunday is Hollywood's most glamorous night, and last night's 85th Annual Academy Awards was no exception. But the touching moments, that's what really grabbed our hearts and prolly yours too!
While we love a good awards show as much as the next person, we were ecstatic to see the following causes and issues featured on Hollywood's most coveted stage last night. Here are our five favorite moments from the Oscars:
+ College Students As Presenters
Photo: Jennifer Brofer (left) and AJ Young are two of the six college students who presented at the Oscars. (AP Photo)
If you've watched previous Oscar broadcasts, you probably noticed the beautiful models who presented the winners with their awards. This year, the producers decided to take a different take on the tradition: using six college students to do the job.
Neil Meron, co-producer of the show, noted that the tradition "seemed to be very antiquated and kind of sexist…Why can't we have people who actually care about film and are the future of film?" The six students who were chosen entered a contest by discussing what they hoped to contribute to the future of film.
+ "Inocente" Puts Spotlight On Teen Homelessness
Photo: (Getty)
"Inocente" took home the Oscar for "Best Documentary Short" last night, making it the first Kickstarter-funded film to win an Academy Award. The film follows a 15-year-old Latina, Inocente Izucar, as she faces the challenges of being homeless and undocumented in the United States. MTV aired the doc last summer too!
While most of the Oscars coverage is dedicated to who wore the most expensive jewels or mani cams, it was refreshing to see an issue like teen homelessness have a few minutes in the spotlight.
+ "Argo" Screenwriter Calls For Non-Violence
Photo: (Getty)
How do you like them apples? Even though Ben Affleck wasn't nominated for Best Director, "Argo" won big last night, taking home the last award of the evening for Best Picture. Chris Terrio took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, which he dedicated to Tony Mendez, the CIA agent who inspired the film.
In his acceptance speech, he noted that "Tony, using nothing but his creativity and his intelligence, got six people out of a very bad situation. So I want to dedicate this to him...and the people all over the world...who use creativity and intelligence to solve problems non-violently." With torture and conflict being major themes in many films this year, it was a poignant moment to praise non-violent methods.
+ Anne Hathaway's Hope For Future Fantines
Photo: (Getty)
From Princess of Genovia to Academy Award-winning actress, Anne Hathaway was living quite the real-life Disney fairytale last night. Hathaway, who broke hearts as the doomed Fantine in "Les Misérables," picked up her Oscar statue for Best Supporting Actress. In her speech, she voiced her hopes that "someday in the not too distance future, the misfortunes befalling Fantine will only happen in stories and nevermore in real life."
For those unfamiliar with the film, Fantine is a young woman who, after losing her job, falls into extreme poverty and resorts to a life of prostitution to support her only child before dying. We're right there with you, Anne. Here's to a future where no one will have to suffer like Fantine did.
+ Michelle Obama Supports The Arts
Photo: (Getty)
In a surprise cameo, First Lady Michelle Obama helped Jack Nicholson present the Oscar for Best Picture. In her speech she noted the important work of films: "They taught us that love can endure against all odds and transform our minds in the most surprising ways. And they reminded us that we can overcome any obstacle if we dig deep enough and fight hard enough and find the courage to believe in ourselves."
She continued, emphasizing that these lessons "apply to all of us -- no matter who we are or what we look like or who we love, but they are especially important for our young people. Every day, through engagement in the arts, our children learn to open their imagination, to dream just a little bigger, and to strive every day to reach those dreams." While it would be amazing to win an Academy Award, we love that Michelle Obama reminded everyone in attendance and at home the true value of film and the arts.
What did you think of the Oscars? Did your favorite pro-social moment make the list? If you want to get more involved in the causes listed above, check out the action widgets below.
