Sundance-supported films win big at 2021 Academy Awards

Fred Hampton Jr., programmer Stephanie Owens, director Shaka King, and actors Dominique Fishback, Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya attend the virtual premiere of Judas and the Black Messiah, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

LOS ANGELES, Ca. — Park City’s Sundance Institute – and its annual film festival – were exceptionally well-represented at last night’s Oscars. For starters, institute alum Chloé Zhao became the second woman in history and the first woman of color to take home the Oscar for best director, for her work on Nomadland.

The Father‘s Anthony Hopkins, 83, became the oldest actor to win at the Academy Awards; that film was shown at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and also garnered multiple Academy Award nominations this year.

Hollywood newcomer Emerald Fennell won the Oscar for best original screenplay for Promising Young Woman, which debuted at Sundance in 2020 and also received nominations for best actress, best director and best picture.

Another standout hit from this year’s virtual Sundance, Judas and The Black Messiah, was recognized with nominations in multiple categories, and garnered a best supporting actor award for Daniel Kaluuya. And Yuh-jung Youn became the first Korean actress to win an Oscar, for her work in Minari, which debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. She delivered an irreverent acceptance speech and managed to poke some fun at Brad Pitt.

Due to the movie’s official release date after Sundance, Judas and the Black Messiah was considered and nominated for this year’s Academy Awards.

Nomandland was a follow-up to Zhao’s 2015 Sundance Film Festival movie, Songs My Brothers Taught Me. The 2020 Sundance Film Festival included Oscar-nominated movies , Minari, and Promising Young Woman.

Sundance-supported projects that won awards at the 2021 Academy Awards:

• Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins (The Father)
• Actress in a Supporting Role: Yuh-jung Youn, Minari
• Actor in a Supporting Role: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
• Original Screenplay: Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
• Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller, The Father
• Best Original Song: “Fight for You” (Judas and the Black Messiah)