Subversive South Korean satire Parasite rewrites Oscar history

Parasite is the first non-English language film to win best picture in the history of the Academy Awards.

Best actress Renee Zellweger. Picture: AFP

“Thank you. I’m ready to drink tonight.” Having just won the Oscar for best international feature, Bong Joon-ho could have been forgiven for thinking his night had peaked.

Yet within minutes the South Korean filmmaker was back on the stage, accepting best director honours for his subversive class satire, Parasite. Then he was back on his feet again when Parasite took out the top prize, making it the first non-English-language film to win best picture in the history of the Academy Awards.

Not since Marty in 1955 has a film taken best picture honours at the Oscars after winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes the previous year. “It’s really f..king crazy,” Bong said, in one of the few times he spoke English.

Parasite director Bong Joon-ho. Picture: AFP

The success of Parasite — which also won best original screenplay — gave Hollywood some much-needed points for inclusiveness following a ceremony that zeroed in on a lack of diversity among nominees.

From the start, presenters, performers and winners lamented the absence of women and people of colour. “I’m so proud to stand here as a black, queer artist telling stories,” said singer Janelle Monae, whose performance opened the ceremony.

If there was a loser, it was the Sam Mendes war epic 1917, which went into the Oscars with great momentum but won only three awards: cinematography, sound mixing and visual effects.

Netflix had 24 nominations but emerged with only two wins: Laura Dern, as best supporting actress for Marriage Story, and the Obama-backed documentary American Factory.

More predictable were the acting awards, which echoed wins at the BAFTAs, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes and so on. Joaquin Phoenix won best actor for Joker, 11 years after Heath Ledger’s posthumous Oscar for his take on the same character, and Renee Zellweger won best actress for her performance as Judy Garland in Judy.

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The sole Australian nominee, Margot Robbie, missed out for Bombshell, but her co-star from another film in contention, Brad Pitt, won his second Oscar (and his first for acting) for Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.

New Zealander Taika Waititi won the award for best adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, an offbeat Nazi narrative that was also nominated for best picture, among other categories.

“I dedicate this to all the indigenous kids who live in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories,” Waititi said.

Elton John got another Oscar with the best original song award for Rocketman with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin. John won his first Academy Award 25 years ago for The Lion King, and needs only an Emmy to join the few “EGOT” performers to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.