Hollywood
World IP Day celebration in Delhi and Mumbai
MUMBAI: A range of stakeholders from the local screen community united to stage a number of events in celebration of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. This year’s theme campaigns celebrate the brilliance, ingenuity and courage of women who are driving change in the world and shaping our common future.
The events were supported by the Motion Picture Distributors Association – India, (MPDA), the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) – IP division, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the American Center, New Delhi.
Special Screening of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri hosted by the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai
On April 26, 2018, the celebrations kicked off with an exclusive screening of Fox Star Studios’ latest film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, hosted by the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai in association with MPDA, for over one hundred special invitees from the local screen community and Government officials. The event featured a welcome from U.S. Consul General Edgard Kagan and remarks by Christine Haight Farley, U.S. based IPR lawyer and Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios.
U.S. Consul General Edgard Kagan, said,” We aren’t here today to talk just about the great movies being made in both India and the United States, but also to recognize and honor the intellectual property rights framework that allows cinematic creativity to thrive. IPR protections allow creative talents in almost all industries to reap the rewards of their labor and also spurs and incentivizes innovation. The creative, hardworking women and men who imagine and make this fantastic content deserve the support of strong intellectual property protections.”
Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios said, “To a large extent, the new level of creativity and innovation in films and film content in India is linked to women taking risks as writers, directors, actors and producers and thereby bringing a welcome change in the landscape of Indian films over the last few years.”
Uday Singh, Managing Director, MPDA said, “India is at the forefront of creativity and economic growth. Women leaders and entrepreneurs are an integral part of this growth story. Their contribution continues to power ingenuity in various sectors including ours, across the world.”
World IP Day Film Festival at the American Center, New Delhi
Between April 27-28, MPDA in association with the American Center, New Delhi, Disney India and Fox Star Studios will host screenings of Black Panther, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water. On April 27, the winners of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – US Embassy Anti-Piracy Film competition will be announced before the movie screening. The main objective of the competition is to promote the value of Intellectual Property Rights in North India. The jury for the competition comprised senior officials from the government and local industry, including MPDA, India.
“India and the United States both have diverse and incredibly vibrant film industries,” said Stewart Davis, North India Program Director at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, “And we are proud to work together with CII, MPDA-India and our partners across India to promote intellectual property rights. The creative workers in both countries deserve these protections and consumers must understand the very real negative implications of piracy on the cinema we all love.”
“CII has been actively engaged in various IPR awareness, training and enforcement programmes in partnership with Government and local industry stakeholders. We are happy with the positive outcome of the anti-piracy filmmaking competition and are committed to strengthen efforts towards building a vibrant IP ecosystem,” said Anjan Das, Executive Director, CII.
Hollywood
Who won what at the Oscars 2026? Full winners list from the 98th Academy Awards
A night of history, high drama, and gingery wit at the 98th Academy Awards
LOS ANGELES: If the 98th Academy Awards taught us anything, it is that Hollywood still loves a tortured genius and a well-timed ginger joke. While the night was technically a coronation for Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling war drama One Battle After Another, the real battle was fought in the stalls of the Dolby Theatre as host Conan O’Brien unleashed a monologue that was part roast, part group therapy session.
The evening belonged to the cinematic heavyweights. One Battle After Another lived up to its title, clinching Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Anderson, the perennial bridesmaid of the Oscars, finally took home the big prizes, cementing his status as the industry’s favourite auteur.
In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan made history. Winning Best Actor for his visceral performance in the supernatural thriller Sinners, he became only the fourth Black man to win the trophy. His speech was a masterclass in humility, though he spared a moment to thank his trainer for “making me look like I could actually fight a demon.”
The history books were rewritten several times over. Autumn Durald Arkapaw shattered a long-standing glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to win Best Cinematography for Sinners. Meanwhile, the newly minted Best Achievement in Casting category saw its inaugural trophy go to the ensemble of One Battle After Another.
Returning to the stage with his signature quiff and self-deprecating bite, Conan O’Brien did not hold back. He began by acknowledging the elephant in the room: his own presence.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he quipped. “Why is the ghost of a Victorian chimney sweep hosting the Oscars? It’s because AI is too expensive and I work for sandwiches.”
The controversy kicked off when he turned his sights on the Best Visual Effects nominees. Pointing at the Avatar: Fire and Ash table, he remarked:
“James Cameron has spent so much money on blue people that the actual ocean is now jealous of his budget. Jim, at some point, you have to admit this is just a very expensive aquarium hobby.”
He also took a cheeky swipe at the trend of method acting, specifically targeting Sean Penn.
“Sean stayed in character for so long that his own family had to serve him a subpoena just to get him to come to Sunday roast,” O’Brien joked, to a mix of nervous titters and Penn’s trademark stony glare.
The night was not without its “did he really say that?” moments. During a bit about the length of the telecast, O’Brien noted that the show was running so long that:
“By the time we get to Best Picture, the winner will have already been rebooted as a gritty limited series on Max.”
He also touched on the industry’s obsession with youth, pointing at a young starlet and saying:
“You’re so young that your first memory is actually a TikTok of this monologue.”
While most took it in stride, some critics on social media called the joke “typical boomer energy,” though O’Brien seemed entirely unfazed.
The full winners’ circle:
Best Picture: One Battle After Another
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan (Weapons)
Best Animated Feature: K-Pop: Demon Hunters
Best Original Song: “Golden” from K-Pop: Demon Hunters
As the curtains closed and the A-list headed for the after-parties, the mood was one of relief. Hollywood had managed to celebrate its past while poking fun at its increasingly digital future. Whether the night belonged to the war heroes of PTA or the witty barbs of a tall redhead remains a matter of debate.
