Jimmy Kimmel makes dig at Trump on Oscars stage

By Jenny Garnsworthy, Press Association

Jimmy Kimmel’s dig at Donald Trump and director Paul Thomas Anderson referencing “the mess that we left in this world” were among several politically charged comments from stars on the stage of the 98th Academy Awards.

Award-winning actor Javier Bardem, who was presenting the award for best international film, said as soon as he reached the microphone: “No to war and free Palestine.”

The Spanish star was wearing an anti-war badge.

TV host Jimmy Kimmel was also on presenting duty.

Ahead of announcing the winners of documentary short and documentary feature, he appeared to make a dig at the US president, whose wife Melania’s own documentary recently released.

“Oh man, is he gonna be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this?” he quipped.

On a more serious note, he added: “We hear a lot about courage at shows like this, but telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage.

“As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech.”

Kimmel went on to announce the documentary feature winner as Mr Nobody Against Putin.

Its co-creator David Borenstein told the audience the film is “about how you lose your country”.

He continued: “What we saw when working with this footage is that you lose it through countless small acts of complicity.

“When we act complicit, when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don’t say anything, when oligarchs take over the media and control how we can produce it and consume it, we are based on a moral choice.”

Accepting the award for best adapted screenplay for One Battle After Another, its director Paul Thomas Anderson said he was “incredibly honoured to be part of this history”.

He added: “I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we are handing off to them but also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us common sense and decency.”

And as Norwegian film Sentimental Value won the Oscar for best international feature, its director Joachim Trier paraphrased writer James Baldwin when he took to the stage.

“All adults are responsible for all children; let’s not vote for politicians who don’t take this seriously into account,” he said.

Even the awards’ host, Conan O’Brien, made some more serious comments amidst his stream of gags.

He told the ceremony: “If I can be serious for just a moment, everyone watching right now, around the world, is all too aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times.

“It’s at moments like these that I believe that the Oscars are particularly resonant.

“Check it out, 31 countries across six continents are represented this evening, and every film we salute is the product of thousands of people speaking different languages, working hard to make something of beauty.

“We pay tribute tonight, not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today, optimism.

“So let us please celebrate. Let us celebrate not because we think all is well, but because we work and hope for better. New days ahead.”