“Gravity” Leads With 7 Oscar Awards at 86th Academy Awards

The Academy looked to be inclining more toward space drama "Gravity" for most part of the evening Sunday, eventually awarding 7 major Oscar awards to the film, counting the anticipated Best Director award for Alfonso Cuarón. But while the Academy was engaged in giving out awards to the Gravity for Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Film Editing and Best Visual Effects, it was keeping the evening's most important award – Best Picture of the Year – for "12 Years a Slave," making it the first movie to grab an Oscar for the Best Film that is directed by a black filmmaker Steve McQueen.

"Making a film can be a transformative experience, and I want to thank 'Gravity,' because for many of us making this film, it was a transformative experience," Cuarón — the first Latino winner as best director— said in award receiving speech. "And it's good, because otherwise it would have been a waste of time!"

Steve McQueen was very ecstatic on winning best film award. He shared the honor with the producers Brad Pitt (who also played a small role in film), Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Anthony Katagas and other team members of the film project. He said, "Not just to survive but to live: this was the legacy of Solomon Northup."

Lupita Nyong’o grabbed the Oscar award for the best supporting actress for “12 Years a Salve”, edging out brilliant nominees including Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County) and June Squibb (Nebraska). The film won third Oscar award under the category of “Best Adapted Screenplay”, which was accepted by John Ridley.

The biography motion picture succeeds over what has been one of the most competitive Academy periods in today’s retention; the Best film winner remained secret to the audiences until renowned star Will Smith tore up the envelope on stage at the Dolby Theatre.

"This is not a story about African-Americans, this is a story about America," McQueen said. "So race, of course, has something to do with it, but it's also about respect for people. It's all about learning from the past in order to move on into the future. This is a story about how some have survived through a horrible ordeal. Solomon Northup survived because of love."

So, what are your views about Oscar Winners and Losers?