It was a night for the poor, the downtrodden and for gays and lesbians as the Academy Awards were handed out from the Kodak Theater last night in Hollywood.  SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, a film that was left on the trash heap by Warner Brothers, and salvaged by Fox Searchlight, won 8 OSCARS of its 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for DANNY BOYLE.

Danny Boyle, with his Best Director Oscar outside the Governor's Ball

While it might have been an underdog at the beginning of the awards season, SLUMDOG had already been transfixed by the time the red carpet was unfurled for last night’s ceremony.  The film, about a poor young man from the slums of Mumbai who wins a fortune on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, only to have the authorities challenge his winnings based on his upbringing and social class, as he struggles to find the love of his life against all odds, had assembled an impressive cache of hardware throughout the various guild and union award soirees, such that it was no longer the little “Bollywood” film that could.  It was the runaway train barreling for the target, a near sweep of nearly every honor it could have possibly garnered.

In just the last week, it won the top prizes from the Art Director's Guild, Editor's Guild, the Cinematographer’s Guild and the Costume Designers Guild.  It took the top prize at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actor’s Guild.  And last night, the only category it did not win was Sound Editing, where it was bested by THE DARK KNIGHT.  SLUMDOG did have one other nomination, “O…SAYA” for Best Song, which was beaten by another SLUMDOG nominee, “Jai Ho.”  That’s it.  Otherwise, it won everything.  Period.  Done deal.

Ironically, the film dominated in all the technical categories, and succeeded at the box office, without any known actors.  ANIL KAPOOR is famous, even legendary in India and Pakistan and the rest of Asia, having appeared in nearly 100 films.  But few, if any, Americans knew him before this film.  DEV PATEL, the 18-year old from London, had done only a television series in England, where DANNY BOYLE’S daughter took note, and that’s how he landed this part, his very first feature film.  FREIDA PINTO was plucked from the streets of MUMBAI, with little or no acting experience whatsoever.  Certainly nothing on the level of a Best Picture that rivals some of the very best films of all time in terms of sweeping the Academy Awards.

Dev Patel and Freida Pinto outside the Governor's Ball

Had there been nominees in the 4 acting slots, SLUMDOG could have bested TITANIC for the most awards ever.  That legendary winner took home 11 awards, all 11 for which it was nominated in 1997.

There were some minor surprises in the acting categories.  KATE WINSLET, as expected, took home her first OSCAR, after 6 nominations, for her work in THE READER.  She relayed a poignant tale of how she had practiced her acceptance speech since the age of 8, only with a shampoo bottle.

HEATH LEDGER won Best Supporting Actor posthumously for his haunting role as the Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT.  His fellow nominees would not have had a chance even if HEATH were still with us today.  He was riveting in that film, now sadly his legacy.

The surprises, albeit minor ones, were PENELOPE CRUZ winning Best Supporting Actress for VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA and SEAN PENN, winning his second OSCAR, this one for Best Actor in MILK.

The sentiment going in was VIOLA DAVIS would win for her powerful, gut wrenching 12 minutes in DOUBT, and MICKEY ROURKE would complete his comeback journey for THE WRESTLER.  Neither dream played out, though both of them, as well as the rest of the actor nominees, were gloriously saluted this year, by 5 past winners in their category.  For once, it really was like winning, just by being nominated.

PENN, who is notorious for disdaining the media, began his acceptance speech with an acknowledgement  to that end.  “I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me, but I am touched by the appreciation.”  The crowd, and most journalists laughed.

SEAN went on to blast the religious zealots who were present outside the Kodak Theater warning people on the evils of sympathizing with gays.  And he lambasted those who voted for Proposition 8, the California initiative on gay marriage.

Sean Penn accepting the award for Best Actor.

“I think it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame, and the shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that way of support.  We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone.”

It was not the first time that sentiment was brought before the Kodak audience and the millions watching worldwide.  DUSTIN LANCE BLACK won for Best Original Screenplay, also for the film MILK, and he said it first:

“When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life, it gave me the hope to one day live my life openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married.  I want to thank my mom who has always loved me for who I am, even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he’d want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches or by the government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours.”
The crowd applauded wildly.

Dustin Lance Black addresses the audience at the Kodak Theater.

It was a hope that could also have been meant the poor, and unfortunate, who were the subjects of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

We are all the same.  We all have hopes and dreams, and desires to live and share our lives in freedom and hope and love.  We all deserve equal rights.  And, in a perfect world, or one not that different than which we live, it will not be long before that dream comes to pass.

Or at least that’s what it seemed like, on a glamorous night, at the Academy Awards, in Hollywood.

Marion Cotillard and Sofia Loren arrive at the Oscars Sunday.

CLINT EASTWOOD was on hand Sunday night to present the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Society of Cinematographers to his longtime friend JACK GREEN. GREEN(shown with EASTWOOD above), worked as director of photography on many of CLINT'S films, including ABSOLUTE POWER, UNFORGIVEN, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, BIRD and SPACE COWBOYS, among others.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE continued its run on the awards season booty, picking up the top prize for the 5 nominated films this year. ANTHONY DOD MANTLE beat out other cinematographers from films THE READER, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON and DARK KNIGHT, at the ceremony held in Century City. SIMON BAKER, of THE MENTALIST and CHRISTINA HENDRICKS from MAD MEN were also on hand to present awards.

Also on Sunday night, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE won for Best Editing at the Association of Cinema Editors Awards, after winning for Best Art Direction at the Art Directors Guild Awards held Saturday night in Beverly Hills. Things are looking good for the picture leading into Sunday's OSCAR ceremonies, having won the big prizes at The Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards earleir in the year.