Halifax-born filmmaker Ben Proudfoot says it’s “hard to believe” he’s now a two-time Oscar winner.
The 33-year-old and his co-director Kris Bowers received one of the best brief documentary trophy for “The Last Repair Shop” at a star-studded ceremony Sunday that included a spirited efficiency of the “Barbie” energy ballad “I’m Just Ken” by Canadian actor Ryan Gosling.
“It feels absolutely incredible,” Proudfoot stated on name from Los Angeles shortly after the win.
“This is such a victory for arts and music education in Los Angeles and around the world. We are absolutely thrilled, and we are very hopeful that this will mark a new chapter for music education.”
“The Last Repair Shop” tells the story of a Los Angeles workshop that gives free devices, and free repairs, to public faculty college students.
“L.A. is one of the last cities in America to give public school students free and freely repaired instruments. We need to fix that because musical education isn’t just about creating incredible musicians, it’s about creating incredible humans,” Bowers stated throughout the acceptance speech.
This marks Proudfoot’s second Oscar after profitable a trophy in 2022 for the brief doc “The Queen of Basketball,” in regards to the late basketball trailblazer Lusia (Lucy) Harris.
“I could never have imagined it,” Proudfoot stated about profitable one other Academy Award.
“But the films we make are really designed to lift up people and lift up perspectives that don’t get enough attention, and these awards represent a flood of stories that other people find important.”
Proudfoot and Bowers have been joined on stage by Porche Brinker, an 11-year-old violinist who seems within the movie.
“Porche was over the moon. She was thrilled. It was an incredible moment out of my wildest dreams,” stated Proudfoot.
Proudfoot added that he and the movie’s crew deliberate to rejoice at Vanity Fair’s Oscars after-party. He additionally deliberate to return to Halifax to rejoice in his hometown.
“I’m coming back for a very large donair soon.”
The night additionally noticed Gosling take the stage to carry out the Oscar-nominated tune “I’m Just Ken.”
Dressed in a sizzling pink go well with and sun shades, the Cornwall, Ont. native started the efficiency seated within the viewers earlier than hitting the stage, the place he was joined by Mark Ronson, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash and a gaggle of dancers who included fellow Canadian and “Barbie” co-star Simu Liu.
Late Toronto musician Robbie Robertson and actor Matthew Perry have been included within the In Memoriam phase honouring deceased stars.
Other Canadians readily available included Catherine O’Hara and Brendan Fraser, who every introduced awards.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 10, 2024.
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