History at the Oscars — 'One Battle After Another' Wins Best Picture; 'Sinners' Makes History

The 98th Academy Awards were an absolute triumph for Black cinema. Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" won six Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" scored four major awards including Best Original Screenplay. Michael B. Jordan won Best Lead Actor, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman in Oscar history to win Best Cinematography.

"Sinners" won because it was authentic, bold, and uncompromising — rooted in deep Black American folklore and history. Contrast this with most Ghanaian films, which are often commercial comedies designed merely to entertain. The Ghanaian film industry must fund more films rooted in the deep complexity of our own folklore, conflicts, and cultural identity.