Godzilla Minus One was such an epic and delightful surprise blockbuster of 2023. The Kaiju film surprised audiences with its big-scale storytelling mixed with a cathartic human story. The fact that it was made with under a $15 million budget made the feat even more impressive.
The film was nominated in the Best Visual Effects category at the Oscars. At the ceremony, it managed to win the coveted award. Guillermo del Toro, who has been singing praises of the film since it came out, was overjoyed at the much-deserved win.
Guillermo del Toro Celebrates Godzilla Minus One’s Win at the Oscars
Godzilla Minus One was a triumphant effort from director Takashi Yamazaki, where he combined a big-scale Kaiju narrative with a human story that connected with fans. The film proved to be one of the best theatrical experiences of 2023, and it was nominated in the Best Visual Effects category at the 2024 Oscars.
The film ended up winning the coveted award, and director Guillermo del Toro was very pleased with the historic feat that the Japanese film achieved. He posted on X, stating that he was incredibly moved that the Academy recognized the film for its stunning visual effects work. He wrote “Oscar Winner Godzilla. I feel so moved.” This is the first Godzilla film to ever win an Oscar.
As director Yamazaki delivered his heartfelt speech, they were signaled to wrap up their speech as the Academy started playing music in the middle of Yamazaki’s speech. Nevertheless, the director and his team were ecstatic that their herculean effort paid off in a great way.
Takashi Yamazaki Never Dreamed of Standing on The Oscar Stage
Takashi Yamazaki and his team were over the moon as they won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 2024 Oscars for their incredible work in Godzilla Minus One. In addition to being the director, Yamazaki was also the VFX supervisor of the film. Yamazaki was overwhelmed as he accepted the award on behalf of his team.
In his acceptance speech, he revealed that he never dreamt of being on the Oscars stage. He also gave a strong message that his win is proof that with hard work, everyone will get the chance to be on Hollywood’s biggest stage. He said (via YouTube)
“My career began 40 years ago after seeing Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. To someone so far away from Hollywood, even the possibility of standing on this stage seemed out of reach. This award is proof that everyone has a chance.”
Everyone in the crowd cheered for the team, and Yamazaki’s speech was an inspiring one. It is a proud moment for Japanese cinema and independent filmmaking as a whole.
