Japanese movie sensation Godzilla Minus One, which raked in only about $15 million at the box office, beat four big-budget Hollywood tentpoles to take home the Best Visual Effects awards. This marks the first time in decades that a non-US studio film triumphed in this category. Despite its significant impact on the history of visual effects in cinema, this year marked the first time in the seven-decade history of the Godzilla franchise that it received an Oscar nomination.
Takashi Yamazaki, who wrote and directed Godzilla Minus One, also led the film’s VFX team, which consisted of Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima. The team is now Japan’s first-ever winner of the best visual effects Oscar.
In another rare feat, this marks only the second time that a director won the category. Previous was Stanley Kubrick’s win in 1969 for 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Yamazaki and his collaborators triumphed over the VFX teams from Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Napoleon, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One and The Creator.
“For nearly 40 years I have been making films while admiring the artistry of Hollywood Visual Effects, and I feel that I have finally come this far,” said Yamazaki in a statement after this year’s nominations were announced. “I had not set my sights on being nominated, but I am very happy to have been brought to this place … I think it is a wonderful day for Godzilla!”
Godzilla Minus One has emerged as both a critical and commercial triumph, amassing $56.4 million in the U.S. and Canada, thus claiming the title of the highest-grossing Japanese film ever. In North America, only two other international live-action movies, fellow Oscar winners Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Life Is Beautiful, surpassed its earnings.
The 37th film in the Godzilla franchise tells the story of Godzilla’s first emergence in a ravaged postwar Japan. Backed by Toho studios, the film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando and Kuranosuke Sasaki.
The VFX team added a touch of Kaiju flair to the Oscars red carpet on Sunday night, stepping into the theater wearing shoes adorned with Godzilla sculptures gripping the heels and clutching figurines of the iconic monster. Yamazaki and his Godzilla figurine even sported matching bow ties for the occasion.
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