The 2018 Oscars made history on Sunday night when Daniela Vega became the first transgender presenter at the Oscars.
Vega was given an opportunity to participate at the Academy Awards after starring in Sebastian Lelio’s Oscar nominated film ‘A Fantastic Woman.’
The movie went on to win the prestigious ‘Best Foreign Film’ Oscar award Sunday night in the category of best foreign film, representing Chile.
But her individual moment in the spotlight came when she introduced a performance by Sufjan Stevens, whose song ‘Mystery of Love’ from ‘Call Me By Your Name’ was nominated for best original song.
‘Thank you so much for this moment’. she said, before introducing Stevens.
Vega was given an opportunity to participate at the Academy Awards after starring in Sebastian Lelio’s Oscar nominated film ‘A Fantastic Woman’
Vega’s own film, ‘A Fantastic Woman,’ based in Santiago, is a drama about a transgender woman who battles her lover’s family after he dies.
The film, directed and co-written by Sebastián Lelio, marked Chile’s first Oscar victory in that category. It had been considered a favorite to win the award.
The movie went on to win the prestigious Oscar award Sunday night in the category of best foreign film, representing Chile (Pictured: Frame from ‘A Fantastic Woman’)
‘I want to thank the cast of the film,’ said Lelio, ‘especially the brilliant actor Francisco Reyes and the inspiration for the film, Daniela Vega.’
Vega, 28, had appeared in only one film before ‘A Fantastic Woman.’
Vega plays Marina, a waitress and singer in a relationship with an older, divorced man. When the man has an aneurysm and falls down the stairs, Marina rushes him to the hospital. Before long, police are questioning her about whether she had any part in his death.
Marina contends with even more painful encounters with the man’s family and ex-wife, who threaten, cajole and insult Marina in an effort to keep her away from the memorial service.
The transgender woman’s battles with prejudice are evoked in surrealistic scenes in the movie, which are reminiscent of Latin America’s literary tradition of magic realism.
The Chilean film beat nominees from Russia, Lebanon, Sweden and Hungary.
Actress Rita Moreno, 86, presented the award and had the audience cheering for her as she danced toward the microphone, wearing the same dress she wore when she won an Oscar in 1962.
The film, directed and co-written by Sebastián Lelio (pictured), marked Chile’s first Oscar victory in that category