Francesca Rudkin: The Oscars are the perfect distraction from the world

So, if you were hoping 2026 would be a simpler year than the previous few, you’re probably rethinking your expectations. There’s a bit going on. This week has been about leadership. Domestic and global. The Middle East. Oil prices. And reliving the past with the Covid Royal Commission Report.  

Oil isn’t toilet paper, but there’s a weird familiarity between Covid and our oil supply concerns, isn’t there? There's the fear of what happens if we run out of…something.

And so, in these difficult and uncertain times it can be helpful to look for a distraction, and I can’t think of a better one than the 98th Academy Awards, which take place on Monday afternoon New Zealand time.  

I know it sounds flippant. It’s easy to dismiss the Oscars as irrelevant during a tumultuous time. It’s all extravagant outfits, outrageous goodie bags, woke speeches - I can understand why some people think it’s an advertisement for Ozempic.  

But, actually, there is a place for the Oscars. Beyond the distraction and entertainment, the craft and storytelling on show is incredible and those responsible - from the directors and actors to the costume designers and sound engineers - deserve to be respected and honoured.  

When the news is all doom and gloom it’s easy to become cynical and negative about everything. So, it’s a choice to retain some positivity and remind ourselves of what’s possible and to celebrate talent and achievement - regardless of the industry it’s in.

As seems to be the case year after year, Kiwis are acknowledged for their incredible work at the Oscars. Costume designer Kate Hawley is nominated for Frankenstein - she is an inspiration for all young design students out there -  and the incredible team at Wētā FX are nominated for Avatar: Fire and Ash. The studio have already won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects 7 times. 7 times!

I quite often hear people say how much New Zealanders punch above our weight - particularly in the creative industries. I don’t like the expression. It means performing or achieving results better than expected and beyond one's ability, skill and experience. This is absolutely not the case. Regardless of our nation’s size and where we live, Kiwis have the ability, skill and experience to be at the top of whatever game they’re in, if they’re prepared to work for it.  

It’s easy to look at what’s going on in the world and say there are more important things to be thinking about than the Oscars. And that is true. But hey, throughout the award’s almost 100-year history there have always been more important things to think about.  

So, if you happen to have access to Disney+ tomorrow, set yourself up in front of a screen, take pleasure in people doing well, enjoy the distraction and the celebration of this marvellous art form.  

There are some exceptional films and Kiwis to cheer for.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
So if you were hoping twenty twenty six would be
a simpler year than the previous few, you're probably rethinking
your expectations. There's a bit going on, isn't there. This
week has been about leadership domestic and global, the Middle East,
oil prices, and reliving the past with a COVID Royal
Commission report. Oil isn't toilet paper, but there's a weird

(00:34):
familiarity between COVID and our oil supply concerns, isn't there?
The fear of what happens if we run out of something?
And so in these difficult and uncertain times, it can
be helpful to look for a distraction and I can't
think of the better one than the ninety eight the

(00:57):
ninety eighth Academy Awards, which take place on Monday afternoon,
New Zealand time. I know it sounds flippant, It's easy
to dismiss the oscars as irrelevant during a tumultuous time.
It's all extravagant outfits, outrageous goodie bags, woke speeches, and
I can understand why some people think it's an advertisement

(01:19):
for Ozenpeck, but actually there's a place for the Oscars
beyond the distraction and entertainment. The craft and storytelling on
show is incredible and those responsible, from the directors and
actors to the costume designers and sound engineers deserve to
be respected and honored. With the news. Well, when the
news is all doom and gloom, it's easy to become

(01:40):
cynical and negative about everything. So it's a choice to
retain some positivity and remind ourselves of what's possible and
to celebrate talent and achievement, regardless of what industry it's in.
As seems to be the case year after year, Keyweks
have acknowledged to that incredible work of the Oscars. Costume
designer Kate Harley is nominated for Frankenstein. She's an inspiration

(02:02):
for all young design students out there. And the incredible
team at Whetax and nominated for Avatar, Fire and Ash.
The studio have already won the OSCAR for Best Visual
Effects seven times, seven times. I quite often hear people
say how much New Zealanders punch above their weight, particularly
in the creative industries, and I just don't like that expression.

(02:26):
It means performing or achieving results better than expecting beyond
one's ability, skill and experience, and this is absolutely not
the case. Regardless of our nation size and where we live.
Keeways have the ability, skill and experience to be at
the top of whatever game they're in if they're prepared
to work for it. It is easy to look at
what's going on in the world and say there are

(02:46):
more important things to be doing than thinking about the oscars,
and that is true, but hey, throughout the awards almost
one hundred year history, there have always been more important
things to think about. So if you happen to have
access to Disney Plus tomorrow, set yourself up in front
of a screen, take pleasure, and people doing well enjoy
the distraction and celebration of this marvel ut form. There

(03:07):
are some exceptional films m kiwis to cheer for.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.