The 2010 Oscars and the Cane-ye Moment
A director, a producer, a mother and a cane
I'm sure all of you saw how Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, well there was something of a "What the hell?" moment at last night's Oscars after Music By Prudence won Best Documentary (Short Subject) and director-producer Roger Ross Williams hit the aisle running and started his acceptance speech before he was interrupted by a woman out of the left field.
Well, that woman was Elinor Burkett, also a credited producer on the film, but it appears the reason she didn't make it to the stage at the same time as Williams is because the director's mother used her cane to keep her in place giving Williams time to claim first dibs on the mic. After that, who thinks anyone is going to make a spectacle of themselves at the Oscars of all places? Burkett is not to be underestimated.
As to the story behind the ordeal, Kerry Lauerman at Salon brings it to us with Burkett saying:
Salon: People are already saying you 'pulled a Kanye.' What happened?
Burkett: What happened was the director and I had a bad difference over the direction of the film that resulted in a lawsuit that has settled amicably out of court. But there have been all these events around the Oscars, and I wasn't invited to any of them. And he's not speaking to me. So we weren't even able to discuss ahead of the time who would be the one person allowed to speak if we won. And then, as I'm sure you saw, when we won, he raced up there to accept the award. And his mother took her cane and blocked me. So I couldn't get up there very fast.
Salon: Can you explain the reason behind the conflict?
Burkett: The movie was supposed to be about the entire band, Liyana. And the [band members] were very clear they did not want to participate if it ended up being just about one person. The director and HBO decided to focus solely on Prudence.
Salon: And that led to the rift. But didn't you see him at other events to discuss what would happen if you won?
Burkett: He won't talk to me! This whole week, there have been events thrown by the International Documentary Association, and he hasn't passed any of the invitations on to me. The movie was my idea. I live in Zimbabwe. Roger had never even heard of Zimbabwe before I told him about this. And you know, I felt my role in this has been denigrated again and again, and it wasn't going to happen this time.
Lauerman also got hold of Williams for his side of the story and while Burkett seems like the crazy person in the video, I have a hard time siding with Williams after his flimsy excuse as you can clearly see Burkett struggling and looking for alternate routes in the video.
As for him saying only one person can accept the award, Carey Mulligan seemed a little lost herself as Williams hit the stage so quickly and she was standing there holding the Oscar waiting for Burkett. I'm sure Williams means only one person is allowed to speak, but I'm sure they could have worked something out together as opposed to turning what is likely the least publicized award turn into the mess it did.
Salon: So what happened?
Williams: Only one person is allowed to accept the award. I was the director, and she was removed from the project nearly a year ago, but she was able to still qualify as a producer on the project, and be an official nominee. But she was very angry — she actually removed herself from the project – because she wanted more creative control.
Salon: But couldn't you decide ahead of time who would speak?
Williams: That was handled by the publicist for the academy. I don't know what they told her. The academy is very clear that only one person can speak. I own the film. She has no claim whatsoever. She has nothing to do with the movie. She just ambushed me. I was sort of in shock.
Salon: You seemed to run up there pretty fast. Didn't you see her coming up the aisle? What did you think was going to happen when she got there?
Williams: I just expected her to stand there. I had a speech prepared.
Salon: She claims she found the movie's story, that she brought it to you.
Williams: No, not at all. The truth is that she saw the band perform [in Zimbabwe], and told me about that, and then I opened up a dialogue with the [King George VI School & Centre for Children with Physical Disabilities] school and went on my own – which you would've heard about in my speech — and spent $6,000 going to Africa shooting myself. And when people expressed interest in the film, I asked her to come on board. And then I regretted that decision. Then she sued.
Salon: It was quite a tussle. Does this diminish the Oscar at all?
Williams: Absolutely not. It's such a career achievement, to win an Academy Award. This is what the business is. There are times when there's disagreement and dispute and you always hope that people will rise up to the occasion. It doesn't diminish it. She disowns it and doesn't want any part of the film. I'm so proud of the movie.
Salon: Did your mother try and block her with her cane?
Williams: My mother got up to hug me. And my mother is 87 years old. She was excited.
Are you taking sides? Or do you just not care?
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I thought it was weird, but I just don't care.
He had never heard of Zimbabwe before this movie? Does she think this guy is a first grader or something?
It's obviously not a major category, but I still think that woman was wrong to do what she did and came off as an ass. Especially if she removed herself from the project a year ago. She should be ashamed of herself.
It sounded like he had a wonderful speech prepared. It's a shame that Burkett had to ruin the moment and make a fool of herself.
I can't say I care greatly, but from what's here I don't know how anyone would side with her.
She was a producer early on. She believed that the film should focus on the entire band. The filmmakers decided to focus on Prudence (whoever she is). This producer lady disagreed, left the production and sued (apparently).
The film (that she disagreed with) goes on to be critically acclaimed and crowed the best doc short subject. Considering that she shamelessly elbowed her way into his acceptance speech in order to campaign for the rest of the band (in other words, to continue her argument with what they did with the film), I think it's safe to say there was no way they could have "worked it out beforehand." I think come hell or high water, she was going to get up there and say what she had to say, and the guy's only hope was that if he got there first she wouldn't be so rude as to Kanye him out of the way. He was wrong… but hey, it was worth a shot.
The award was never about the band. It was never about some hypothetical version of the film where they had focused more evenly on the band. It was about the film that actually was made, and the guy who actually made it and made the decisions that resulted in getting the award should have been the one to speak.
I don't really care much either way, but if I had to choose, I'd side with her.
Why, if I may ask?
This is What I have to say on the issue (As a young filmmaker)
HIS vision WON the award, if you want to get technical, it was HIS vision, so HE won, she had no reason being there and should of been stopped from coming up the stairs. As for his mom blocking her with the cane, MY mother would do the same, I hope people realize this. She had nothing to do with the project except say she found the band, did she say she put up money no. So end of story.
Well, just so you know, they had an Oscar waiting for her. She won one too. Mulligan hands it to her. So doubt they would have blocked her from going up there to receive the award she was given.
in re. another controversial moment-anyone out there know what was going on between Alec Baldwin and George Clooney? During the opening monologue, Clooney had daggers in his eyes……..
Both have confirmed that they were just playing up a fictional grudge, where Baldwin could never bring himself to even utter Clooney's name, and the two of them glared at each other whenever they locked eyes.
It was, near as I know, apropos of nothing. I found it hilarious, but the gossip mongers in the press were much less amused since they assumed it was for real and were disappointed to not find any juicy story waiting to be uncovered.
She doesn't have much of a tan from living in Zimbabwe…Hmmm…