Chapter 933 - Best Director

"The winner for Best Director is..." Martin opened the envelope, then looked up with a smile: "Laila Moran, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'!"

"Ah—"

Before his words even settled, the venue erupted.

Screams, cheers, and applause filled the air.

As the camera panned to where Laila was seated, it was clear to see her gracefully rising from her seat, with everyone around her standing up as well, each taking turns to hug and congratulate her.

This was a historic moment, one that would leave a deep mark in both film and Oscar history. Laila Moran, a 27-year-old woman, not only achieved the honor every director dreams of but also broke the age record for the youngest Best Director winner at the Oscars, doing so as a woman.

In front of their TVs, Laila's fans were utterly ecstatic.

Those loyal fans who had followed her from the very beginning, who had practically grown up alongside her, felt as though they had achieved this honor themselves when they saw her reach such heights.

"Laila, you did it! You did it!" Roy excitedly picked her up and spun her around. If it weren't for the people nearby urging Laila to go up and accept the award, he felt like he could have held her like that all night.

He was overjoyed. Hearing her name announced by Director Martin, he felt as though he had ascended to paradise. His vision was filled with a holy white light, and his ears rang with divine music.

"Thank you, thank you all." Laila first hugged Roy, then patted her mother, who was secretly wiping away tears, before making her way to the stage, thanking everyone along the way.

This was the tenth award 'The Lord of the Rings' had won at this year's Oscars, and the third for Laila herself! Just one more, and they would tie the Oscar record, standing at the pinnacle of the Academy Awards alongside 'Titanic' and 'Ben-Hur' with eleven awards!

Step by step, Laila gracefully walked toward the stage.

In that short journey, countless images flashed through her mind—both from her past life and this one, moments of hardship and joy. For this moment, she had done everything she could, and now she had achieved it!

Yes! She had done it!

She didn't know what she said when she took the trophy from Martin, nor how she made it to the microphone. All she knew was that the weight of the trophy in her hand was telling her: You succeeded!

Earlier, when she saw Giachinno accepting his award and forgetting his prepared speech, she had thought he was too amateurish and needed more training. But now, in her moment, she realized how easy it was to make such a rookie mistake, as she too had completely forgotten the speech she had prepared for so long.

Taking a deep breath, she smiled.

"Thank you," she began, addressing the audience who were cheering and applauding for her.

"Today is a wonderful day. As Director Martin mentioned earlier, this award holds immense significance for me. My childhood, compared to many of my peers, might have seemed dull. Back then, my greatest joys were reading books and watching movies. It was during that time I realized how magical movies could be—they could create entire worlds. That's when I started paying attention to everything related to filmmaking."

"At 18, I turned a nightmare that woke me from my sleep into a movie, and it achieved decent success. Here, I want to apologize to those who were scared by it, but also thank you for your support, which gave me the confidence to continue on this path."

The audience erupted in laughter. Her film 'The Blair Witch Project' had indeed terrified countless people. Even after so many years, whenever horror films were discussed, this movie would inevitably be brought up, as it had left such a profound impression. Years later, someone even tried to replicate its success with a similar approach, but it still fell short of her achievement.

Laila continued, "I believe every director cherishes their films like their own children. But to create a film, a director alone is not enough. I am fortunate to have an outstanding team, each member brimming with incredible talent. With them, I can fully realize my vision and bring the movies in my heart to life."

Her words resonated with many directors in the audience. Without a capable team, how could anyone ensure the final product would match their vision? While a director might write the script, handle the editing, and even dabble in the score, they couldn't possibly manage everything—lighting, set design, costumes—all on their own.

Laila's words struck a chord, and those behind the scenes who contributed to the films were deeply moved by her acknowledgment.

Under the gaze of countless people, Laila glanced down at the weighty golden statue in her hands and added, "The greatness of 'The Lord of the Rings' doesn't solely come from my creation. The original work itself is a masterpiece, and all I did was bring it to the big screen. I hope that in the near future, I can stand here again with a film of my own making."

"Thank you, thank you to my family, my fiancé Roy, and everyone at the company. Most importantly, my deepest gratitude goes to all of you who have supported me. Thank you!"

Laila raised the trophy once more and, alongside Director Martin, walked off the stage.

The applause continued long after she had left.

For both the Oscars and film history, today was a day worth commemorating. A 27-year-old director winning the Best Director trophy was enough to dazzle countless people.

The previous record for the youngest Best Director winner at the Oscars was held by Norman Taurog in 1931, at the age of 32. For decades, that number remained unchanged. But Laila's achievement not only shattered that record but set a new benchmark at 27—a record that might stand for years to come.

Many believed this age might never be surpassed. Even the immensely talented Laila, widely recognized as a genius, took this long to claim her Oscar. Would another prodigy like her ever emerge in the film industry?

People hoped this would be an opportunity to shake up the Oscars' rigidity. If not for their obsession with age, shouldn't Laila have won for 'Chicago'? If the Oscars had been more open-minded and fair back then, the record for the youngest director might have been even harder to break!