The Imitation Game may have not won Best Picture, but its screenplay win was doubled by the most meaningful speech of the Oscars, signed Graham Moore. Although held on 22 February, opinions and thoughts regarding this year’s ceremony still stand strong. If the majority of critics, actors and cinema-goers had their list of Oscar predictions ready on Sunday morning, nobody was able to predict the most impressive speeches and moments of the Oscars (although Neil Patrick Harris seemed to have known a whole lot about the winners even before their announcement).
The most impressive speech of the Oscars goes to Graham Moore, The Imitation Game screenwriter. Yes, you recall correctly, The Imitation Game was awarded in the category Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay. Responsible and on-stage receiver of the prize was Graham Moore, who delivered such an impressive speech that proved his Oscar winning merits in front of thousands of people. The main theme of Moore’s speech was the importance of individuality and assumption of individual thoughts, acts or behavior, being thus strongly connected to the story of Alan Turing himself.
The Imitation Game screenwriter got on stage anxious and amazed by the great reward of his work. He started his speech with a joke-metaphor which proved his nervousness: ‘’Thank you so much to the Academy and to… Oprah, mmm, for this, I need to shower.’’ And only after he cracked the joke he starting thanking everyone involved in the picture. A joke and a thank-you list, of this consists the most impressive speech of the Oscars?, you might ask yourselves. No, this was only its introduction.
Graham Moore’s speech proved his sensitivity and inner complexion, as he started connecting the theme and the impact of The Imitation Game with the everyday life of anyone facing the impression that they are judged for thinking differently. With his following words, Graham Moore proved that he made the most of his brief presence on stage; he managed to send a touching message only in a few words. And he probably succeeded that because he used his own life experience in order to speak a major and effective truth:
‘’When I was sixteen years old, I tried to kill myself, because I felt weird and I felt different and I felt like I did not belong. And now I’m standing here. So, I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she’s weird or she’s different, or she doesn’t fit in anywhere: Yes, you do! I promise you do, you do. Stay weird, stay different and then, when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message.’’