Oscar awards 2021: Soul wins Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score

Pixar Studios’ Soul won the Best Animated Feature and the Best Original Score at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony held on April 25 (April 26 IST). Directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, Soul is a story about a jazz musician who manages to get a big break, but lands in trouble when he accidentally separates his soul from his body. 

The movie was produced by Dana Murray from Pixar Studios and released by Walt Disney.

“This film started as a love letter to jazz, but we had no idea how much jazz would teach us about life,” said Docter, who accepted the Oscar with producer Murray. “We don’t get to control what happens. But we can, like a jazz musician, turn whatever happens into something of value and something of beauty.”

Docter praised music and art teachers everywhere, including his parents for making the world a “better place.”

Also read: Oscar awards 2021: From Nomadland to Mank, check out the complete list of winners here 

“My wish for all of us tonight is that we can follow the example of jazz musicians,” he said. “Wherever we are, whatever we have, we turn it into something beautiful.”

During a backstage interview, Murray pointed out that music producer Quincy Jones, jazz legend Herbie Hancock and other artists in New York made contributions to the project.

“It was amazing working with them,” she said.

Docter said they were fortunate to have Foxx voice the leading character of Joe Gardner.

“Joe is way more nerdy than Jamie,” he said backstage. “Jamie is much more cooler. But a lot of the elements of the film and the character were so blessed by him. His sense of energy. He never stops. He doesn’t give up. He’s an amazing musician. Of course, he can do the comedy and drama. We were very fortunate to have him.”

Soul beat out other nominees including Wolfwalkers, Onward, Over the Moon and A Shaun the Sheep Movie.

(With inputs from AP)