96TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONY

       Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" took center stage at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday, clinching seven awards including Best Picture and Best Director. The film, which offers a disquieting portrayal of the dawn of the atomic age, resonated deeply amid ongoing international conflicts. Cillian Murphy's haunting portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr.'s role as a vengeful bureaucrat also earned Oscar accolades.

        "We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb, and for better or for worse, we’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world" Murphy noted in his acceptance speech.

        Nolan's historical drama on nuclear bomb development evoked reflections on legacy and global turmoil, lending an added urgency to the narrative. While just blocks away from the Oscars red carpet, hundreds of protestors called for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Award recipients utilized their speeches to condemn the humanitarian crisis in the region and the crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

        Congratulations to all the artists who won Oscars this time, and I wish the world peace and no more wars.