Moments after winning an Oscar, Maciek Szczerbowski reflected on his parents fleeing Poland decades ago in search of a better life in Canada.
“My mother and my father packed two suitcases and abandoned their entire life, packed me and my little brother into a crappy Yugoslavian car, and escaped two weeks before the Russians came in,” said the Montreal-based director in a phone interview from backstage at the Academy Awards on Sunday.
“If they could see that the country they chose for us to live in is this happy with me, it would have moved me to tears. If my mother were to know this, it would move her to tears.”
Szczerbowski and filmmaking partner Chris Lavis had just won the Academy Award for best animated short for “The Girl Who Cried Pearls,” part of a surge of Canadian triumphs at the ceremony.
The haunting stop-motion film, set in turn-of-the-century Montreal, tells the story of an impoverished boy in love with a mysterious girl who weeps pearls at night. But the filmmakers say the Oscar represents something bigger than their own project.
“We recognize this as the conclusion of many decades of policy,” Szczerbowski said, crediting Canada’s cultural funding system for supporting the arts. Their film was funded by the National Film Board of Canada.
He thanked the public film producer for “allowing goofs like us who, in our 50s, play with dolls to make things that actually inspire the world.
“There’s a billion people that just heard about our country.”
It was a big night for homegrown animation — Korean-Canadian filmmaker Maggie Kang won the Oscar for best animated feature for “KPop Demon Hunters,” which she wrote and co-directed with Chris Appelhans.
The musical fantasy about a demon-slaying K-pop group is the most-viewed film in Netflix’s history.
While accepting the award, an emotional Kang dedicated the win “to Koreans everywhere,” saying she was sorry it took so long “for those of you who look like me” to see themselves represented in a film like the smash hit.
“But it is here. And that means that the next generations don’t have to go longing,” she said, fighting back tears.
The film’s hit single “Golden” — performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami as fictional K-pop group Huntrix — became the first K-pop tune to win best original song at the Oscars.
Meanwhile, the Canadian craftspeople behind Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” also had reason to celebrate Sunday.
Production designer Tamara Deverell and set decorator Shane Vieau won the Oscar for best production design, while Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey were part of the team that won best makeup and hairstyling.
Behind the scenes, Lavis said the moment turned into an impromptu Canadian filmmaking shindig.
“Backstage it’s us, it’s Maggie Kang and the whole team from ‘Frankenstein’ — a murderers’ row of Canadians all hanging out and hugging and taking photos together and celebrating this moment in Canadian movies.”
“The fact that we accepted the award from Will Arnett makes me feel like we’re taking over back here,” he added.
The victory was especially meaningful to Lavis and Szczerbowski because their families were there to witness it.
“The last time we were nominated, we didn’t have wives and daughters,” Szczerbowski said, referring to their nomination nearly two decades ago for the 2007 debut short “Madame Tutli-Putli.”
“This time our wives are here and our daughters are here. When I see them, we’re going to have hugs like we’ve never had before.”
Lavis also used the moment to address a bigger issue facing the country’s arts scene.
He pointed to the rise of streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon, which he argued have profited from Canadian audiences but “don’t contribute enough” to the nation’s cultural funds.
The Online Streaming Act, which is yet to be fully implemented, requires foreign streaming services to help fund Canadian storytelling.
Several streamers — including Amazon and Apple — are challenging the CRTC order that would require foreign platforms earning more than $25 million annually in Canada to contribute five per cent of their local revenue toward Canadian programming.
“You cannot compete with these giants without funding work. It’s impossible,” said Lavis.
“Part of that involves actually getting a tax from Amazon and Netflix and all those companies that are getting a free ride in this country. I think it’s important that they contribute more than just movies, but actually contribute to the Canadian Media Fund and to Canadian funds. It’s really, really important if we’re going to survive.”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s counter-cultural stoner comedy “One Battle After Another” was the evening’s biggest winner with six Oscars, including best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay and the first-ever casting award.
Vampire thriller “Sinners” took home four awards, notching a best actor win for Michael B. Jordan and best original screenplay for Ryan Coogler.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2026.
