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‘Moonlight’ is first LGBT film to win Best Picture after ‘La La Land’ mix-up

PricewaterhouseCoopers apologizes for critical mistake

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('Moonlight' wins Best Picture after Oscars flub. Photo via Twitter.)

(‘Moonlight’ wins Best Picture after Oscars flub. Photo via Twitter.)

After the biggest mistake in Academy Awards history “Moonlight” won Best Picture, making it the first LGBT film to win the category, after a surprise mix-up that initially gave its awards show rival “La La Land” the honor.

Presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, who were reunited on stage in honor of the 50th anniversary of their film “Bonnie and Clyde,” announced the winner at the end of the more than three-hour long ceremony. Beatty opened the envelope and after checking the envelope twice, causing the crowd to chuckle, handed it over to Dunaway who announced “La La Land.”

While the cast and crew of “La La Land’ began giving their acceptance speeches, a stage hand could be seen running out to check the envelopes. “La La Land” producer Jordan Horowitz then took the correct piece of paper from Beatty’s hands and declared to the “Moonlight” cast, “You guys won Best Picture. This is not a joke.”

Beatty explained to the crowd that when he double-checked the envelope he wasn’t trying to be funny but was confused when he saw Emma Stone and “La La Land” written on the paper.

“I blame myself,” Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the 89th annual Academy Awards, joked to the crowd.

“Very clearly, very clearly, even in my dreams, this could not be true,” Jenkins said after the “La La Land” team left the stage and “Moonlight” finally received its recognition. “ā€˜But to hell with dreams, Iā€™m done with it, because this is true.”

U.K.-based accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which has handled the Oscars’ ballot-counting for 83 years and manages “all aspects” of the voting process, apologized in a statement, CNN reports.

“We sincerely apologize to ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land,’ Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture,” the statement reads. “The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.”

“Moonlight” already had a decent winning streak from earlier in the night. Barry Jenkins received Best Adapted Screenplay along withĀ Tarell Alvin McCraney, who penned the screenplay “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” for which the film’s script was based. Mahershala Ali also won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Juan making him the first Muslim actor to win an Academy Award.

Other big winners of the night included Best Actor for Casey Affleck’s role in “Manchester by the Sea,” who beat out Ryan Gosling for “La La Land.” Gosling’s co-star Emma Stone took home a golden statue instead for Best Actress.Ā Damien Chazelle also won Best Director for “La La Land” making him the youngest director to win the award at age 32.

Iranian film “The Salesman” won for Best Foreign Film but its director Asghar Farhadi was not present at the ceremony. Farhadi’s opted out of appearing at the show in protest of President Donald Trump’s immigration ban.

For a complete list of winners, visit here.

Best Picture: ā€œMoonlightā€

Best Director:Ā Damien Chazelle for ā€œLa La Landā€

Best Actor: Casey Affleck for ā€œManchester by the Seaā€

Best Actress: Emma Stone for ā€œLa La Landā€

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala AliĀ for ā€œMoonlightā€

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis for ā€œFencesā€

Best Adapted Screenplay: ā€œMoonlightā€ byĀ Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney

Best Original Screenplay: ā€œManchester by the Seaā€ byĀ Kenneth Lonergan

Best Cinematography: Linus SandgrenĀ for ā€œLa La Landā€

Best Foreign Language Film: ā€œThe Salesmanā€

Best Animated Feature: ā€œZootopiaā€

Best Documentary Feature: ā€œO.J.: Made in Americaā€

Best Original Song: “City of Stars” by Justin Hurwitz

Best Original Score: ā€œLa La Landā€ by Justin Hurwitz

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2025 is the year to prioritize LGBTQ wellness

Community center hosts workshop ‘prioritizing self-care & community care’

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The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host ā€œPrioritizing Self-Care & Community Care in 2025 Workshopā€ on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.

This will be an engaging conversation about how to prioritize self-care and community care in the upcoming year. This one-hour workshop will be facilitated by Program Director & Psychotherapist Jocelyn Jacoby. This workshop is designed to be a place where LGBTQ people can be in community with each other as the community grapples with fear and hope and comes up with practical ways to promote resiliency.

Registration for this event is mandatory and can be accessed on the DC Centerā€™s website.Ā 

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Calendar

Calendar: January 17-25

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, January 17

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 6 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome. There will be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Centerā€™s website.Ā 

Go Gay DC will host ā€œLGBTQ+ Community Happy Hourā€ at 7 p.m. at DIK Bar. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, January 18

Go Gay DC will host ā€œLGBTQ+ Community Brunchā€ at 11 a.m. at Freddieā€™s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, January 19

Go Gay DC will host ā€œLGBTQ+ Community Dinnerā€ at 6:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy an evening of Italian-style dining and conversation with other LGBTQ+ folk. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

DC Queer Events will host ā€œLGBTQ Friendly: Sapphic ā€˜Dance After Darkā€™ Rooftop Partyā€ at 9 p.m. at Baby Shank. This LGBTQ-friendly Sapphic party welcomes all allies. Enjoy beats of house, disco, and eclectic sounds from talented DJs, including DJ Clamazon, DJ Sunnii, and DC DJ India. Picture a chill vibe, and a night full of connection and joy. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā 

Monday, January 20

MLK Day and the inauguration of President Trump at noon on the Capitol steps [outdoor events subject to cancellation].Ā 

Tuesday, January 21

BiRoundtable Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as bi individuals in a private setting. For more details, visit Facebook or Meetup.Ā 

Wednesday, January 22

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking ā€” allowing participants to move away from being merely ā€œapplicantsā€ toward being ā€œcandidates.ā€ For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].Ā 

Thursday, January 23

The DC Centerā€™s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.Ā 

Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Communityā€™s website.

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Out & About

Shakerā€™s to host singles dating event

It is LGBTQ ‘Cuffing Season’

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Shakers (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Drinks in the District will host ā€œCuffing Season: DCā€™s Biggest and Best Singles Event. LGBTQ Editionā€ on Friday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. at Shakers.

Here is how the event works: You choose your ticket, then you show up to the venue. If youā€™re single and open to talking to people you get a green wristband. If you are there to wingman your friend or for emotional support, you get a red wristband, which tells people you are taken. And if you see a cutey, then it canā€™t be any easier to say hello, there will be different events and activities to help everyone mingle. 

Tickets start at $10.99 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

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