Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in cinematic achievements, as assessed by the Academy's voting membership. The Oscars are widely considered to be the most prestigious awards in the film industry.

The major award categories, known as the Academy Awards of Merit, are presented during a live televised Hollywood ceremony in February or March. It is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony. The 1st Academy Awards were held in 1929. The second ceremony, in 1930, was the first to be broadcast by radio, and the 1953 ceremony was the first to be televised. It is the oldest of the four major annual American entertainment awards. Its counterparts — the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for Broadway theatre, and the Grammy Awards for music — are modeled after the Academy Awards.

The Oscar statuette depicts a knight, rendered in the Art Deco style.

History

The first Academy Awards presentation was held on May 16, 1929, at a private dinner function at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with an audience of about 270 people.

The post-awards party was held at the Mayfair Hotel. The cost of guest tickets for that night's ceremony was $5 (equivalent to $94 in 2025). Fifteen statuettes were awarded, honoring artists, directors, and other participants in the film-making industry of the time, for their works during the 1927–28 period. The ceremony ran for 15 minutes.