Christopher Nolan's longtime collaborator in the editing room, Austrailian Lee Smith bagged his first Oscar today, for Nolan's film Dunkirk which depicts the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II.
Smith was previously nominated for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and Peter Weir's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
"I just want -- I just want to say, this is the most awesome thing that can happen to a guy like me. I really want to just start by thanking Christopher Nolan, who, they moved me from over there to sit with him. Because Chris is an editor himself, I mean, he doesn't handle the actual equipment and I'm very, very happy for that. His fabulous wife, Emma, always supportive, great producer. Incredible, I mean, Dunkirk was truly the most amazing film, and I'm very fortunate to have worked on it. I'd also like to thank my beautiful wife sitting over there, Kimberley, my daughter up in the nosebleed section. Wherever. My -- I'm wrapping up, I'm wrapping up. Melanie Ramsay, John Lee, my editorial assistants, Warner brothers, the Academy, can't talk any quicker. I'm an editor, I should be able to do this very quickly. [Presenter] Matthew McConaughey, awesome. Thank you," said Smith while accepting the trophy for 'Best Editing'. The film received eight nominated categories at the 23rd Critics' Choice Awards; winning one for Best Editing, and at the 71st British Academy Film Awards; winning one for Best Sound, three at the 75th Golden Globe Awards. It also received eight nominations at the 90th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Nolan (his first ever Oscar nomination for directing), winning for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.