Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg has dedicated his Oscar for Best International Feature Film to his teenage daughter, who died in a car crash four days into shooting.
Vinterberg, who won the award for the film Another Round, teared up as he recalled how Ida, 19, was killed in 2019 when a distracted driver struck the car his wife Helene Reingaard Neumann was driving.
"We wanted to make a film that celebrates life and four days into shooting, the impossible happened," Vinterberg said from the stage at Union Station in Los Angeles.
"An accident on a highway took my daughter away. Someone looking into a cell phone. And we miss her and I love her.
"And … sorry … ah … two months before we shot this movie and two months before she died she was in Africa.
"She sent me a letter and she had just read the script, and she was glowing with excitement.
Vinterberg said the movie, which was meant to be filmed at Ida's high school, was a monument to his daughter.
"If anyone dares to believe that she is with us somehow, you will be able to see her clapping and cheering with us," he said.
"We ended up making this movie for her, as her monument.
"So Ida, this is a miracle that just happened and you're a part of this miracle. Maybe you've been pulling some strings somewhere, I don't know, but this one is for you."
Another Round stars Mads Mikkelson as one of a group of school teachers who try to stay slightly drunk all day to break out of their midlife malaise.
It is the fourth time a film from Denmark has won in the category. The last was In a Better World in 2010.
Vinterberg was also nominated for best director, which was won by Nomadland director Chloe Zhao.
With AP
