By Kummam Al Maadeed

Every year, film lovers from around the globe get their Oscar-watching traditions underway and patiently await the Academy’s verdict on their favourite films. Some gather for parties, while others enjoy the festivities alone with a bowlful of popcorn. For many it’s Hollywood’s most magical night – the ultimate stage on which dreams can come true. It’s a night to celebrate films and filmmaking at the highest level, to recognise those who have dedicated their lives to the industry and to shine the spotlight on newcomers just discovering their filmic style.

Ben Affleck (C), George Clooney and Grant Heslov pose in the press room after winning the trophy for Best Picture for 'Argo'. (Photo by Joe Clamar/AFP/Getty Images).

The 85th Academy Awards were hosted by ‘Saturday Night Live’ star and ‘Family Guy’ creator Seth MacFarlane and, for the first time, the ceremony had a theme that celebrated music in film. Every element of this celebration of cinema was accentuated with unique notes from almost a century of filmmaking. Everyone wishes their life was accompanied by a soundtrack; luckily for Oscar, his soundtrack includes everything from the light sounds of ‘Mary Poppins’ to the haunting beat of the ‘Jaws’ theme. Music always equips films with that extra flair and it gave this year’s ceremony a unique touch. The ceremony also dedicated a special musical tribute to 50 years of Bond with Shirley Bassey singing Goldfinger .

(L-R): Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis stands with Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence, Best Supporting Actress Anne Hathaway, and Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz. (Photo by Joe Clamar/AFP/Getty Images).

Almost one billion viewers tuned in globally to watch the awards being handed out, making the ceremony one of the most watched gatherings on television. Winning an Oscar paves the way to international recognition. For short films, it provides the opportunity to build a reputation and start a career in Hollywood. The Academy this year also gave college students the chance to participate in the ceremony. A competition was held and the students had to submit a video speaking about how they can contribute to the film industry. The winners of this inspiring competition were announced during the ceremony by the president of the Academy, Hawk Koch .

This year’s nominated films were diverse, yet a pattern immerged among the winners. ‘Les Misérables’ , ‘Lincoln’ , ‘Anna Karenina’ and ‘Argo’ all focused on politics and included elements of historical drama, which have captivated international audiences as well as garnered the attention of the Academy.

Ang Lee holds the trophy for Best Director during the 85th Annual Academy Awards. (Photo by Joe Clamar/AFP/Getty Images).

Predictions have been made from the start of the award season, and the expectations of many were met as Daniel Day-Lewis won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in ‘Lincoln’ , while Anne Hathaway took Best Actress in a Supporting Role in ‘Les Misérables’ . The award for Best Picture was presented to the producers of ‘Argo’ by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, who also gave out the awards for Best Film Editing and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay. The Original Screenplay award went to Quentin Tarantino for ‘Django Unchained’ ; in his speech, Tarantino expressed how he had to compete with great writers and said, “This is the writer’s year.” Ang Lee’s wonderful ‘Life of Pi’ won four awards, including Best Directing.

Director Michael Haneke accepts the Best Foreign Language Film award for 'Amour'. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images).

Malik Bendjelloul’s unique style and the compelling story of musician Rodriguez won his film ‘Searching for Sugar Man’ the award for Best Documentary Feature Film. The Oscar is a further addition to Bendjelloul’s accolades – the film recently won the Audience Award at the 2012 Doha Tribeca Film Festival. The Best Foreign Language Film award went to ‘Amour’ , which will be screened in Doha on 7 March – for more information, please click here .

For those who want more Oscar info and insight, a complete list of all the 2013 winners can be found below.

2013 Academy Awards:

• Best Picture: Argo
• Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis (‘Lincoln’)
• Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence (‘Silver Linings Playbook’)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz (‘Django Unchained’)
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway (‘Les Misérables’)
• Best Animated Feature Film: ‘Brave’
• Best Cinematography: ‘Life of Pi’
• Best Costume Design: ‘Anna Karenina’
• Best Directing: Ang Lee (‘Life of Pi’)
• Best Documentary Feature Film: ‘Searching for Sugar Man’
• Best Documentary Short: ‘Inocente’
• Best Film Editing: ‘Argo’
• Best Foreign Language Film: ‘Amour’
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling: ‘Les Misérables’
• Best Music – Original Score: ‘Life of Pi’
• Best Music – Original Song: ‘Skyfall’ from ‘Skyfall’
• Best Production Design: ‘Lincoln’
• Best Short Film, Animated: ‘Paperman’
• Best Short Film, Live Action: ‘Curfew’
• Best Sound Editing: ‘Skyfall’ , ‘Zero Dark Thirty’
• Best Sound Mixing: ‘Les Misérables’
• Best Visual Effects: ‘Life of Pi’
• Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: ‘Argo’
• Best Writing, Original Screenplay: ‘Django Unchained’

Click here for more photos of the Oscars 2013