Daniel Kwan's "imposter syndrome" reached an "all time high" when he accepted the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' on Sunday (12.03.23).
The Daniels won Best Original Screenplay
The 35-year-old filmmaker and his writing and directing partner Daniel Scheinert - who are known collectively as The Daniels - beat off competition from the writers of 'The Banshees of Inisherin', 'The Fabelmans', 'Tar', 'Triangle of Sadness', and 'An Irish Goodbye' to take the accolade and Kwan admitted he had never thought he was "good enough" to be a storyteller.
Speaking on stage at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre, he said: "I never thought of myself as a screenwriter or a storyteller, I never thought I was good enough – I have a self-esteem people. So I need to thank all the people… so, er.. Oh god guys, my imposter syndrome is at an all time high.
"I need to thank all the people who made me the storyteller that I am, starting with my mom who protected me as a child, she’s in here somewhere. My wife who protects me every day from the most negative thoughts I have, especially when I’m writing.
“Daniel Scheinert who is my confidence. He’s the person who told me I was a filmmaker before I could even say that myself, I would not be here without him.
“And to my fellow nominees, thank you so much."
His working partner spoke before him, dedicating the award to the teachers who had "changed [his] life".
He said: “On my God. Alright, I had a fantasy as a kid of winning an award and going up and telling all the teachers off who gave my brother and I detention. So here goes. I’m just kidding, these are teachers who changed my life, most of them public school teachers.”
Listing a string of his former teachers, he added: "You guys educated me you inspired me and you taught me to be less of a butthead."
Meanwhile, 'Women Talking' beat 'All Quiet on the Western Front', 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery', 'Living', and 'Top Gun: Maverick' to be named Best Adapted Screenplay.
Writer Sarah Polley said: "First of all I just want to thank the Academy for not being mortally offended by the words 'Women' and 'Talking' being so close together like that.
"Miriam Toews wrote an essential novel about a radical active democracy in which people who don't agree on every single issue manage to sit down in a room and carve out a way forward together, free of violence. They do so not just by talking but also by listening.
"The last line of our film is delivered by a young woman to a baby and she says, 'Your story will be different from ours' it's a promise, a commitment and an anchor and that's what I'd like to say with all my might to my three incredible kids, Eve, Isla and Amy, as they make their way through this complicated beautiful world.
"Thank you to the best man I've ever known, David Sandomierski for giving em the optimism to believe we can and will do better.
"Dede Gardner and Frances McDormand thank you for letting us stand on your shoulders and making this space for me. We have the most incredible cast and the most incredible crew, some of whom are here tonight. Everybody at home who worked on this film, I accept this on all of our behalfs, thank you, thank you. Wow."