Oscars 2015: Birdman’s satire takes it to glory and beyond

Birdman, a showbiz satire about the dark side of fame, soared to Oscars glory on Sunday, taking four Academy Awards including the coveted best picture prize on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Emotions ran high at the Dolby Theatre on an evening marked by political statements about women’s rights, racial equality and the lives of Mexican migrants.

And there was disappointment for the team behind coming-of-age drama ‘Boyhood’, a longtime best picture favorite that lost steam as Tinseltown’s awards season came to a close, with just one prize for best supporting actress Patricia Arquette out of six nominations.

‘Birdman’, the fanciful yet dark story of a washed-up superhero film actor battling to revive his career on Broadway, was a grand triumph for Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who personally won three of the film’s four golden statuettes.