Wes Anderson Wins First Oscar For Live Action Short ‘The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar’

Wes Anderson, among the most celebrated filmmakers of this generation, is finally taking home an Oscar after being seven-times nominated. The eighth was a charm for his live action short The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar.

He wasn’t there to accept the award, so no speech. Host Jimmy Kimmel congratulated the director in absentia after the break, joking that he was otherwise engaged “building a diorama out of corduroy.”

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Henry, a wealthy, self-centered young London gentleman who discovers a guru’s mind trick and trains himself over many years to see without using his eyes (including cards). He transforms and uses his newfound gambling wealth to anonymously fund a charitable empire. With Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoade.

The 39-minute film based on Roald Dahl’s 1977 short story debuted at Venice and has been settled for some months on Neflix. A fantastical, whimsical distillation of Anderson’s stylized sets and effects, color, humor distilled through great acting.

The famous cast, and Anderson’s own high profile have caused some griping over his presence in a category where other filmmakers may have more need of recognition.