What was the best movie of 2012, and who were the best actors?

According to the 2013 Academy Awards held on Feb. 27, "Argo" was the best movie trumping Lincoln which many had hoped would win. The award was pronounced by none other than U.S First Lady Michelle Obama. Daniel Day Lewis took the best actor for his portrayal of the charismatic Lincoln, while the best actress went to Jennifer Lawrence for her performance in 'Silver Linings Playbook.' 

Argo is a thriller film loosely based on the 1979 CIA operation to rescue six U.S diplomats from Tehran, Iran. Iranian authorities have taken offense at the film's portrayal of the country and its people. They claim the Iranians are shown as over-emotional, irrational and insane, while the CIA operatives are heroic and patriotic. 

Who selects winners?

The Academy Award, also known as the Oscar, is the highest recognition for movies and movie makers by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The formal award ceremony is the most watched ceremony in the world, televised live in more than 200 countries.

Every year, AMPAS, an organization of nearly 6,000 movie professionals, nominates candidates for each of the 24 award categories, which are then voted on by its members. The candidate with the most votes receives the prestigious Academy Award. Just being nominated for an Oscar is a great honor, and sets an actor or movie apart from its peers.

Who’s Oscar?

The first Academy Awards were presented in 1929. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that the awards were affectionately nicknamed “the Oscars.” No one knows for sure how and when that name came to be, but one theory is that it was given by Margaret Herrick, an AMPAS librarian, in 1931. On seeing the statue, she exclaimed, "Why it looks like my Uncle Oscar!"

Today, the award has come to represent the best of the silver screen. In addition to picture, actor and actress, award categories include direction, writing, costume, sound editing, visual effects, foreign language and animated films, and documentaries. For a complete list of awards, check out the Oscars website.