ジャッキーの これ、どう思う？ While we're on the topic ...

Jackie dressed as Christopher Plummer's character in the 2010 film Beginners. Plummer won the best supporting actor Oscar in 2012. JACKIE HOFFART PHOTO

The Academy Awards ceremony is a significant event on the North American TV calendar. There's a lot of anticipation built into its runup; entertainment critics busy themselves with predicting the winners, lots of workplaces make Oscar pools, and some people organize elaborate viewing parties with their friends.

Filmmakers and industry professionals I have met over the past year seem to generally agree that the Oscars have about as much authenticity as an American election. The financial benefit of winning an Oscar is so great and producers pour so much money into wooing Academy members that it's all too political to have any real meaning.

But I say let the haters hate. I have loved the Oscars since I was about 10 years old. I tune in every year. During the years I wasn't in Canada, I recorded them or watched them online. I have a box full of VHS tapes with the ceremonies from the '90s stored in my sister's basement — along with special Oscar-edition entertainment magazines.

Sitting down to write this column, though, I couldn't remember why I became such a fan of the show. I certainly never had any inkling that I would become a filmmaker one day. I think it began with music. At around age 8 or 9, I was obsessed with the pop star Debbie Gibson, and used to watch music award shows just to see if she would appear on them. It was around the same time that I was first able to watch more "grown-up movies," so I think I moved on from watching music awards shows to the ultimate movie awards show quite naturally.

Nothing beats the feeling of watching the Oscars in real time. The suspense and joy draw me back every year. It's exciting to watch a new winner be announced every few minutes. When I was in high school, I invited one of my best friends over to watch the Oscars and we made scorecards so we could check off who won after each prize was announced. I still think scorecards are fun, though maybe a little nerdy.

For a lot of people, the joy of the Oscars is seeing what people wear. I've never been very interested in gowns and tuxedos, but I remember thinking it was very cool when Sharon Stone wore a T-shirt from the Gap and Bjork wore the infamous swan dress. I guess I like it when people upset convention.

My favorite part of the Oscars are the acceptance speeches. Sometimes the actors and directors give great speeches, but the best (or funniest) speech could just as easily come from a costume designer. You never know! What makes the speeches so interesting is the fact that no one knows who will win or lose. Often the prize goes to unexpected people. Their 30 seconds in front of the world could be the only chance in their entire career to have "the stage" — and there's no bigger stage than the Oscars.

I've always been touched by the speeches where people thank their high school teachers, or their grandparents, or where they say something really funny and endearing, or gracious and inspiring. Knowing what I know now about the filmmaking industry (actors in particular are so emotional!), it's quite exciting to see how all of the different professionals respond to this same type of pressure.

And I think it's because of the speeches that the Oscars are so nerve-wracking and exciting to watch. They allow the audience to imagine what it might feel like to be up on stage, to be recognized and awarded. Who would you thank if you were given 30 seconds to share your gratitude with millions of people?

Last year was my first year back in Canada after six years abroad, so it was a delight watching the Oscars in the same time zone in which they are presented. Some friends threw a party where we were encouraged to dress up like characters from nominated films. I went as Christopher Plummer in Beginners and was very happy when he got the supporting actor nod.

I don't know where I will be watching them this year. But wherever and however, you can be sure I'll be tuning in and holding my breath every time a starlet gets her prize, to see what she'll say, and think of what I might sayif our places were reversed.

Next time, my topic is ... International Women's Day