"I don't know why we're so late," he said. "It's full of Australians, New Zealanders. We're like the third British colony that never seems to win anything." Arcand did offer one theory on why Canada took its time to collect a foreign film win: "I guess it's because half of our people are already working here," he said.

Forget vindication. Best documentary winner Errol Morris said he was happy to have finally taken home an Oscar.

"By nature, I'm inclined to pessimism," said "The Fog of War" helmer, who shared his win with producers Michael Williams and Julie Ahlberg.

"Did I think I was going to win? I had hoped I would win, but I've had very bad experiences with the Academy in the past, so I was counting on not winning. But in saying that, I am very delighted to have won tonight. I don't feel like I've been vindicated. I got an Oscar, and that's enough."

Morris also continued to talk backstage of his thoughts on America's current political situation. "I find our foreign policy atrocious and appalling. If 'The Fog of War' contributes to the debate of what's going on in the world today, I am immensely pleased. My belief is that we live in a very dangerous time, and it's important for people to be thinking about these issues — we need to be thinking about what we are doing."

As gratifying as her award for best documentary short subject was, "Chernobyl Heart" director Maryann DeLeo's victory was tempered by the "survivor's guilt" she felt after investigating the tragic fallout of the Soviet nuclear reactor meltdown. She witnessed the devastation firsthand after several visits to the victims. "You do feel like: Why are we going to be able to go back to a country and live your life and not worry about it while these people are fighting for their kids with holes in their hearts and other terrible birth defects?" DeLeo said.

There also were more tangible lingering effects for DeLeo: She tested positive for minor radiation poisoning upon her return. "Compared to the people there, you don't think about it," she said.

The value of his victory for best animated feature was not lost on Andrew Stanton, director of "Finding Nemo." With the dissolution of the distribution deal between "Nemo" creators Pixar Animation Studios and the Walt Disney Co., Stanton saw the win as validation of his company's future direction. "This just legitimizes that we're going on the right track," he said.

For Howard Shore, it's been a straight road from "Saturday Night Live" to the Oscar stage. "When I was on the show in 1975 and 1976, I always wanted to compose for feature films, and since then, it's been a pretty linear journey to now working on "The Lord of the Rings," said Shore, who has worked on more than 50 films. "It's been an extremely gratifying experience and a great collaboration with Annie Lennox."