Former Saultite takes home Academy Award

A former Saultite capped off his weekend by taking home an Oscar statuette from last night’s Academy Awards ceremony. Paul Austerberry, who was born in Toronto but grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, was part of a three-man team awarded the Oscar for Best Production Design for their work on Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water.

"Thanks to all the Canadian crew who are partying right now at the Palais Royale in Toronto — this is for you," said Austerberry during his acceptance speech. "Thank you to the academy. Guillermo — may you keep dreaming up your monsters and their wonderful stories so people like us can help shape their worlds."

This was the first Oscar nomination and win for Austerberry and production design teammates Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau. The trio also won in the same category during the British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) presented on Feb. 18.

Nominated for a total of 13 Academy Awards, The Shape of Water also took home trophies for Best Original Music Score (Alexandre Desplat), Best Director (Guillermo del Toro), and Best Picture (Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale).

– With files from The Canadian Press