La La Land (2016) is a romantic musical set in Los Angeles that follows the love story between Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a passionate jazz musician.
The film begins by introducing Mia and Sebastian’s struggles as they pursue their dreams. Mia works as a barista on the Warner Bros. lot, attending numerous auditions that end in rejection. Sebastian dreams of opening his own jazz club but is stuck playing in low-paying gigs to make ends meet.
The two meet through a series of chance encounters and gradually fall in love. They support each other’s ambitions—Mia encourages Sebastian to open his jazz club, while Sebastian inspires Mia to write her own one-woman play after facing constant rejection in auditions.
As they make progress in their careers, new challenges arise. Sebastian joins a successful jazz band, which requires him to tour frequently, pulling him away from both Mia and his original dream of owning a jazz club. Meanwhile, Mia’s play fails to attract an audience, leaving her discouraged and doubting her future as an actress.
The film flashes forward five years, revealing that both Mia and Sebastian have achieved their dreams—Mia has become a famous actress after landing a breakthrough role in Paris, and Sebastian has finally opened his jazz club, Seb’s. However, they are no longer together, as Mia is now married to someone else with a child. When Mia and her husband visit Sebastian’s club, Sebastian notices her and plays a song that triggers a “what-if” montage— imagining how their lives could have played out had they stayed together while still achieving their dreams. The film then flashes back to reality, ending with Mia and Sebastian exchanging a bittersweet smile, acknowledging their past and the sacrifices they made.
La La Land explores themes of dreams, love, and sacrifice through Mia and Sebastian’s journey. Their love for each other is deep and genuine, but in the end, they prioritize their ambitions over their relationship. Hollywood and jazz serve as symbols of their struggles—Mia persists in pursuing acting despite constant rejection, while Sebastian remains dedicated to traditional jazz in a modern music world that undervalues it.
La La Land (2016) won six Academy Awards and was nominated for 14 at the 2017 Oscars, tying the record for the most nominations in history.
La La Land (2016) Awards:
Academy Awards (89th Oscars) – 14 Nominations, 6 Wins
- Won: Best Director – Damien Chazelle
- Won: Best Actress – Emma Stone
- Won: Best Cinematography – Linus Sandgren
- Won: Best Original Score – Justin Hurwitz
- Won: Best Original Song – “City of Stars” by Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul
- Won: Best Production Design – Production Design: David Wasco; Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
- Nominated: Best Picture
- Nominated: Best Actor – Ryan Gosling
- Nominated: Best Original Screenplay – Damien Chazelle
- Nominated: Best Costume Design – Mary Zophres
- Nominated: Best Film Editing – Tom Cross
- Nominated: Best Original Song – “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” by Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul
- Nominated: Best Sound Editing – Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan
- Nominated: Best Sound Mixing – Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee, and Steven A. Morrow
Golden Globes (74th Golden Globes) – 7 Nominations, 7 Wins
- Won: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Won: Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy – Ryan Gosling
- Won: Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical – Emma Stone
- Won: Best Director – Damien Chazelle
- Won: Best Screenplay – Damien Chazelle
- Won: Best Original Score – Justin Hurwitz
- Won: Best Original Song – “City of Stars” by Justin Hurwitz, Pasek and Paul
British Academy Film Awards (70th BAFTAs) – 11 Nominations, 5 Wins
- Won: Best Film
- Won: Best Actress in a Leading Role – Emma Stone
- Won: Best Direction – Damien Chazelle
- Won: Best Cinematography – Linus Sandgren
- Won: Best Film Music – Justin Hurwitz
- Nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role – Ryan Gosling
- Nominated: Best Original Screenplay – Damien Chazelle
- Nominated: Best Editing – Tom Cross
- Nominated: Best Production Design – David and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
- Nominated: Best Costume Design – Mary Zophres
- Nominated: Best Sound – Ai-Ling Lee, Mildred Iatrou Morgan, Steven A. Morrow, and Andy Nelson
