Oprah's Oscar® Winners

Winning an incredible eight Oscars, including best picture, Slumdog Millionaire nearly swept the Academy Awards. What you might not know is that the film nearly ended before it had a chance to begin. Danny Boyle, who took home the Oscar for Best Director, says finding funding for a little indie film with unknown actors wasn't easy. "It looked like it might go to DVD and have no release in North America," he says. "It's always been like that; it's always been like a Cinderella story."

Danny's persistence paid off, and the Academy rewarded the film in a big way. "The Academy, to recognize a film like that at this particular time when small indie films are under pressure is an amazing statement," Danny says. "It's a wonderful testament."

Not only was Slumdog Millionaire a triumph for indie films, but Danny says the Academy also was extending a nod to Bollywood. "It's a huge historic moment really for Bollywood and Hollywood," Danny says. "It's the first time where they've reached across to each other."