Mel Gibson he founded Icon Entertainment, a production company, which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called "an alternative to the studio system". Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama "Gallipoli" (1981), which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute, as well as a reputation as a serious, versatile actor. Gibson produced, directed, and starred in the epic historical drama film "Braveheart" (1995), for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director, along with the Academy Award for Best Picture. He later
Academy Award for Best Picture two films were shot back-to-back. Several musical adaptations based on material previously filmed in non-musical form have won Best Picture, including "Gigi", "West Side Story", "My Fair Lady", "The Sound of Music", "Oliver!", and "Chicago". "The Artist" (with the exception of a single scene of dialogue, and dream sequence with sound effects) was the first silent film since "Wings" to win Best Picture. It was the first silent nominee since 1928's "The Patriot". It was the first Best Picture winner to be shot entirely in black-and-white since 1960's "The Apartment." ("Schindler's List", the 1993 winner, was predominantly black-and-white but it