"All the Asian communities we are seeing, we are heard and we have a seat at the table. So I am so grateful, eternally grateful to all of you. Thank you," said Yeoh during her backstage speech.

"Everything Everywhere" was an improbable winner as a film that strayed far from traditional storytelling to spin a tale about a family at odds. The kung fu adventure was filled with oddities such as people with hot dogs for fingers and a chef with a raccoon under his hat. Plastic googly eyes and a giant everything bagel also played important roles.

Director Daniel Kwan said his platform allowed them to tackle certain issues and provide an outlet for other to pursue their dreams.

"I had a lot of dark times and I think the radical transformative power of joy and absurdity and chasing your bliss is something that I, I want to bring to the people who are like me when I was that age," Kwan said.