Sean Lennon, the late John Lennon’s son with his second wife, Yoko Ono, paid special tribute to his mother at the 2024 Oscars on Sunday, March 10. Sean executive produced and co-wrote the short film War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko, which won the Academy Award for Animated Short Film at the ceremony. He took to the podium to accept the honor along with the movie’s director, Dave Mullins, and producer, Brad Booker.
Videos by American Songwriter
After Booker and Mullins gave brief speeches, Lennon stepped to the mic and said, “I just wanted to quickly say, my mother turned 91 this February. And today is Mother’s Day in the U.K., so could everyone please say, ‘Happy Mother’s Day, Yoko?’”
He then led the star-studded crowd in a chant of “Happy Mother’s Day, Yoko!”
Before Sean’s onstage comments, Booker said in accepting the Oscar, “John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote a song that inspired us that is an anti-war message that we tried to honor with this film. We want to thank our executive producer and creative partner Sean Lennon, who was amazing to work with.”
As Booker noted, War Is Over! was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s classic 1971 holiday peace anthem, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”
About the War Is Over! Film
War Is Over! was the brainchild of Sean Lennon, who co-wrote the film with Mullins. Mullins is a former Pixar animator whose other credits include Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Up.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sean decided in 2021 that he’d like to have a movie created based on “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” to help keep the song’s message of peace alive.
Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson, who directed The Beatles: Get Back docuseries and The Beatles’ recent “Now and Then” music video, helped advise Lennon with regard to the making of War Is Over! Jackson’s visual effects company, WetaFX, also participated in the production.
The plot of the 11-minute movie came together following a conversation between Lennon and Mullins, in which they discussed an incident in World War I where a truce was called during Christmas time and British and German troops wound up playing soccer together.
War Is Over! tells the story of soldiers from opposite sides of the conflict who remotely play a game of chess with the aid of a brave carrier pigeon.
Sean Lennon’s Red Carpet Comments
During a red carpet interview before the ceremony, Sean talked with Variety about the film being up for an Academy Award.
“It’s really surreal, ’cause we made the film just trying to do honor and tribute to my parents and the song they wrote,” he said. “And we never thought it was gonna wind up being nominated and that we’d be here. So, we’re just sort of overwhelmed, disoriented, and very happy.”
About “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”
“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” was released in December 1971. It peaked at No. 2 in the U.K. singles chart in December 1980, after John Lennon’s murder. It reached its highest chart position on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 38, in 2020.
