On May 16, 1929, the first Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The event was organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to honor outstanding achievements in the film industry during the 1927-1928 period.

The ceremony was a private dinner attended by around 270 people, and the tickets cost $5 (equivalent to about $77 in 2021). The event lasted just 15 minutes, and the winners had been announced three months earlier. Unlike today's elaborate ceremonies, the first Academy Awards were a straightforward affair.

The big winner of the night was the silent film "Wings," which won the award for Outstanding Picture (later renamed Best Picture). This World War I drama, directed by William A. Wellman and starring Clara Bow and Charles "Buddy" Rogers, is notable for its impressive aerial combat sequences and is considered a significant milestone in the history of aviation in film.

Another notable winner was Emil Jannings, who received the award for Best Actor for his performances in "The Way of All Flesh" and "The Last Command." Jannings was the first person to ever receive an Academy Award.

The Academy also awarded a unique "Special Award" to Charlie Chaplin for his versatility and genius in writing, acting, directing, and producing "The Circus." However, Chaplin had been removed from the competitive categories due to his unpopularity among the Academy's Board of Judges.

This first Academy Awards ceremony laid the foundation for what would become one of the most prestigious and widely watched events in the entertainment industry, celebrating the best in filmmaking for over nine decades.