Czech Republic celebrates an Academy Award. Beer flows for Once

I was getting teary-eyed last night when Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard received an Academy Award for their song “Falling Slowly,” which they performed in the indie hit “Once.”

Irglova is a 19-year old Czech girl from Valasske Mezirici in Moravia. Needless to say, that town is about ready to call today a national holiday, because the odds of someone from there–and someone so young–receiving an Oscar are slim to none.

I really liked the film, which is set in Dublin and featured a story of him (a struggling guitar player) and her (a struggling immigrant and a piano player). It just happens that they fall in love, which is exactly what happened to Glen and Marketa in real life.

It looks like they are having the time of their lives in LA, as reported by the NY Times today. I couldn’t be happier for them. (Toasting with a glass of Pilsner Urquell, of course)