20 Feet From Stardom - Morgan Neville's stunning examination of the lives and experiences of backing singers in the music industry - was named Best Documentary at the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday (March 2, 2014). The movie has featured strongly on the festival and awards circuit, though it's safe to assume even the producers didn't expect to beat the visceral The Act of Killing to the Oscar.

Darlene LoveDarlene Love Performing on '20 Feet From Stardom'

20 Feet From Stardom, the highest-grossing documentary of 2013, was certainly a popular winner inside the Dolby Theatre and the legendary Darlene Love gave an a cappella performance to the delight of the star-studded audience, including Bill Murray, who kicked off a standing ovation.

An iconic voice of the 1960s, Love sang on The Crystals hits "He's a Rebel" and "He's Sure the Boy I Love" as well as "Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

20 Feet From StardomBacking Vocalists Performing on '20 Feet From Stardom'

"As long as you're hearing the singing and stories of Lisa Fischer, Merry Clayton, and the great Darlene Love, you can bliss out on their passion," said Entertainment Weekly in its review of the movie.

"Just about everything in this movie is right. And anybody who gives a rip about unsung heroines of popular music and giving credit when credit's overdue had better come up with a good excuse not to see it," said Michael Phillips of the Chicago Reader.

"You may never hear the Rolling Stones's Gimme Shelter the same way again after hearing Jagger's and Clayton's separate accounts of the recording of the song", wrote Liam Lacey of the Globe & Mail.

The UK can expect 20 Feet From Stardom to hit theaters on March 28, 2014.

Watch the 20 Feet from Stardom trailer: