Oscars 2025: Anora Sweeps Awards with Five Wins Including Best Picture

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Anora Oscars Best Picture Win

Image credits: Rich Polk

The 97th Academy Awards have come to a close, with Sean Baker's film Anora emerging as the big winner of the night, taking home five Oscars including the coveted Best Picture award. The film, which tells the story of a sex worker who marries the pampered son of a Russian oligarch, also won awards for Best Actress for Mikey Madison, as well as honors for Baker's directing, editing, and screenplay. The win marks a major milestone for Baker, who has largely operated outside of the traditional Hollywood system, and is a testament to the power of independent filmmaking.

In addition to Anora's big wins, the night also saw Adrien Brody take home the award for Best Actor for his role in The Brutalist, while Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Pérez. Kieran Culkin was named Best Supporting Actor for his turn in A Real Pain, and the film I'm Still Here won the award for Best International Feature. The ceremony, which was hosted by Conan O'Brien, also included a tribute to the James Bond franchise, as well as a performance by Adam Sandler and a song and dance number about the Academy Awards' long running time.

The win for Anora is a significant upset, as the film was not initially considered a frontrunner for the top award. However, as the night wore on and the other contenders saw their fortunes rise and fall, Anora emerged as the clear favorite. The film's victory is also a testament to the careful planning and strategy of its distributor, Neon, which has previously guided films like Parasite to major awards success. With its win, Anora becomes one of the lowest-grossing Best Picture winners in history, but its impact on the film industry is likely to be significant, as it proves that small, independent films can still make a big splash on the awards circuit.

Other major winners of the night included the film Flow, which won the award for Best Animated Feature, and the documentary No Other Land, which won the award for Best Documentary Feature. The ceremony also included a number of memorable moments, including a passionate defense of the moviegoing tradition by Sean Baker, who pleaded with the audience to support independent theaters. As the night came to a close, it was clear that the 97th Academy Awards would be remembered as a celebration of the power of film to bring people together and inspire us to think differently about the world.

The full list of winners includes:

  • Best Picture: Anora
  • Best Director: Sean Baker
  • Best Actor: Adrien Brody
  • Best Actress: Mikey Madison
  • Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin
  • Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña
  • Best International Feature: I'm Still Here
  • Best Animated Feature: Flow
  • Best Documentary Feature: No Other Land
The night's winners will likely be the subject of much discussion and analysis in the days and weeks to come, as the film industry continues to evolve and change. With the rise of streaming and the decline of traditional moviegoing, it's clear that the Academy Awards will continue to play an important role in shaping our understanding of what films are most worthy of recognition and celebration.

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anora oscar mikey madison salda zoe best baker sean five

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