Oscars 2025: "Anora" Wins Best Picture, Sean Baker Makes History

Image credits: Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters

The 97th Academy Awards took place on Sunday, with "Anora" winning the award for best picture, marking a historic night for Sean Baker, who won four Oscars, including best directing and writing. The film, which tells the story of a Brooklyn sex worker who falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch, won a total of five awards, including best editing. Baker's win makes him the second person to win four Oscars in one night, after Walt Disney.

Other big winners of the night included "The Brutalist," which won three awards, including best actor for Adrien Brody and best cinematography. "Wicked" won two awards, including best production design and best costume design, with Paul Tazewell becoming the first Black man to win the award for best costume design. The film "Flow" won the award for best animated feature, marking the first time a Latvian film has won an Oscar. The movie follows the journey of a cat who must find safety after its home is devastated by a flood.

The ceremony also saw notable moments, including a tribute to the late Gene Hackman, who was found dead at his New Mexico home last week. Morgan Freeman paid tribute to Hackman, saying he was a "generous performer and a man who elevated everyone's worth." The Israeli and Palestinian filmmaking team behind the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land" delivered a united call to action, highlighting the effects of Israel's military campaigns in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The night also saw a performance by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who sang a medley of songs from "The Wizard of Oz" and "Wicked." The ceremony was hosted by Conan O'Brien, who joked about the gig, saying "America demanded it, and now it's happening: Taco Bell's new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme." The host also poked fun at the more than three-and-a-half hour run time of "The Brutalist," saying, "I loved 'The Brutalist.' I really did. I didn’t want it to end — and luckily it didn’t."

The awards season has been marked by controversy, including the backlash surrounding "Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón's past social media comments. Despite this, the film's co-star Zoe Saldaña won the award for best supporting actress. The ceremony also saw a tribute to the long-running movie franchise "James Bond," with a performance by Lisa, Doja Cat, and Raye. The night ended with the "Anora" team taking to the stage to accept their award, marking a historic moment for the film and its director, Sean Baker, who won four Oscars in one night, a feat only achieved by Walt Disney before.