At the 97th Academy Awards, Anora, a passionate portrayal of love, social struggles, and cultural conflict, took center stage with a historic sweep.
The film claimed five Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture award. Directed by Sean Baker, Anora not only won the Best Director award for Baker himself but also took home Best Actress for Mikey Madison, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.
The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA, on Sunday evening, also saw Adrien Brody bag the Best Actor award for his role in The Brutalist.
The night proved to be full of surprises, as the award for Best Supporting Actor went to Kieran Culkin for his role in A Real Pain, while Zoe Saldana won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Perez.
When Sean Baker received the Best Director trophy, he paid tribute to the independent cinema community, stating, "Long live independent cinema."
He also expressed his gratitude to the sex worker community for sharing their stories with him, saying, “I want to thank the sex worker community for sharing their stories and life experiences with me. My deepest respect and thanks to you.”
Anora, which won the Palme d`Or at Cannes last year, tells the compelling story of a notorious Russian gangster’s son who falls in love with a sex worker.
Their marriage is rejected by the gangster, and the film takes a deep dive into the realities faced by the underprivileged.
Baker’s bold inclusion of explicit intimate scenes was a point of discussion, especially given that intimacy coordinators were involved during filming.
However, in a twist, Madison revealed that she handled her intimate scenes without such assistance, saying, "I handled everything myself."
This sparked some criticism but did not hinder the film`s sweeping success at the Oscars.
Upon winning Best Actress, a tearful Mikey Madison took the stage, holding her Oscar in one hand and a piece of paper in the other.
Her voice choked with emotion, she thanked everyone associated with Anora.
She said, “This is surreal; what’s happening is surreal,” and expressed her gratitude to the Academy for recognizing her and the sex worker community, adding, “I sought recognition and respect for the sex community.”
The Brutalist also had its moment in the spotlight, with Adrien Brody winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Lavi, a young architect grappling with moral dilemmas after surviving the Hungarian genocide.
Brody, who had previously won the Best Actor Oscar in 2002 for The Pianist, marked his remarkable comeback with this win.
He dedicated his performance to the lasting impact of war, racism, and oppression.
“I am here to represent the long-lasting trauma caused by war, oppression, anti-Semitism, and racism. The past has taught us that we can`t learn anything from hate," Brody said.
Kieran Culkin, a long-time industry veteran, took home the Best Supporting Actor trophy for his performance in A Real Pain.
In his speech, Culkin expressed his gratitude to writer-director Jesse Eisenberg and praised his co-nominee Jeremy Strong, stating, "Thank you for this movie, you are a talent."
Culkin’s win is seen as a triumphant return to form after personal struggles had kept him away from the spotlight.
Zoe Saldana, in Emilia Perez, delivered a stirring performance as a lawyer, and she was rewarded with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Holding her Oscar, she dedicated the win to her immigrant family, sharing, “I am proud and overwhelmed. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the silent strength and heroism of women.”
She also became the first American of Dominican descent to win this award, a historic moment she acknowledged, stating, "I am the proud child of immigrant parents, and I am the first American of Dominican descent to receive the Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last."
Meanwhile, Emilia Perez, a film directed by Jack Andiar, received the most nominations this year, with 13 categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Despite the controversies surrounding the film’s star, Carla Sofia Gaskon, who was nominated as the first transgender woman for Best Actress, Emilia Perez ended up winning only in the Best Actress and Best Original Song categories.
Gaskon’s past anti-Islamic posts became a point of contention after they surfaced during the campaign, causing a brief backlash.
Though she apologized, it certainly affected the film’s momentum.
In an unexpected twist, The Brutalist, with 10 nominations, did not win Best Director or Best Actor, but its strong nominations spoke to the powerful storytelling within the film.
This year’s Oscars were not without their challenges. The city of Los Angeles had to battle a devastating wildfire in January, and the Academy had to ensure that the Dolby Theatre was lit up for the event.
A special tribute was made to the Los Angeles firefighters for their heroic efforts, and the entire auditorium erupted in applause when they were recognized for their bravery.
Hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien for the first time, the 2025 Academy Awards were broadcast live across the world to over 200 countries, including Bangladesh, drawing global attention.
The evening also brought a wave of surprises, with many predicting an unexpected and controversial awards season.
And indeed, from Emilia Perez`s mixed fate to Anora`s stunning victory, this year’s Oscars were anything but predictable.
Oscar 2025 Winners`:
- Best Film: Anora
- Best Actress: Mikey Madison (Anora)
- Best Actor: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
- Best Director: Sean Baker (Anora)
- Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez)
- Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave (Peter Stron)
- Best Original Screenplay: Anora (Sean Baker)
- Best Original Song: El Mal (Emilia Perez)
- Best Original Score: The Brutalist
- Best International Feature Film: No Other Land
- Best Animated Feature Film: Flow
- Best Documentary: No Other Land
- Best Costume Design: Wicked
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Substance
- Best Production Design: Wicked
- Best Sound Mixing: Dune: Part Two
- Best Editing: Anora
- Best Cinematography: The Brutalist
- Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two
- Best Short Film: I Am Not a Robot
- Best Short Film: In the Shadow of the Cypress
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