LOS ANGELES, USA — The 97th Academy Awards delivered an evening of triumph for Anora, the Sean Baker-directed dramatic comedy, which emerged as the biggest winner of the night with five awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Mikey Madison.
Hosted for the first time by comedian Conan O’Brien, the ceremony marked the culmination of an awards season overshadowed by the devastating January wildfires that affected much of Los Angeles.
The evening began with a tribute to the city, featuring a montage of film clips set to Randy Newman’s I Love L.A. before a performance by Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Despite the disruptions caused by the wildfires—which led to the cancellation of the annual nominees’ luncheon and adjustments to nomination deadlines—the Academy remained committed to hosting the event as scheduled.
A Night of Milestones and Surprises
Going into the ceremony, Netflix’s genre-blending musical crime drama Emilia Pérez led the nominations with 13 nods, followed closely by Wicked and The Brutalist, which each received 10 nominations.
The Brutalist, a period drama starring Adrien Brody as a Holocaust survivor-turned-architect, ended the night with three wins, including Best Actor for Brody.
Wicked, Universal’s highly anticipated adaptation of the Broadway musical, secured two wins for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.
Among the surprises of the evening was Kieran Culkin’s win for Best Supporting Actor in A Real Pain, a performance that had been lauded throughout the season but was not considered the category’s frontrunner.
Meanwhile, Zoe Saldaña took home the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Emilia Pérez.
Sean Baker’s Triumph with ‘Anora’
Sean Baker, best known for his work on The Florida Project and Red Rocket, took home the Best Director Oscar for Anora.
The film, which follows the unexpected journey of a Brooklyn stripper who finds herself entangled in the life of a wealthy Russian oligarch’s son, received widespread critical acclaim for its unflinching storytelling and Madison’s breakthrough performance.
Madison’s win for Best Actress further cemented Anora’s dominance at the awards.
She triumphed over a competitive field that included Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Demi Moore (The Substance), and Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here).
“This film was made with an incredible team of people who took a chance on an unconventional story,” Baker said in his acceptance speech.
“It means the world to us to be recognised in this way.”
International and Technical Awards
In the Best International Feature Film category, Brazil’s I’m Still Here secured a win, besting notable contenders like The Girl with the Needle and Emilia Pérez.
The film, which tells the story of a political dissident navigating exile and identity, was praised for its poignant storytelling.
Dune: Part Two, despite high expectations in the technical categories, won only for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.
The Brutalist earned Best Cinematography, while Conclave, a political thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, took home Best Adapted Screenplay.
Best Animated Feature went to Flow, an indie animated film that stood out in a category dominated by major studio productions, including Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot.
The Best Documentary Feature award was claimed by No Other Land, a film that explores displacement and identity in conflict zones.
Full list of Oscar winners.
Best picture
“Anora” – *WINNER
“The Brutalist”
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“I’m Still Here”
“Nickel Boys”
“The Substance”
“Wicked”
Best actor in a leading role
Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist” – *WINNER
Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”
Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”
Best actress in a leading role
Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
Mikey Madison, “Anora” – *WINNER
Demi Moore, “The Substance”
Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
Best actor in a supporting role
Yura Borisov, “Anora”
Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain” – *WINNER
Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”
Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”
Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”
Best actress in a supporting role
Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”
Ariana Grande, “Wicked”
Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”
Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”
Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez” – *WINNER
Best director
Sean Baker, “Anora” – *WINNER
Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”
James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”
Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
Best cinematography
“The Brutalist” – *WINNER
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Maria”
“Nosferatu”
Best international feature film
“I’m Still Here”- *WINNER
“The Girl with the Needle”
“Emilia Pérez”
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
“Flow”
Best adapted screenplay
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave” – *WINNER
“Emilia Pérez”
“Nickel Boys”
“Sing Sing”
Best original screenplay
“Anora” – *WINNER
“The Brutalist”
“A Real Pain”
“September 5”
“The Substance”
Best live action short film
“A Lien”
“Anuja”
“I’m Not a Robot” – *WINNER
“The Last Ranger”
“A Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
Best animated short film
“Beautiful Men”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress” – *WINNER
“Magic Candies”
“Wander to Wonder”
“Yuck!”
Best animated feature film
“Flow” – *WINNER
“Inside Out 2”
“Memoir of a Snail”
“Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
“The Wild Robot”
Best documentary short
“Death By Numbers”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra” – *WINNER
Best documentary feature film
“Black Box Diaries”
“No Other Land” – *WINNER
“Porcelain War”
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”
“Sugarcane”
Best original song
“El Mal,” from “Emilia Pérez” – *WINNER
“The Journey,” from “The Six Triple Eight”
“Like a Bird,” from “Sing Sing”
“Mi Camino,” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Never Too Late,” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”
Best original score
“The Brutalist” – *WINNER
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
Best makeup and hairstyling
“A Different Man”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Nosferatu”
“The Substance” – *WINNER
“Wicked”
Best costume design
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Gladiator II”
“Nosferatu”
“Wicked” – *WINNER
Best editing
“Anora” – *WINNER
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
Best sound
“A Complete Unknown”
“Dune: Part Two” – *WINNER
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
Best production design
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Nosferatu”
“Wicked” – *WINNER
Best visual effects
“Alien: Romulus”
“Better Man”
“Dune: Part Two” – *WINNER
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
“Wicked”
