‘Anora’ Triumphs with Best Picture Oscar; Sean Baker Ties Record with Four Wins! Discover the Full List of Winners including Lead Acting Awards for Mikey Madison & Adrien Brody

At the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, Sean Baker’s film Anora was the star of the night, taking home five Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and Editing—all for Baker. Mikey Madison also won Best Actress for her role in the film.

In his heartfelt acceptance speech for Best Picture, Baker urged aspiring filmmakers to keep pushing forward: “If you’re trying to make independent films, please keep doing it. We need more. This is proof.”

This was a significant night for Baker and Madison, as both won their first Oscars. The Best Picture award was presented by Quentin Tarantino at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, marking a historic moment for Baker, who tied with Disney for the most Oscars in a single year.

Adrien Brody won Best Actor for The Brutalist, playing a unique architect in a post-war setting. He shared his hopes for a kinder, more inclusive world, reflecting on lessons from the past during his acceptance speech.

Madison celebrated her first major leading role in Anora, portraying a spirited sex worker navigating a complicated marriage with a Russian oligarch’s son. She expressed her disbelief in winning, saying, “This is a dream come true. I’m probably going to wake up tomorrow.”

In the supporting categories, Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin surprised few with their wins for Emilia Pérez and A Real Pain, respectively. These marked their first Academy Awards after a successful awards season. Additionally, Peter Straughan took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Conclave.

Best Animated Feature was awarded to Flow, an unexpected win over The Wild Robot, which had been heavily favored. Flow made history as Latvia’s first Oscar-winning film, while Brazil won its first Academy Award for Best International Feature with I’m Still Here.

The documentary category saw the self-distributed No Other Land take home an Oscar, celebrating the collaborative effort of Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers behind the project. For Best Song, “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez won, marking a first for its songwriters. Diane Warren, notable for numerous nominations, sadly extended her losing streak.

In the craft categories, Wicked, directed by Paul Tazewell, received the Oscar for Best Costume Design, a milestone as Tazewell became the first Black male winner in the category. The film also claimed the Oscar for Production Design, highlighting a night of multiple wins.

Other notable winners included Dune: Part Two, which received awards for Best Sound and Visual Effects, and The Substance, which won Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Animated short award went to In the Shadow of the Cypress, while The Only Girl in the Orchestra picked up the award for Best Documentary Short.

Overall, Anora led the night with five Oscars, followed by The Brutalist with three. Eight out of the ten Best Picture nominees won at least one Oscar, while only two went home empty-handed. The awards also featured a special In Memoriam segment honoring those lost in the entertainment industry over the past year, including Gene Hackman and other prominent figures.

Conan O’Brien hosted the ceremony, which aired live. Some viewers experienced glitches during the stream. Despite this, the night celebrated numerous achievements in film with a focus on diversity and storytelling excellence.

Here’s a summary of the major winners: