Oscars 2023 Breakdown: Inside ‘Anora’s’ Victory, Demi Moore’s Upsetting Loss, and the Rollercoaster Awards Season Finale

What an exciting Oscar season this has been! It ended with a bang as Anora, an indie film from Neon, snagged five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker. It tells the story of a sex worker in Brighton Beach who gets kidnapped by Russians, making it a unique and engaging story that captured everyone’s attention.

Anora first hit the scene at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Palme d’Or. Winning this award doesn’t always lead to Oscar success, but it certainly got people talking about the film and its largely unknown cast. Baker, known for his earlier work, had only received one Oscar nomination before this. However, the buzz around Anora began to grow as Neon reignited its promotional efforts, similar to their strategy with Parasite.

The plan included launching the film at major fall festivals and holding numerous screenings and Q&As. This paid off, as Anora received fantastic reviews, earning a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has made nearly $41 million worldwide—well above its modest budget of $6 million.

When Oscar nominations were announced, Anora had six nominations but faced tough competition from films like Emilia Pérez, which led the pack with 13 nominations. Surprisingly, a scandal involving Emilia Pérez made headlines just after nominations, shifting the focus to Anora.

In a whirlwind of events, Anora won several major awards leading up to the Oscars, including the Critics Choice Award for Best Picture. This momentum catapulted it to the forefront just before the final Oscar voting began.

Interestingly, Baker had an inkling of the competition even before most. He mentioned The Brutalist as his main rival during a Q&A session months prior. As Oscar voters reflect a changing Academy, they seem more open to diverse stories and unique filmmaking styles, which is evident as Anora follows in the footsteps of previous unconventional best picture winners.

One of the standout performances came from Mikey Madison, who portrayed Anora. Her win for Best Actress was a surprise as she faced off against seasoned stars like Demi Moore. Many expected Moore to take home the award for her role, but voters clearly resonated with Madison’s performance.

In other acting categories, Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his portrayal of a Holocaust survivor in The Brutalist, marking a significant comeback in his career. Best Supporting Actor and Actress went to deserving favorites Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña, despite the latter’s film facing challenges from the earlier scandal.

As the night wrapped up, Netflix, with the most nominations, left with three Oscars, while Neon took home five. Other notable wins included A24, which earned three awards for The Brutalist, tying for the second-highest number of wins.

Some winners still seek U.S. distribution, including the Best Documentary feature No Other Land, showcasing the collaborative spirit of filmmakers from different backgrounds.

Another Oscar season comes to a close. A huge thank you to everyone involved in creating these inspiring films. Now, as the Oscars fade into memory, we gear up for the exciting Emmys season ahead!

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