The 97th Academy Awards took place on March 2, 2025, honoring exceptional achievements in film. Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the ceremony featured a range of performances and a heartfelt tribute to Los Angeles, which is currently recovering from recent wildfires.
The standout film of the night was Anora, which offered a poignant portrayal of a sex worker’s life in New York City. The Brutalist followed the story of a Hungarian immigrant escaping the horrors of World War II to build a new life in the United States. Nickel Boys provided a gripping narrative from the perspective of its main characters.
Two films stood out thematically, addressing the issue of mass disappearances. Emilia Perez focused on the redemption of a former drug cartel leader involved in forced disappearances in Mexico, a country dealing with over 100,000 missing persons.
Here are the key winners from the 2025 Oscars:
- Best Picture: Anora
- Best Actor: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
- Best Actress: Mikey Madison, Anora
- Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
- Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
- Best Director: Sean Baker, Anora
- Best Cinematography: The Brutalist
- Best International Feature Film: I’m Still Here
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave
- Best Original Screenplay: Anora
- Best Live Action Short Film: I’m Not a Robot
- Best Animated Short Film: In the Shadow of the Cypress
- Best Animated Feature Film: Flow
- Best Documentary Short: The Only Girl in the Orchestra
- Best Documentary Feature Film: No Other Land
- Best Original Song: “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez
- Best Original Score: The Brutalist
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Substance
- Best Costume Design: Wicked
- Best Editing: Anora
- Best Sound: Dune: Part Two
- Best Production Design: Wicked
- Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two
The Best Foreign Film award went to I’m Still Here, which tells the story of a woman trying to rebuild her life after her husband vanishes during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s.
