Movie buffs the biggest night in Hollywood is done and dusted! The 97th Academy Awards have handed out the gold and there were definitely some moments that made us cheer gasp and maybe scratch our heads a little. From underdog victories to emotional speeches and of course some killer fashion it was a night to remember. Let's break down the big winners and the moments everyone is talking about.
'Anora' is the Big Winner Taking Home Best Picture and Multiple Oscars! Indie Film Power!
Okay let's start with the main event Best Picture. The winner? Anora! Yes Sean Baker's indie darling took home the top prize. This movie about a sex worker and a Russian oligarch's son really resonated with the Academy. Not only did it win Best Picture but Sean Baker also snagged Best Director and Mikey Madison won Best Actress for her role in the film. That is a major win for independent cinema!
Fun fact? The mega-mansion featured in Anora is a real place a $30 million Brooklyn pad with a wild history. Talk about movie magic in a real life palace! It seems like the opulence of that location was as captivating as the film itself.
Acting Wins: Brody Saldaña Culkin and Madison Take Home the Gold
The acting categories were full of talent as always. Here's who walked away with an Oscar:
- Best Actor: Adrien Brody for The Brutalist. Brody delivered a powerful performance and finally got his hands on another Oscar.
- Best Actress: Mikey Madison for Anora. Madison's win was a bit of a surprise for some but her performance in the indie hit clearly impressed voters.
- Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain. No surprise here! Culkin completed his awards season sweep with an Oscar. His acceptance speech was hilarious too. He thanked his wife Jazz and publicly asked for a fourth kid! He joked she'd promised him one if he won an Oscar.
- Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez. Saldaña took home the Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in the musical drama.
Other Big Wins: A Quick Look at Key Oscar Categories
Beyond the big categories plenty of other films and artists were honored. Here is a quick rundown of some key wins:
- Best Animated Feature: Flow. This Latvian film beat out the big studio contenders proving indie animation is a force.
- Best Documentary Feature: No Other Land.
- Best International Feature Film: I'm Still Here (Brazil).
- Best Cinematography: The Brutalist (Lol Crawley).
- Best Costume Design: Wicked (Paul Tazewell).
- Best Original Screenplay: Anora (Sean Baker).
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave (Peter Straughan).
Indie Films Dominate? Oscars 2025 a Win for Smaller Movies
As pointed out by The New Yorker the 2025 Oscars really highlighted independent film. Movies like Anora The Brutalist and A Real Pain all made on relatively small budgets took home major awards. Even Best Animated Feature went to a smaller international production. It seems like the Academy was really appreciating films that focused on storytelling and performance over big budget spectacle this year.
While blockbusters like Wicked and Dune: Part Two did win some technical awards the top prizes went to these smaller more personal films. This could signal a shift maybe towards recognizing and celebrating independent filmmaking even more.
List of Key Oscar Winners 2025: Must-See Movies
- Best Picture: Anora
- Best Director: Sean Baker (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)
Oscars Night Takeaways: Indie Spirit Triumphs and a Few Surprises
So the 97th Oscars are in the books. Anora was the big winner showing that independent films can still make a huge impact. Kieran Culkin delivered a memorable and funny acceptance speech while other acting wins highlighted a range of performances. Whether you agree with all the choices or not it was definitely an interesting and noteworthy Oscars ceremony. What were your favorite moments? Let us know in the comments below!