The 97th Academy Awards delivered one of the most unpredictable and fiercely contested races in years, with comedian Conan O’Brien hosting for the first time.From indie underdogs to Hollywood heavyweights, the night was filled with surprises, emotional speeches, and unforgettable moments.

Sean Baker’s Anora emerged as the big winner, securing Best Picture, Best Director, and a Best Actress win for Mikey Madison. The film’s Cinderella story resonated with voters, turning its intimate portrait of a New York sex worker into the Academy’s top choice.

Meanwhile, Adrien Brody claimed his second Oscar for The Brutalist, delivering a heartfelt speech about resilience and the power of storytelling. Dune: Part Two dominated the technical categories, while Wicked and Emilia Pérez battled it out in music and production design.

Conan O’Brien took over hosting duties, succeeding Jimmy Kimmel, and sprinkled the night with sharp humour—including a well-placed jab at Donald Trump. The ceremony also featured a James Bond tribute and a moving In Memoriam segment led by Morgan Freeman, honouring legends like Gene Hackman, Maggie Smith, James Earl Jones, and David Lynch.

Here’s a breakdown of all the winners.

1. Best Picture

Anora

Sean Baker’s Brighton Beach odyssey began the awards season strong with the Cannes Palme d’Or but lost momentum at the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG Awards. However, it finished as the ultimate winner.

Baker conceived the idea for the film in the late 1990s, inspired by post-Soviet migrants. This drama, which occasionally shifts into comedy and road movie elements, captured audiences’ hearts regardless of language—be it English, Russian, Armenian, or any other. It’s now hard to imagine that without Anora, there wouldn’t have been red carpets with Mark Eidelstein, endless memes with Yura Borisov, or Mikey Madison learning about Maslenitsa.

Other Nominees:

• The Brutalist
• Bob Dylan: Nobody’s Unknown
• The Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Perez
• I’m Still Here
• The Nickel Boys
• The Substance
• Wicked: The Tale of the Wicked Witch

2. Best Director

Sean Baker (Anora)

In a tough race, Baker managed to surpass Brady Corbet, earning his first Oscar. Before his directing career, he produced puppet shows for MTV. Twenty-five years later, he became an indie icon, known for shooting Tangerine on an iPhone and financing Prince of Broadway himself while living among its immigrant characters in Manhattan.

Other Nominees:

• Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)
• James Mangold (Bob Dylan: Nobody’s Unknown)
• Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez)
• Coralie Fargeat (The Substance)

3. Best Actor

Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)

Twenty-two years after his first Oscar win for The Pianist, Brody won again. His victory was expected, having already secured the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, and BAFTA (losing only to Timothée Chalamet at the SAG Awards).

Other Nominees:

• Timothée Chalamet (Bob Dylan: Nobody’s Unknown)
• Colman Domingo (Sing Sing)
• Ralph Fiennes (The Conclave)
• Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice: The Rise of Trump)

4. Best Actress

Mikey Madison (Anora)

A first-time nominee and winner, Madison was discovered by Quentin Tarantino in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. To prepare for her role as Anya, she learned Russian and spent time with New York strippers to immerse herself in their world.

Other Nominees:

• Cynthia Erivo (Wicked)
• Karla Gascón (Emilia Perez)
• Demi Moore (The Substance)
• Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here)

5. Best Supporting Actor

Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)

Culkin’s career has evolved from childhood roles in Home Alone and Father of the Bride to his iconic portrayal of Roman Roy in Succession. His role in Jesse Eisenberg’s indie drama A Real Pain marked his most significant performance yet.

Other Nominees:

• Yura Borisov (Anora)
• Edward Norton (Bob Dylan: Nobody’s Unknown)
• Guy Pearce (The Brutalist)
• Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice: The Rise of Trump)

6. Best Supporting Actress

Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez)

Although widely recognised for Avatar and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Saldana proved her versatility with her musical performance in Emilia Perez.

‍Other Nominees:

• Monica Barbaro (Bob Dylan: Nobody’s Unknown)
• Ariana Grande (Wicked)
• Felicity Jones (The Brutalist)
• Isabella Rossellini (The Conclave)

7. Best Cinematography
Lol Crawley (“The Brutalist”)

• British cinematographer Lol Crawley, known for his collaborations with director Brady Corbet, received his first Academy Award for "The Brutalist."

Other nominees:

• Greig Fraser (Dune: Part Two)
• Paul Guilhaume (Emilia Pérez)
• Edward Lachman (Maria)
• Jarin Blaschke (Nosferatu)

8. Best Original Screenplay
Sean Baker (“Anora”)

• Sean Baker, director and screenwriter of "Anora," won his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Other nominees:

• Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David (September 5)
• Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold (The Brutalist)
• Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain)
• Coralie Fargeat (The Substance)

9. Best Adapted Screenplay
Peter Straughan (“Conclave”)

• Renowned British playwright Peter Straughan adapted Robert Harris's novel "Conclave" into a screenplay, earning him the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Other nominees:

• James Mangold, Jay Cocks (Bob Dylan: Complete Unknown)
• Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez)
• RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes (The Nickel Boys)
• Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John Divine G. Whitfield (Sing Sing)

10. Best International Film
“I Am Still Here”

• "I Am Still Here," a Brazilian drama directed by Walter Salles, explores the impact of the country's dictatorship on ordinary citizens. The film previously won Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival and the Goya Award for Best Latin American Film.

Other nominees:

• The Flow
• Emilia Pérez
• The Girl with the Needle
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig

11. Best Animated Feature Film
“Flow”

• Directed by Gints Zilbalodis, "Flow" is the first Latvian film to win an Oscar. This dialogue-free animation features animals escaping a flood: a black cat, capybara, Labrador, lemur, and secretary bird. The film also won a Golden Globe and was showcased at Cannes. Notably, it was nominated for Best International Feature Film, a rare achievement for animated works, previously accomplished by "Flee" and "Waltz with Bashir".

Other nominees:

• Inside Out 2
• The Wild Robot
• Memoir of a Snail
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

12. Best Documentary Feature Film
“No Other Land”

• This Palestinian-Israeli film addresses the ongoing conflict in the region. It won Best Documentary at the Berlin Film Festival and garnered numerous awards at other festivals.

Other nominees:

• Black Box Diaries
• Porcelain War
• Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
• Sugarcane

13. Best Original Score
Daniel Blumberg (“The Brutalist”)

• Young British musician Daniel Blumberg composed a monumental soundtrack for "The Brutalist". It opens with a three-part overture that plays continuously for the first ten minutes of the film. This is Blumberg's first nomination and win.

Other nominees:

• Kris Bowers (The Wild Robot)
• John Powell, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked)
• Volker Bertelmann (Conclave)
• Camille, Clément Ducol (Emilia Pérez)

14. Best Original Song
“El Mal” (“Emilia Pérez”)

• A powerful rap performed by Zoe Saldaña, accompanied by electric guitars, "El Mal" was a standout favourite this awards season.

Other nominees:

• “Never Too Late” (Elton John: Never Too Late)
• “Like a Bird” (Sing Sing)
• “The Journey” (The Six Triple Eight)
• “Mi Camino” (Emilia Pérez)

15. Best Visual Effects
“Dune: Part Two”

• As with the first film, which was also honoured in this category, the sequel's VFX team was led by Paul Lambert (Blade Runner 2049, Pirates of the Caribbean). The second "Dune" also received the Critics Choice Award for Best Visual Effects.

Other nominees:

• Better Man
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• Wicked
• Alien: Romulus

16. Best Film Editing
Sean Baker (“Anora”)

• Independent directors often edit their own films, and Baker is no exception. The chaotic, lively "Anora" is seamlessly crafted.

Other nominees:

• The Brutalist
• Wicked
• Conclave
• Emilia Pérez

17. Best Sound
“Dune: Part Two”

• The sequel continues the legacy of the first instalment, which was honoured in this category. Innovative sound design was employed to represent new characters and their worlds. For instance, different Harkonnen dialects (southern and northern) were created for Feyd-Rautha's (Austin Butler) arena battle, with crowd chants recorded using punk rock vocalists.

Other nominees:

• A Complete Unknown
• The Wild Robot
• Wicked
• Emilia Pérez

18. Best Makeup and Hairstyling
“The Substance”

• The makeup team, led by Pierre-Olivier Persin (Game of Thrones), made "The Substance" a memorable body horror film. Notably, the final monster, Elizasea, featured complex prosthetic makeup with animatronic elements; Demi Moore's face was added digitally.

Other nominees:

• A Different Man
• Wicked
• Nosferatu
• Emilia Pérez

19. Best Costume Design
Paul Tazewell (“Wicked”)

• The theatrical costume designer, known for his work on the musical Hamilton, won an Oscar on his second attempt. In 2022, he received his first nomination for West Side Story.

Other nominees:

• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Gladiator II
• Nosferatu

20. Best Production Design
Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales (“Wicked”)

• The journey to the land of Oz was too captivating to leave the art department unrewarded. For Nathan Crowley (Wonka, Interstellar), this is his first statuette after six nominations, while Lee Sandales received it on his third attempt, following 1917 and War Horse.

Other nominees:

• The Brutalist
• Dune: Part Two
• Conclave
• Nosferatu

21. Best Live Action Short Film
“I'm Not a Robot”

• A Dutch science fiction film about a girl who fails a CAPTCHA test and falls into a strange reality.

Other nominees:

• A Lien
• Anuja
• The Last Ranger
• The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

22. Best Animated Short Film
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”

• An Iranian minimalist animated film about PTSD. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2023.

Other nominees:

• Beautiful Men
• Magic Candies
• Wander to Wonder
• Yuck!

23. Best Documentary Short Film
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”

• A documentary about Orin O'Brien, the first female musician in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, who was a student of Leonard Bernstein. The film was directed by her niece, Molly O'Brien.

Other nominees:

• Death by Numbers
• Incident
• I Am Ready, Warden
• Instruments of a Beating Heart

A Few Snubs and Shocks

• Demi Moore, the early favourite for The Substance, lost Best Actress to Mikey Madison, in one of the night’s biggest upsets.
• Emilia Pérez, once a frontrunner for Best International Feature, was overtaken by I’m Still Here, proving how momentum can shift late in the race.
• Best Supporting Actor went to Kieran Culkin, whose off-the-cuff speech was as unpredictable as his performance in A Real Pain.
• Best Supporting Actress went to Zoë Saldaña (Emilia Pérez), the film’s most consistent performer throughout the awards season.

What This Year’s Oscars Say About Hollywood

Unlike last year’s Oppenheimer dominance, this year saw a mix of indie triumphs, socially conscious films, and bold storytelling. Anora and The Brutalist proved that smaller-budget films can still stand toe-to-toe with blockbusters. Meanwhile, Dune: Part Two and Wicked reminded us that spectacle still has its place.

With Ukraine barely mentioned and a growing spotlight on Palestinian filmmakers, the Academy continues to navigate complex political landscapes. No Other Land winning Best Documentary showed that the Oscars can still make bold, meaningful choices.

As the dust settles, one thing is clear: this year’s Academy Awards gave us drama, surprises, and a glimpse into the future of cinema.

‍