The 2025 Oscars concluded this year’s award season with a sling of satisfying and even unexpected success for those nominated.
After months of anticipation, the big night had arrived, after new host Conan O’Brien brought some much needed life into the event with stellar stand up, the evening was one to remember. There were many venomous jabs at certain celebrities, including a back-and-forth with Adam Sandler, who nonchalantly turned up with a light blue hoodie, standing out from the crowd of tuxedos and gowns.
Most of the evening’s grandest awards went to Sean Baker’s independent film, Anora. The movie about a young sex worker discovering a life changing opportunity with a client she falls in love with swept through Best Director for Sean Baker, as well as Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Picture. This staggering sweep makes Baker the first filmmaker to win four prizes for one film in Oscars history.
At the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Baker gave a speech that stroke a chord with independent filmmakers struggling to ‘support themselves’ in the industry:
“Indie film is struggling right now more than ever […] If you are a writer/director trying to break in right now, there’s a good chance you’re making a film for free or making next to nothing on production or sale. How do you support yourself with little or no income for 3 years?
“We are creating product that creates jobs and revenue for the entire industry. We shouldn’t be barely getting by. Creatives that are involved with projects that span years have to begin getting higher — much higher — upfront fees, and again, because back end simply can’t be relied upon any longer, we have to demand that. If not, indie films will simply become calling card films, and I know that’s not what I signed up for. So let’s demand what we’re worth.”
Baker must have felt utterly ecstatic with his accomplishments as he stood centre stage with four of the big awards to his name. Major congratulations from all of, sir!
Joining Baker in collecting gold was lead actress Mikey Madison, who took home Best Actress. Although I’ve been championing Demi Moore for her performance in body-horror The Substance, rising-star Madison is more than a worthy alternative from her fearless attitude to what Hollywood can throw at her.
The rest of the 2025 Oscars award winners were fairly predicted by most. Favoured winners like Adrian Brody took Best Actor, his second since The Pianist. Zoe Saldana and Keiran Culkin finished the season with a streak of wins in the Supporting Actor and Actress categories. Conclave took Best Adapted Screenplay while Wicked soared with Production Design and Costumes.
Here are the list of winners (highlighted in bold) amidst their nominees:
Best Picture
Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked
Best Director
Sean Baker — Anora
Brady Corbet — The Brutalist
James Mangold — A Complete Unknown
Jacques Audiard — Emilia Pérez
Coralie Fargeat — The Substance
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo — Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón — Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison — Anora
Demi Moore — The Substance
Fernanda Torres — I’m Still Here
Best Actor
Adrien Brody — The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet — A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo — Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes — Conclave
Sebastian Stan — The Apprentice
Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro — A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande-Butera — Wicked
Felicity Jones — The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini — Conclave
Zoe Saldaña — Emilia Pérez
Best Supporting Actor
Kieran Culkin — A Real Pain
Yura Borisov — Anora
Edward Norton — A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce — The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong — The Apprentice
Best Original Screenplay
Anora
The Brutalist
A Real Pain
September 5
The Substance
Best Adapted Screenplay
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Nickel Boys
Sing Sing
Best International Feature Film
I’m Still Here
The Girl With the Needle
Emilia Pérez
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Flow
Best Animated Feature Film
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best Documentary Feature Film
Black Box Diaries
No Other Land
Porcelain War
Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat
Sugarcane
Best Original Score
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best Original Song
“El Mal” — Emilia Pérez
“The Journey” — Six Triple Eight
“Like a Bird” — Sing Sing
“Mi Camino” — Emilia Pérez
“Never Too Late” — Elton John: Never Too Late
Best Cinematography
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Maria
Nosferatu
Best Production Design
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Costume Design
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
A Different Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Substance
Wicked
Best Visual Effects
Alien: Romulus
Better Man
Dune: Part Two
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wicked
Best Sound
A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best Film Editing
Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
Best Live-Action Short Film
A Lien
Anuja
I’m Not a Robot
The Last Ranger
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
Best Animated Short Film
Beautiful Men
In the Shadow of the Cypress
Magic Candies
Wander to Wonder
Yuck!
Best Documentary Short Film
Death by Numbers
I Am Ready Warden
Incident
Instruments of a Beating Heart
The Only Girl in the Orchestra
