The 97th Academy Awards saw ‘Anora’ take home five Oscars, including Best Picture. Directed by Sean Baker, the film follows a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.
Baker dominated the night, winning for producing, directing, editing, and writing. The indie distributor Neon, which previously backed ‘Parasite,’ celebrated another major victory.
Adrien Brody won Best Actor for ‘The Brutalist,’ while Mikey Madison took Best Actress for her role in ‘Anora.’ Madison dedicated her win to the sex worker community, calling herself an ally.
Kieran Culkin grabbed Best Supporting Actor for ‘A Real Pain,’ and Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Emilia Pérez.’ An emotional Saldaña honored her immigrant roots in her speech.
Among other highlights, Brazil won its first-ever Oscar with ‘I’m Still Here’ as Best International Feature. Latvia’s ‘Flow’ won Best Animated Feature, and ‘No Other Land’ took Best Documentary.
K-pop star Lisa made history by performing a James Bond tribute in a Rahul Mishra outfit. Host Conan O’Brien surprised Indian viewers with a greeting in Hindi, adding a special touch to the event.