The tragicomedy 'Anora' triumphed at the Oscars on Sunday, winning five awards including Best Picture, while Jacques Audiard's 'Emilia Pérez', mired in controversy, garnered only two awards.
"This film was made with the blood, sweat, and tears of incredible independent artists," said Sean Baker, the director of 'Anora', thanking the Academy for honouring "a truly independent film," produced with a budget of just six million dollars.
Baker made history by winning four awards for a single film. Following the Palme d’Or win at Cannes, this modern Cinderella story not only clinched the top prize but also took home awards for Best Actress for Mikey Madison, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Director for Sean Baker, a prominent figure in American independent cinema.
The film depicts a New York stripper marrying the son of a Russian oligarch and facing class contempt from her wealthy in-laws, adding to Baker’s filmography focused on America’s marginalised and sex workers.
The film's revelation, Mikey Madison, paid tribute to the marginalised communities when she accepted her Oscar at the age of 25.
Perez controversy
In contrast, 'Emilia Pérez' failed to replicate the enthusiasm it generated at Cannes, where it had won the Jury Prize.
Jacques Audiard's musical odyssey about a Mexican drug trafficker’s gender transition faced backlash due to past racist and Islamophobic tweets from its lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón. The film, co-produced by 'Les Films du Fleuve' and featuring choreography by Brussels' Damien Jalet, had won the César for Best Film in Paris just 48 hours earlier.
Despite 13 nominations, a record for a non-English language production, the predominantly Spanish-language film received only two Oscars: Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldana and Best Original Song for 'El Mal', in which her character, a lawyer, rebels against societal corruption in Mexico.
The Best International Feature Film Oscar went to the Brazilian drama 'I Am Still Here', depicting a mother's resistance against the former Brazilian dictatorship.
Brody wins best actor
Adrien Brody was another highlight of the evening, winning Best Actor for 'The Brutalist', in which he plays an architect and Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States.
Brody joins Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson in the prestigious club of double Oscar winners, 22 years after his first Oscar win for 'The Pianist', where he also portrayed a Holocaust-affected artist.
US actor Adrien Brody accepts the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "The Brutalist" during the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 2, 2025. Credit: Belga / AFP
In his acceptance speech, the 51-year-old actor made a political statement, which seemed to reference the new Trump presidency.
"If the past can teach us anything, it's to remember not to let hatred go unchecked," he emphasised, calling for "a healthier, happier, and more inclusive world."
Zoe Saldana expressed her pride in being "the child of immigrant parents who have dreams, dignity, and hardworking hands."
These two speeches were among the few political references of the evening, in a ceremony that was significantly less politically charged than in 2017 after Donald Trump's first election.
Unlike Jimmy Kimmel back then, comedian Conan O’Brien largely avoided political topics, reflecting Hollywood’s discomfort with the newly elected Republican billionaire, who won with the popular vote.
The ceremony remained agreeable, featuring performances by 'Wicked' musical stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, alongside a tribute to Los Angeles firefighters who battled deadly January fires.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict entered the spotlight when 'No Other Land', a hard-hitting documentary on Israeli colonisation in the West Bank, won the Oscar for Best Documentary.
Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for his role as a charismatic yet insufferable young Jewish man in 'A Real Pain'.
Brussels-based studio
The Belgian-Latvian co-production 'Flow' won Best Animated Feature Film for its poignant tale of a drifting cat confronting a planet’s submersion due to rising waters.
The Brussels-based studio Take Five contributed to the film's post-production, particularly in creating sound effects. 'Flow' had already won the César for Best Animated Film in Paris on Friday.
The main contender against 'Anora', the papal thriller 'Conclave', about the tumultuous proceedings of electing a new pope in the Vatican, only won one Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
'The Substance' received the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, for Demi Moore's impressive transformation into a creature addicted to a youth serum with devastating effects.
