Hollywood Minute: “Anora” tops the Oscars
Sean Baker joined Walt Disney as one of only two people to ever win four Oscars in a single night, as his film Anora took home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
CNN- The 97th Academy Awards was a night of history-making moments, emotional speeches, and a celebration of independent filmmaking. Sean Baker joined Walt Disney as one of only two people to ever win four Oscars in a single night, as his film Anora took home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Latvia and Brazil both won their first-ever Oscars—Latvia’s Flow took Best Animated Feature, while Brazil’s I’m Still Here won Best International Feature Film.
Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain, and Zoe Saldaña made history as the first American of Dominican origin to win an Academy Award, taking home Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez. Meanwhile, Paul Tazewell became the first black man to win Best Costume Design for his work on Wicked.
The night also included political moments, from Adrien Brody’s impassioned speech after winning Best Actor for The Brutalist, to the powerful statements from the Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers behind Best Documentary Feature No Other Land.
The ceremony paid tribute to Los Angeles firefighters and honored legendary musician Quincy Jones. Host Conan O’Brien kept the mood light with his signature humor, warning of lengthy speeches and joking about audience reactions.
Baker’s multiple wins were the highlight of the evening. Accepting his Best Film Editing award, he quipped, “I saved this film in the edit, trust me! That director should never work again!” before returning to the stage as the Best Director—and once more for the night’s final honor, Best Picture.
“To all the dreamers and young filmmakers out there, tell the stories you want to tell. Tell the stories that move you. I promise you, you will never regret it,” Baker said in his acceptance speech, celebrating the triumph of independent cinema.
