Daryl Hannah, left, and Sean Baker, winner of the award for best film editing for “Anora,” pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
| Photo Credit: Invision/AP

Sean Baker’s internationally-lauded Anora swept the 97th Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Actress (for lead Mikey Madison). The prestigious Best Picture category had several high-profile contenders this year, including Emilia Pérez, Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, A Complete Unknown and The Substance.

Anora narrates the heart-wrenching story of a Brooklyn sex-worker and her whirlwind romance and marriage to a Russian oligarch’s son.

Both Anora and Conclave were deemed frontrunners for this year’s Best Picture win. An indie darling, Anora shone at Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme D’Or. It also scripted wins at the Critics Choice Awards, the Directors Guild, the Producers Guild, and the Writers Guild awards.

Conclave, an intense, nail-biting political thriller, centres on the election of a new pope of the Catholic Church. The film is based on the eponymous 2016 novel by British author Robert Harris. The film earlier won four BAFTAs (including Best Film) and two Golden Globes.

Both Anora and Conclave won an award for screenplay. While Anora won best original screenplay, Conclave, written by Peter Straughan, took home the best adapted screenplay prize.

The Best Picture award is one of the most strongly contested Oscar categories. The award is officially presented to the film’s producer(s). 

The last five Best Picture winners at the Oscars were: Oppenheimer, Everything Everywhere All at Once, CODA, Nomadland and Parasite.

The 97th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in LA. Comedian and TV presenter Conan O’Brien hosted this year’s ceremony for the first time.