The 97th Academy Awards were held on March 2, 2025, celebrating outstanding achievements in the film industry.
The ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, showcased a variety of talent and included moving performances and a tribute to the city of Los Angeles, which is in the process of recovering from recent wildfires.
Anora, a movie that offered a poignant and intimate look at the life of a sex worker in New York City, was the standout film of the night. Meanwhile, The Brutalist tells the story of a Hungarian immigrant who escapes the atrocities of World War II to start anew in the United States. Nickel Boys presents a deeply narrative, primarily told from the perspective of its main characters.
In a notable thematic connection, two films address the issue of mass disappearances. In Emilia Perez, the lead character seeks redemption for her past as a drug cartel leader involved in forced disappearances in Mexico, a nation grappling with over 100,000 missing persons.
Best picture: Anora
Best actor: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Best actress: Mikey Madison, Anora
Best supporting actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Best supporting actress: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
Best director: Sean Baker, Anora
Best cinematography: The Brutalist
Best international feature film: I’m Still Here
Best adapted screenplay: Conclave
Best original screenplay: Anora
Best live action short film: I’m Not a Robot
Best animated short film: In the Shadow of the Cypress
Best animated feature film: Flow
Best documentary short: The Only Girl in the Orchestra
Best documentary feature film: No Other Land
Best original song: “El Mal,” from Emilia Pérez
Best original score: The Brutalist
Best makeup and hairstyling: The Substance
Best costume design: Wicked
Best editing: Anora
Best sound: Dune: Part Two
Best production design: Wicked
Best visual effects: Dune: Part Two
The best foreign film award went to I’m Still Here, which follows a woman as she attempts to rebuild her life after her husband disappears during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s.
