The 97th Oscars Academy Awards this year has very memorable and controversial picks, along with Comedian Conan O’Brien as the host. The cut-off for submitting is December 31st, giving submissions a full calendar year. Anora, a movie about a sex worker marrying an oligarch’s son, was this year’s most awarded film, racking up five Oscars.
The most prestigious, major awards and their winners are:
Best Picture: Anora
Best Director: Sean Baker for Anora
Best Leading Actress: Mikey Madison for Anora
Best Leading Actor: Adrien Brody for The Brutalist
Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain
There are notable moments for first-time winners like Mikey Madison for Anora. Another notable first Grammy is Brazil for winning their first international feature with I’m Still Here. Independent filmmakers take a win this year as well with the first ever Best Animated Feature, Flow, being an independent feature.
The controversy around the Oscars comes mostly from people believing other nominees were snubbed, old racist remarks and the content of the movies themselves. Karla Sofía Gascón, the star of Emilia Pérez, faced criticism for racist tweets that have resurfaced. Gascón says she contemplated the “unthinkable” and apologizes as she comes from a largely marginalized group herself, being a part of the transgender community. The musical film is being questioned for its portrayal of the Mexican drug lord as well as the actual content of the movie and songs. Some viewers are confused about how this won awards while the hit movie Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, won none.
The 2025 Oscars holds remarkable achievements for some actors and actresses, clouded by some troubling concerns for the film industry. This event every year highlights the role that cinema is making in society, as well as where we are in society with representation and our culture.
