The most coveted prize on Oscar night, the best picture award, has gone to writer-director Sean Baker's Anora. Baker also produced the film alongside his wife Samantha Quan and Alex Coco. Earlier in the day, Baker won in the best original screenplay, best editing, and best director categories as well. He is the first filmmaker to win Oscar awards in four different categories for the same film on the same day. This year, Anora swept the Oscars with five wins, including best actress for Mikey Madison.
Anora beat fellow nominees The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Wicked, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, Nickel Boys, I'm Still Here, and The Substance. Earlier, it won the Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival and best picture at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards.
Accepting the award, Quan stated, "To all the dreamers and young filmmakers, tell the stories you wanted to tell, tell the stories that moved you. I promise, you will never regret it." On the other hand, Baker thanked the Academy for recognising a 'truly independent film' and concluded his speech by saying "long live independent films."
This marks the second straight year in which a married couple took home Best Picture Oscar, after Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas did it for Oppenheimer in 2024.