The 97th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with Conan O’Brien making his debut as the host. The event honored the best in film, recognizing outstanding performances and creative achievements across various categories.
Leading the nominations was Emilia Pérez with 13 nods, followed closely by The Brutalist and Wicked with 10 each. These films competed for Best Picture alongside Anora, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, and The Substance.
Major Award Winners
Best Picture
- Winner: Anora (Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, Producers)
- The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance, Wicked
Best Director
- Winner: Sean Baker (Anora)
- Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), James Mangold (A Complete Unknown)
Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Winner: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
- Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice)
Best Actress in a Leading Role
- Winner: Mikey Madison (Anora)
- Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Demi Moore (The Substance), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here)
Additional Award Categories
Best Supporting Actor
- Winner: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
Best Supporting Actress
- Winner: Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Winner: Conclave (Screenplay by Peter Straughan)
Best Original Screenplay
- Winner: Anora (Written by Sean Baker)
Best Animated Feature Film
- Winner: Flow (Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens, and Gregory Zalcman)
Best International Feature Film
- Winner: I’m Still Here (Brazil)
Best Cinematography
- Winner: The Brutalist (Lol Crawley)
Best Costume Design
- Winner: Wicked (Paul Tazewell)
Best Visual Effects
- Winner: Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer)
A Night to Remember
This year’s Oscars celebrated groundbreaking performances, innovative storytelling, and remarkable technical achievements. Anora and Emilia Pérez emerged as standout winners, while Dune: Part Two took home a key technical award. With a diverse range of winners, the 2025 Academy Awards showcased the best of global cinema, setting new benchmarks in the industry.