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After a big night for Sean Baker’s Anora, the movie took home the ultimate prize at the 2025 Oscars. Anora won Best Picture over its competitors The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, I’m Still Here, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, Nickel Boys, The Substance, and Wicked. As director, writer, editor and producer of the film, Baker became the first person in Academy Award history to win four Oscars for one movie in the same ceremony.
Accepting the Best Picture trophy, Baker and producers Samantha Quan and Alex Coco all extolled the virtues of indie filmmaking. “We made this movie independently. If you’re trying to make independent films please keep doing it, we need more. This is proof,” Coco said. Added Quan: “We made this with very little money, but all of our hearts. To all of the dreamers and the young filmmakers, tell the stories you want to tell. Tell the story that moves you. I promise you, you will never regret it.”
“I want to thank the academy for recognizing a truly independent film,” Baker rounded out the trio. “This film was made on the blood, sweat and tears of incredible indie artists. Long live independent film.”
Anora started its run strong, winning the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The momentum carried through to the Academy Awards, where Baker won the awards for Directing, Film Editing, and Original Screenplay. Mikey Madison also upset frontrunner Demi Moore to win Best Actress for the titular role. In his various speeches, Baker praised his fellow nominees, distributor Neon, as well as his wife Quan. In his speech for Best Director, he made an impassioned case for the theatrical experience. “Indie film is struggling right now more than ever,” he said. “The system has to change, because this is simply unsustainable. Let’s not undervalue ourselves any longer.”
