Palme d’or at Cannes, Anora dominates the 97th Academy Awards. This modern fairy tale, directed by Sean Baker, wins no less than five trophies. The Brutalist emerges as the other star of the evening with his title role winning the award for best actor. Favorite of the Césars, Emilia Pérez of French director Jacques Audiard suffers from the controversy surrounding her star actress.
On Sunday, March 2, 2025, Sean Baker made Oscar history. His independent film Anora, the story of a stripper saved from the underworld by the son of a Russian oligarch, won five awards, including the top prize.
While the sensation of the moment, The Brutalist, was the other big winner of the evening, Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard was a disappointment, confirming the curse that seems to dog French productions, the last time a French film won the best film award being in 1993 with Indochine by Régis Wargnier.
Despite a few allusions to the war in Ukraine – notably through the speech of Adrien Brody, crowned best actor – this 97th Oscar ceremony also made an impression due to its low level of politicization, a major first if we think back to previous editions. To the point, as France Télévision pointed out, that the image of President Donald Trump was not directly tarnished at any point during the evening.
Crowned in Cannes… and Los Angeles
Could it be the pink dress with a bow and black bustier from 1956 by Dior, worn by his favorite actress, or the subject of social elevation and the class defector at the heart of the American myth?
Palme d’or winner at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, the feature film Anora has once again made a name for itself.
Rarely enough to be emphasized, Sean Baker’s film, like the Korean film Parasites in 2019, has been honored on both sides of the Atlantic.
This tragicomedy combining the myth of Pygmalion, the mafia and Russian oligarchs won five statuettes. In addition to the holy grail of Best Picture, the feature film won trophies for Best Actress, Best Director, Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay.
The presenter, Conan O’Brien, also made one of the rare political comments of the evening: “It’s a very good evening for Anora. This is great news! Two wins already. I guess Americans are glad that someone is finally standing up to a very powerful Russian.”
Being at once director, screenwriter and editor of his own film, Sean Baker becomes with four nominations, the first person to be awarded in four categories for the same film, according to Variety magazine.
At the age of 25, Mikey Madison won the award for best actress, paying tribute to sex workers in her speech.
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Featured photo: Anora © Augusta Quirk/Anora Productions/Le Pacte
