The 97th Academy Awards were held on March 2, 2025, celebrating outstanding achievements in the film industry.

The ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, showcased a variety of talent and included moving performances and a tribute to the city of Los Angeles, which is in the process of recovering from recent wildfires.

Anora, a movie that offered a poignant and intimate look at the life of a sex worker in New York City, was the standout film of the night. Meanwhile, The Brutalist tells the story of a Hungarian immigrant who escapes the atrocities of World War II to start anew in the United States. Nickel Boys presents a deeply narrative, primarily told from the perspective of its main characters.

In a notable thematic connection, two films address the issue of mass disappearances. In Emilia Perez, the lead character seeks redemption for her past as a drug cartel leader involved in forced disappearances in Mexico, a nation grappling with over 100,000 missing persons.

Key winners:

1. Best picture: Anora

2. Best actor: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist

3. Best actress: Mikey Madison, Anora

4. Best supporting actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

5. Best supporting actress: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez

6. Best director: Sean Baker, Anora

7. Best cinematography: The Brutalist

8. Best international feature film: I’m Still Here

9. Best adapted screenplay: Conclave

10. Best original screenplay: Anora

11. Best live action short film: I’m Not a Robot

12. Best animated short film: In the Shadow of the Cypress

13. Best animated feature film: Flow

14. Best documentary short: The Only Girl in the Orchestra

15. Best documentary feature film: No Other Land

16. Best original song: “El Mal,” from Emilia Pérez

17. Best original score: The Brutalist

18. Best makeup and hairstyling: The Substance

19. Best costume design: Wicked

20. Best editing: Anora

21. Best sound: Dune: Part Two

22. Best production design: Wicked

23. Best visual effects: Dune: Part Two

The best foreign film award went to I’m Still Here, which follows a woman as she attempts to rebuild her life after her husband disappears during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s.