Anora, the screwball tragicomedy directed by Sean Baker, which tells the story of a young sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, dominated the 97th Academy Awards held last Sunday. The film garnered accolades for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing. The sole nomination that Anora did not convert into a victory was for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, where Yura Borisov was recognized. Had Kieran Culkin not been advocating for his own candidacy in a category he arguably does not belong to with his prominent role in A Real Pain, I would have anticipated Yura securing the award as well.

What factors contributed to Anora's status as the leading contender this awards season? Despite receiving five nominations, it left the 2025 Golden Globes without any wins. This situation highlights one of the most tumultuous and demanding awards seasons in recent memory, characterized by social media influence and various controversies that created significant obstacles for numerous films in their pursuit of accolades.

Emilia Pérez controversy

The most significant controversy of this awards season revolves around Emilia Perez. Jacques Audiard's Spanish-language musical drama, which defies traditional genre boundaries and features performances by Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Zoe Saldaña, has sparked considerable debate. Set against the backdrop of Mexico, the film faced substantial criticism within the country for allegedly trivializing Mexican history and perpetuating stereotypes. Additionally, critics condemned the film for its insensitive depiction of a transgender character, laden with clichés.

The situation escalated dramatically when past tweets from lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón resurfaced, addressing topics such as George Floyd, Islam, and diversity at the Oscars, which provoked a significant backlash on social media. In response, the actress initially issued an apology and subsequently deleted her X (formerly Twitter) account entirely. She expressed her feelings of being judged and condemned without a fair trial, stating, “I believe I have been judged, I have been convicted and sacrificed and crucified and stoned without a trial and without the option to defend myself,” as reported by Deadline.

Emilia Pérez emerged as the leading contender at the onset of the awards season, achieving an impressive four Golden Globe victories. However, a controversy significantly disrupted her otherwise promising trajectory, as Karla Sofía Gascón opted not to participate in any of the precursor award ceremonies despite her nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. On Oscar night, her film, which had garnered a total of 13 nominations, ultimately failed to secure even the most anticipated victory in the Best International Feature category.

Brazil's big win

The victory was achieved by I'm Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui), a Brazilian film directed by Walter Salles. If there was a positive aspect to this year's awards season, it was the unanimous enthusiasm and pride displayed by Brazilians as they collectively celebrated this significant achievement for their nation. Crowds took to the streets, assembled in large gatherings, and shared the experience of watching the ceremony together, as evidenced by the videos that surfaced on X.

The film presents a compelling and intense depiction of Eunice Paiva, a real-life figure who navigated the challenges of Brazil's military dictatorship. It garnered significant acclaim and achieved remarkable box office success within the country. The lead actress, Fernanda Torres, delivers an extraordinary performance, and her unexpected victory at the Golden Globe Awards secured her a well-deserved nomination for Best Actress. In the eyes of the Brazilian audience, she had already triumphed.

The stunning visuals and footage capturing the nationwide celebration for this film prompted me to reflect on the timeline for India and its cinema to reach a similar level of recognition. This year, there was a promising opportunity with Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, which generated considerable momentum and won nearly all the major precursor awards in its category. However, it was not even the top choice of the Selection Committee. It is evident that a long and challenging journey lies ahead if we genuinely aspire to honor our films and narratives.

The Brutalist controversy

The awards season was marked by a significant controversy surrounding another contender, The Brutalist. Brady Corbet's epic, which exceeds three hours in length, was widely regarded as the frontrunner for Best Director after securing the same accolade at the Venice Film Festival, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs. However, the revelation that generative AI was employed in the film's production to enhance the Hungarian accents of actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones sparked a heated debate on social media, questioning the eligibility of their performances for the Oscars. Despite this, Adrien was awarded Best Actor, while Brady ultimately lost to Sean Baker.

In contrast, Anora gained momentum during the awards season with an unexpected victory at the Critics Choice Awards for Best Film. It subsequently achieved a remarkable feat by winning the trifecta of guild awards: the WGA (Writers Guild of America) for Best Original Screenplay, the DGA (Directors Guild of America) for Best Director, and the PGA (Producers Guild of America) for Best Picture. Notably, the only film to have previously won all three of these awards without securing Best Picture was Apollo 13 in 1995. Three decades later, The Academy repeated this occurrence.

Anora's journey through the controversies was not entirely seamless, particularly due to the backlash following Mikey Madison's remark about the absence of an intimacy coordinator during the film's sex scenes. Nevertheless, the film established a formidable presence through an exceptional campaign executed by Neon. This independent film company merits significant recognition for its outstanding strategies in awards campaigning, having secured the Best Picture award twice within a span of seven years. Additionally, Neon has achieved the remarkable feat of distributing the last five Palme d’Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival in the United States. According to Variety, Neon invested $18 million in the marketing, distribution, and awards campaign for Anora, which was notably three times the film's production budget of $6 million, featuring a cast primarily composed of newcomers.

Anora's triumph on Oscar night served as a powerful testament to the value of independent filmmaking, concluding a demanding awards season characterized by notable missteps and controversies. This year's awards cycle will provide an insightful case study on the pitfalls of navigating social media discourse, as the internet has a long memory.

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