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Total Film
Total Film
Entertainment
Bradley Russell

Anora wins Best Picture to seal its place as 2025's big Oscars victor

Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein in Anora.

Anora has taken home the award for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, while also cementing the film as this year's leading light at the Academy Awards with five wins.

Directed by Sean Baker, Anora follows the story of Ani (Mikey Madison), a young stripper soon drawn into the orbit of Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian oligarch.

Anora beat a 10-strong Best Picture lineup this year, which included the likes of Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, papal drama Conclave, and sci-fi blockbuster Dune: Part Two.

It had been a topsy-turvy awards season, with many tipping The Brutalist to pick up the top award on the night. However, a recent flurry of triumphs for Anora, including at the DGA awards and the Critics' Choice awards, led to the momentum swinging back in its favor after plenty of early buzz since picking up the Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival.

Speaking on stage after receiving the award, director Sean Baker said, "I want to thank the Academy for recognizing a truly independent film... long live independent film." The award was presented by When Harry Met Sally co-stars Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.

Recent winners of Best Picture include Oppenheimer, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Coda.

For more, follow the action on the night with our 2025 Oscars live blog. There's also our ranking of the best Oscar-winning movies if you're in the mood for more Best Picture victors.

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