Oscars 2025: Here's what made Anora the Best Picture winner

Disclaimer: Opinions on Oscars 2025 Best Picture winner Anora ahead!

Anora, directed by Sean Baker, was the big winner at the 2025 Oscars, taking home the award for Best Picture. This was a big deal for independent films as it beat out big-name competitors. The movie is a drama about a dancer/sex worker from Brooklyn who runs away with a Russian billionaire's son.

The success of Anora was huge for Baker, who also won Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. This makes him one of the rare people to win four Oscars in one night. The movie was made on a small budget of just $6 million, showing what independent filmmakers can do with a good story and a dedicated team.

Anora was loved by audiences and critics for its real, down-to-earth storytelling and the important things it said about society. Producer Alex Coco talked about how much the win meant for independent films. They thanked everyone and encouraged other filmmakers to keep telling brave and honest stories.

This win shows that the Oscars are starting to care more about movies that don't follow the usual Hollywood pattern. These are the kinds of movies that focus on characters and have something important to say. It's a big moment for Baker and a reminder of how powerful independent cinema can be.

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Sean Baker’s vision, independent filmmaking at its finest

Sean Baker is well-known for making great stories with not much money or help. His latest movie, Anora, is another example of this. It's like his other popular movies, The Florida Project and Tangerine, but these didn't get big Oscar awards.

In Anora, Baker uses his usual way of filming: professional actors and non-actors. This makes the movie feel very real. Mikey Madison, who got the Best Actress award, plays the main character well, showing a lot of feelings. Yura Borisov, nominated for Best Supporting Actor, does a good job, too.

Baker and his small team shot the movie in New York City, using a style that's not too polished and feels like it's happening right in front of you. This fits with the movie's themes about how people deal with not having much money, making choices for themselves, and finding friendship in unlikely places.

This shows how good Baker is at using what he has. He used a small crew and didn't plan everything out, which is like making a movie without much help. This lets the movie keep its raw and real feel, like the stories he tells.

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Why did Anora stand out amongst the Best Picture nominees' competition at the 2025 Oscars?

The 2025 Oscars had a mix of films, but Anora didn't have a big budget or tell a grand story like Dune: Part Two or The Brutalist. Instead, it was original and moved people. It was a cozy comedy drama with surprises like a Safdie brothers' movie.

Some folks thought it might not win because it wasn't a big, epic film like Oppenheimer. But this movie had its own voice. And that voice won over the Oscars. This shows that the Academy is starting to like different kinds of stories.

Not all Best Picture winners need to be huge and fancy. People who liked the movie said it didn't have to be epic to be great. They liked that it was different. Its success shows that sometimes simple and surprising stories can win too. The Academy is looking for more unique tales in their choices.

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Anora will be streaming on Hulu starting March 17, 2025.

You can buy or rent it on various Video On Demand (VOD) services, including Amazon Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Microsoft Store, Plex, Spectrum On Demand, YouTube, and Google Play.

Next up: Oscars 2025's full list of winners