Anora triumphed on the Oscars tonight, clinching a formidable complete of 5 awards. This historic win marked a excessive level for filmmaker Sean Baker, who garnered accolades for Finest Unique Screenplay, Finest Director, Finest Modifying, and Finest Image—all his first nominations in these particular classes. His achievements tonight not solely spotlight his distinctive expertise but in addition his vital influence on the movie trade.
The movie acquired a complete of six nominations, and its lead star, Mikey Madison, was awarded Finest Actress for her excellent efficiency. Whereas Yura Borisov acquired a nomination for Finest Supporting Actor, he didn’t safe the win—a choice that some are calling an upset, notably given the fierce competitors this 12 months.
Sean Baker’s achievement of successful 4 Oscars in a single 12 months places him within the firm of solely a choose few. In 2020, Walt Disney and Bong Joon-Ho each reached comparable milestones—Disney for 4 distinct movies, whereas Joon-Ho took residence three awards for Parasite, with the fourth awarded to South Korea as a consultant win for worldwide movies.
Regardless of his groundbreaking success on the Oscars, tonight’s celebration is just not Baker’s first enterprise into the awards circuit. He’s famend for crafting audacious, vibrant movies comparable to Tangerine and The Florida Challenge, each of which have contributed to his spectacular physique of labor over the previous decade.
In his acceptance speech for Finest Image, Baker took the chance to emphasise the vital significance of experiencing movies in a theatrical setting, advocating for the preservation of tradition surrounding film theaters and the collective joys they supply.
“We’re all gathered right here tonight to rejoice our love for motion pictures,” he started. “Assume again to the place that love was born. It was within the movie show—an area the place we might snicker collectively, cry collectively, and share the human expertise. Proper now, nonetheless, that shared expertise is in jeopardy. In the course of the pandemic, practically 1,000 screens have been misplaced throughout the U.S., and we proceed to lose theaters usually. If we don’t take motion to reverse this development, we danger shedding an important piece of our tradition.”
Baker additionally took a second to acknowledge the marginalized intercourse employee group, expressing his gratitude and respect for his or her contributions by saying, “I need to thank the intercourse employee group. Their tales and life experiences have touched me deeply through the years. I share this recognition with you, out of deepest respect.”
