With Anora and other recent winners in the rearview, independently made films aren't gaining ground on the awards playing field; they are the playing field.

Anora,” a strip club Cinderalla story without the fairy tale ending, was crowned best picture at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, handing Sean Baker’s gritty, Brooklyn-set screwball farce Hollywood’s top prize.

Academy Awards were hosted by Conan O'Brien on ABC and Hulu Sunday night. Who were the 2025 Oscars winners? Here's the complete list.

By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -"Anora," the story of a New York sex worker who gets a chance at a new life when she marries a wealthy Russian client on a whim, won five Academy Awards on Sunday,

I thank the academy for recognising a truly independent film,” Baker said in his acceptance speech. The ceremony took place less than two months after catastrophic fires displaced nearly 13,000 households in Los Angeles and affecting many in the industry.

Sean Baker’s acclaimed dramedy dominated the 2025 Oscars ceremony, which also included emotionally searing acceptance speeches and high-energy musical numbers.