The 2025 Academy Awards were a big night for Anora, winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar. The film had already won at the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards, making it the favorite for this category. Its bold and creative story impressed critics and audiences, helping it become one of the year’s most talked-about films.
The Best Original Screenplay award often goes to films winning Best Picture and Best Director. Since Anora won in these categories, it was expected to win for its screenplay too. The only time it lost in this category was at the BAFTAs, but the BAFTAs don’t always match the Oscars.
Some thought that Jesse Eisenberg’s film A Real Pain had a chance to win, especially because of his popularity. However, Anora had too much momentum. While A Real Pain had strong writing, it didn’t have the same level of success in other award shows.
Sean Baker, who wrote, edited, and directed Anora, won three Oscars. The film, set in Brooklyn’s Russian communities, tells a Cinderella-like story. The movie’s lead actress, Mikey Madison, also won Best Actress, and Anora took home the night’s biggest award—Best Picture.
During his speech for Best Director, Baker spoke about the importance of movie theaters.
“Where did we fall in love with movies? At the movie theater,” he said. “Watching a movie with an audience is a special experience. We can laugh, cry, and feel emotions together. In a world that feels divided, this is more important than ever.”
He asked people to keep going to theaters and encouraged filmmakers to make movies for the big screen. Baker has always supported independent films and won Best Director at the Film Independent Spirit Awards earlier in the season.
An Unlikely Success Story
Anora started as a small independent film but became a big success. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the Palme d’Or and receiving great reviews. The movie tells the story of a young Russian American dancer, played by Madison, who quickly marries the reckless son of a Russian billionaire. This leads to unexpected events. Russian actor Yura Borisov, who played a kind-hearted henchman, also got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Baker had trouble getting money to make the film. With a $6 million budget and mostly unknown actors, many investors were unsure about the project.
“When I showed my cast list to potential funders, they said, ‘Oh my God, Sean, can you please add some famous names? It will help us sell the movie,’” Baker told NPR.
Despite these challenges, Anora proved that a great story and strong performances matter more than big budgets or famous actors. Winning Best Original Screenplay was a well-deserved victory, showing that independent films can still make a big impact in Hollywood.