“anora” sweeps the oscars
The Oscars are supposed to be the ultimate celebration of film—the night when the film industry's biggest talents are recognized, careers skyrocket and unforgettable moments are made. But in reality, the Academy Awards, despite all their glitz and glamour, don't always get it right. While this year's ceremony had its highlights, it also had its fair share of snubs, overlooked masterpieces and the usual Academy’s frustrating refusal to embrace the films that actually matter to a lot of young people.
The 97th Academy Award took place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O’Brien. The evening celebrated the past year's biggest achievements in film, with some obvious and deserved wins and some brutal losses. Anora emerged as the night's biggest winner, taking home five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Sean Baker and Best Actress for Mikey Madison. Adrien Brody won Best Actor for “The Brutalist”, while Zoe Saldana made history as the first American of Dominican origin to win Best Supporting Actress with her role as Rita Mora Castro in “Emilia Perez”. But beyond the trophies, there were also some great moments like Adam Sandler casually showing up in gym shorts (of course) and Morgan Freeman giving a heartfelt tribute to Gene Hackman who passed away last month. Yet even with these standout moments, the Academy’s usual blind spots were impossible to ignore.
Every year, there are films that critics, fans and social media obsess over, only for the Oscars to act like they don't exist. 2025 was unfortunately no different. “Challengers”, starring Zendaya, had people talking for months because of its intense performances and unique storytelling, but the Academy didn't even nominate it. “I Saw The TV Glow”— a surreal and emotional take on identity and teenage alienation—was another film that resonated deeply with audiences. Its visuals and LGBTQ+ representation struck a chord for so many people, and yet, it got absolutely nothing from the Oscars. FilmStage described it as a “towering achievement of total artistic freedom, the kind of work where certain images will be eternally burned into your mind and the feelings it exudes will linger far after the credits roll,” but apparently that wasn't enough to be recognized by the Academy.
And then there's “A Complete Unknown”, the Bob Dylan biopic, which went zero for eight on the night. This is now the second time in three years that a film about a music legend was completely shut out, “Elvis” also lost all eight of its nominations in 2023. Both times, actors who were considered frontrunners for Best Actor left empty-handed. Chalamet at least got to celebrate “Dune: Part Two” winning multiple awards, but still, it is frustrating that the Academy keeps ignoring music biopics unless they fit a super specific mold. How does a movie about Bob Dylan, one of the most influential and loved musicians ever, not win a single award?
Despite all the snubs, the Oscars still matter… for now. Winning one can change a filmmaker’s career, and the ceremony still sparks conversations about the future of movies. But if the Academy wants to stay relevant, it needs to wake up and start recognizing the films that actually make an impact on audiences beyond just the critics. Right now, the best movies aren't always the ones taking home the gold, and that's a problem. If the Oscars want to continue being a celebration of film, they need to start celebrating all of it.