The genre-hopping “Anora,” a nonchalant take on sex work filled with shouted profanities, won best picture and four other Oscars at the 97th Academy Awards. It was a nontraditional choice that reflected an academy in transition — younger, edgier and not terribly concerned about ticket sales.
Sean Baker, the force behind “Anora,” which cost $6 million to make, won Oscars for directing as well as his original screenplay and editing. Mikey Madison, 25, won best actress for playing the film’s title role, a victory that few awards handicappers saw coming. (The Hollywood veteran Demi Moore had been expected to win for her body-twisting performance in “The Substance.”)
“I want to thank the sex worker community,” Baker said when accepting the screenwriting award. “My deepest respect. I share this with you.” Later, he dedicated his directing Oscar to his mother.
“Anora,” which was distributed by Neon, set a record for the lowest domestic ticket sales in best picture history (outside of a pandemic). Baker’s film has collected only $15.7 million in the United States and Canada since arriving in theaters in October, according to Comscore, which compiles ticketing data.
The previous record-holder was “The Hurt Locker,” which had $17 million in domestic sales, or about $26 million after adjusting for inflation, when it won Hollywood’s top prize in 2010.
Another indie movie, “The Brutalist,” which cost $10 million to make and has taken in $15.8 million, received three Oscars. Adrien Brody won best actor for his performance as a Holocaust survivor in the film, which was also honored for its cinematography and score. It was Brody’s second Oscar, having won in 2003 for playing a Holocaust survivor in “The Pianist.”
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“I pray for a happier and healthier and more inclusive world,” Brody said in his acceptance speech, as he pushed past an attempt by the orchestra to play him offstage. “If the past can teach us anything, it’s a reminder to not let hate go unchecked.”
The strong showings for “Anora” and “The Brutalist” reflect the efforts the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made over the past decade to diversify its voting ranks, in part by sharply expanding overseas membership. More esoteric films have been celebrated as a result. At least nine of the artists who received Oscars on Sunday were from countries other than the United States.
“Wicked” won two Oscars (production design and costume design), as did the Netflix musical “Emilia Pérez” (song and supporting actress). “Dune: Part Two” also collected a pair (sound and visual effects).
“Conclave” was a winner for adapted screenplay. Kieran Culkin won best supporting actor for his performance in “A Real Pain,” about mismatched cousins on a trip to Poland. “Flow,” an independent Latvian movie about a courageous cat, beat “The Wild Robot” and “Inside Out 2” to win the Oscar for best animated film.
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