The 98th edition of the Academy Awards concluded with major wins for One Battle After Another which took home the coveted Best Picture trophy, capping off a tightly contested awards season. The film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson emerged as the biggest winner of the night with six awards.
Held in Hollywood, the ceremony brought an end to one of the most unpredictable Oscar races in recent years. Competing strongly throughout the season was Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler which entered the night with a record breaking 16 nominations, the most ever received by a single film in Oscar history.
‘One Battle After Another’ dominates the night
After gaining momentum throughout the awards circuit, One Battle After Another sealed its victory by winning Best Picture. Producers Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Anderson accepted the award on stage, marking a historic moment for the filmmaker.
Anderson also won Best Director for the film ending a long wait after multiple previous nominations for films such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread and Licorice Pizza.
The film also secured wins in technical categories, including Best Film Editing.
Michael B. Jordan wins first Oscar
Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor award for his performance in Sinners, marking his first Academy Award win and nomination. His victory places him among a distinguished group of Black actors who have won the category, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith.
Jessie Buckley wins Best Actress
Irish star Jessie Buckley took home the Best Actress award for her performance in Hamnet directed by Chloé Zhao. This marks Buckley’s first Oscar win and her second nomination after being recognised for The Lost Daughter in 2022.
Other major winners of the night
Several films across genres also walked away with top honours at the ceremony.
Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier, won Best International Feature Film.
KPop Demon Hunters made history when the song “Golden” won Best Original Song, the first K-pop track ever to win an Oscar.
Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners.
Avatar: Fire & Ash, directed by James Cameron, won Best Visual Effects.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin took home Best Documentary Feature.
Meanwhile, the racing dramaF1 won Best Sound.
Frankenstein from Guillermo del Toro secured the award for Best Production Design.
A competitive Oscars season
This year’s Oscars were marked by a split awards season, with honours spread across different contenders at major precursor events including the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA Awards and Directors Guild of America.
Timothée Chalamet’s memorable moment at the Oscars
Although he did not win the Best Actor award, Timothée Chalamet still generated significant buzz during the ceremony thanks to his nomination for Marty Supreme. The actor, widely considered one of the strongest contenders in the category this year, received loud applause when his name was announced among the nominees.
Chalamet’s performance in Marty Supreme had been praised throughout the awards season for its intensity and emotional depth, with critics calling it one of the most daring roles of his career. While the Best Actor trophy ultimately went to Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Chalamet’s presence and growing influence in Hollywood remained one of the notable talking points of the night.
also read : Farah Khan Recalls Salman Khan’s Emotional Moment on the Set of Jaan-E-Mann
While Sinners dominated nominations and several craft categories, One Battle After Another maintained strong momentum through guild victories and ultimately clinched the night’s top prize.
With surprise wins and historic milestones, the 98th Academy Awards delivered a memorable finale to this year’s awards season.