Sean Baker accepts the Best Writing (Original Screenplay) award for “Anora” onstage during the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California.
| Photo Credit: KEVIN WINTER
As expected, Anora started its much-hyped Oscar run with a win for Best Original Screenplay, while Conclave bagged the Best Adapted Screenplay at the ongoing 97th Academy Awards in The Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, United States.
Sean Baker’s critically acclaimed drama, Anora, triumphed over The Substance, The Brutalist, A Real Pain and September 5 in the category. Conclave, written by Peter Straughan, won against Emilia Perez, Nickel Boys, Sing Sing, and A Complete Unknown.
Notably, Sean has also been nominated for Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Picture; if he wins in all four categories, he will tie Walt Disney’s record for the most Oscar wins by a single person in a single night. Meanwhile, Anora’s Mikey Madison is also nominated for Best Actress.
Anora tells the story of its titular character, played by Madison, an Uzbek-American stripper who frequently entertains Russian-speaking clients through her boss’s arrangements. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Vanya, portrayed by Mark Eidelstein, the wealthy young son of a Russian oligarch. Vanya hires Anora to be his girlfriend for a week, but what begins as a transaction soon evolves into genuine affection. Their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement, but their happiness is jeopardized when Vanya’s powerful parents discover their relationship.
Peter Straughan poses with the Best Adapted Screenplay for “Conclave” award in the Oscars photo room at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 2, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Daniel Cole
Conclave, the papal intrigue film written by Straughan, is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by British novelist Robert Harris. The film follows a power struggle in a Vatican papal election. The film stars Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence, who is responsible for overseeing the process following the sudden death of the beloved Pope. As the Church’s most influential leaders convene in the Vatican, Lawrence becomes entangled in a conspiracy, uncovering a secret that threatens to destabilize the very foundation of the Catholic Church.
The wins surely aren’t unexpected. Anora had been operating like a heavyweight champ on a victory lap. Baker’s scrappy, $6 million indie had spent the better part of the season as a respected underdog, beloved by critics but largely ignored by the precursors that usually dictate the Oscars trajectory
Published – March 03, 2025 06:56 am IST
