Sean Baker has been awarded the Best Director Oscar for his film Anora at the 2025 Academy Awards held in Los Angeles. Anora, a romantic thriller, tells the story of a lap dancer who impulsively marries a Russian playboy and stars Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn. This marks Baker’s eighth feature film, following successes in indie films such as Tangerine, which garnered attention for being shot on iPhones. Anora has previously won numerous accolades, including the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and received recognition from the Independent Spirit Awards along with the Director’s Guild of America.

At the Spirit Awards, where Anora secured three prizes, Baker made a passionate plea for the support and sustainability of independent cinema. He highlighted the struggles faced by independent filmmakers and called for a change in the system to ensure its viability. Additionally, during his acceptance speech at the Oscars, he issued a “battle cry” for the preservation of the communal cinema experience, which he believes is under threat, especially after the pandemic caused the closure of nearly a thousand screens in the US. He encouraged filmmakers to continue producing movies for the big screen and called on distributors to keep these films accessible to audiences.

Baker also personally touched upon the importance of his family in his journey with cinema. He reminisced about his mother, who introduced him to films at an early age and also celebrated her birthday on the Oscar ceremony day he won. “This is for you, Mum,” he declared, acknowledging her influence on his career and love for cinema.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/03/oscar-sean-baker-best-director-anora