97th Oscars: Sean Baker Wins Best Director and Best Picture for ‘Anora’
Filmmaker Sean Baker won the Best Director award at the 97th Academy Awards for his critically acclaimed film Anora. The prestigious award was presented to Baker by legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
Sean Baker Clinches Best Director Award
Los Angeles: Filmmaker Sean Baker won the Best Director award at the 97th Academy Awards for his critically acclaimed film Anora. The prestigious award was presented to Baker by legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
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Tough Competition in Best Director Category
Baker triumphed over fellow Best Picture nominees, including Jacques Audiard, Brady Corbet, Coralie Fargeat, and James Mangold. His victory marked a significant moment in the awards ceremony, securing his third award of the night.
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A Passionate Plea for Theaters
Accepting the award, Baker passionately advocated for the importance of movie theaters, urging filmmakers to keep creating films for the big screen. As reported by Variety, Baker stated:
“We’re all here tonight and watching this broadcast because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater. Watching a film in the theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, and, in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. It’s a communal experience you don’t get at home.”
The Threat to Movie Theaters
Baker highlighted the struggles of independently-owned theaters, warning that the industry is losing a vital part of its culture.
“Movie theaters, especially independently-owned theaters, are struggling. During the pandemic, we lost 1,000 screens in the U.S., and we continue to lose them regularly. If we don’t reverse this trend, we’ll be losing a vital part of our culture. This is my battle cry,” he added.
A Call to Distributors and Parents
Baker urged film distributors to prioritize theatrical releases and encouraged parents to introduce their children to the cinematic experience.
“Distributors, please focus first and foremost on the theatrical releases of your film. Neon did that for me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Baker said.
“Parents, introduce your children to feature films in movie theaters, and you’ll be molding the next generation of movie lovers and filmmakers. And when we can, please watch movies in the theater and let’s keep the great tradition of the movie-going experience alive and well.”
A Tribute to His Mother and Tarantino
Baker concluded his speech by thanking his mother, who introduced him to cinema at an early age, and giving a special shoutout to Quentin Tarantino. He acknowledged that his first exposure to his future collaborator, Anora star Mikey Madison, was through Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Anora’s Resurgence and Awards Recognition
Baker’s Oscars triumph followed a resurgent awards campaign that began months earlier when Anora won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Following a successful theatrical release by Neon in the fall, Anora received numerous honors from critics and led Baker to win top honors at the Directors Guild of America Awards in February.
With these victories, Sean Baker has cemented his place as a leading figure in independent cinema and an advocate for the enduring magic of the big screen.
