Director Sean Baker thanked the academy for “recognizing a truly independent film.” Other winners included the Israeli-Palestinian documentary “No Other Land.”

“Anora,” a drama about a sex worker who elopes with the son of a Russian oligarch, took home five Academy Awards, including best picture and best director for Sean Baker.

First-time nominee Mikey Madison, who won best lead actress for her portrayal of a 23-year-old sex worker in New York, honored the sex worker community in her acceptance speech saying that she will “continue to support and be an ally.”

“Anora,” which showcases Madison’s character’s struggles following an ill-fated romance, was made for just $6 million (€5.8 million).

Baker, who picked up his first Oscar as best director, added: “I want to thank the Academy for recognizing a truly independent film. This film was made on the blood, sweat and tears of incredible indie artists.”

‘No Other Land’ wins best documentary

A significant win of the evening went to “No Other Land” — made by Palestinian and Israeli co-directors — for the best documentary feature.

The film is about the parallel realities in which the two friends live: Journalist Yuval Abraham with an Israeli yellow number plate that lets him travel anywhere, while the Palestinian activist Basel Adra is confined to a territory that gets increasingly smaller.

“We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people,” said Basel Adra upon accepting the Oscar, in one of the most political speeches of the evening. 

“We made this film — Palestinians and Israelis — because together, our voices are stronger,” added Yuval Abraham. “We see each other, the destruction of Gaza and its people, which must end, the Israeli hostages, brutally taken in the crime of October 7, which must be freed.”

In contrast to the Academy Awards ceremony, the filmmakers had not referred to the October 7 attacks by Hamas in the political statements made during their acceptance speech at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024, where it won the best documentary award. Different German and Israeli politicians and media outlets had then accused them of antisemitism. Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham, who had called for “equality between Israelis and Palestinians, a ceasefire and an end to apartheid,” said he received death threats in his home country following the Berlin controversy.