the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the 97th Academy Awards delivered a historic night for indie cinema, as the low-budget yet critically acclaimed film Anora dominated the ceremony. Despite its modest $6 million budget, the comedy-drama directed by Sean Baker walked away with multiple Oscars, including Best Picture—matching a record set by Walt Disney 70 years ago.
Mikey Madison Wins Best Actress in a Surprise Upset
Star Mikey Madison clinched the Best Actress award, beating out frontrunner Demi Moore. This unexpected win further cemented Anora’s status as the indie darling of the year.
Sean Baker Makes Oscar History
Baker, who both wrote and directed Anora, secured four major wins, including:
✔️ Best Picture
✔️ Best Director
✔️ Best Original Screenplay
✔️ Best Editing
During his Best Picture acceptance speech, Baker and his team proudly highlighted the film’s independent roots, thanking production company Neon—a studio that’s quickly becoming a powerhouse for arthouse and indie hits (Parasite, Titane). Their closing words? “Long live independent film!”
Other Major Oscar Wins
🏆 Adrien Brody won his second Best Actor Oscar for The Brutalist, delivering an emotional (and lengthy) speech.
🏆 Latvia and Brazil celebrated their first-ever Oscar wins in international categories.
🏆 The Academy honored the James Bond franchise with a tribute, following Amazon’s recent takeover of the iconic spy series.
Box Office vs. Prestige: The Anora Phenomenon
Unlike last year’s blockbuster winner Oppenheimer, Anora has seen modest box office success, grossing just under $41 million worldwide. That makes it the lowest-grossing Best Picture winner in 45 years, outside of pandemic-era winners Nomadland and CODA.
What’s Next for Indie Film?
With Anora’s success, the Oscars have once again proven their love for lower-budget, artistically driven films. Could this signal a resurgence of independent cinema in the mainstream? One thing is certain—2024’s biggest movie moment belonged to an underdog that defied the odds.
The King of Con by Thomas Giacomaro and Natasha Stoynoff https://theridgewoodblog.net/king-of-con-by-thomas-giacomaro-and-natasha-stoynoff/
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Hoping they screen this at Van Neste movie night when it warms up. We’re a stigma free town — let it show!
Not very likely. And not THAT stigma free.
Two up-voters clearly unfamiliar with the director’s oeuvre. Or, alternatively, two up-voters with a diverse array of flags on their lawns.