`Worst film`: `Anora` with Yuri Borisov became the main triumph of the `Oscar-2025`

And this is the most controversial victory of the year.

Sean Baker's dramedy won five statuettes at the 97th Academy Awards ceremony, with the director becoming the first person in the ceremony's history to win in four categories simultaneously.

On the night of March 3, the film won awards in the categories of "Best Editing," "Best Screenplay," "Best Director," as well as "Best Actress" (Mikey Madison) and "Best Picture."

The Success of the Director and Actress

Baker broke a record for awards that had stood for about 70 years. Previously, the record was held by Walt Disney, whose four Oscars in 1954 were for different films, unlike Sean’s. For the 54-year-old creator of "Anora," these were his first Academy Awards statuettes in his entire career.
Actors Mark Eidelstein and Mikey Madison embrace against a backdrop of fireworks in a crowd of people
Mark Eidelstein and Mikey Madison in a scene from 'Anora'
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The prestigious award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was also a first for the 25-year-old actress who played the stripper Anora, .

However, , who was nominated for "Best Supporting Actor," did not manage to win the award. The jury felt that actor Kieran Culkin ("True Pain") surpassed him in skill.

Nevertheless, Borisov's talent was acknowledged during the ceremony by Robert Downey Jr., who had competed for the same award in 2024 (and won it for his role in "Oppenheimer"). He addressed Yura from the stage, saying the actor has a great future ahead.

Why Is 'Anora's' Victory the Controversial Event of the Year?

Despite its triumph at the Oscars, "Anora" received mixed reactions from viewers.

Many, including renowned directors like Nikita Mikhalkov and Emir Kusturica, criticized the film. Mikhalkov commented during a visit to the "In Government Service" forum:
A disgusting oligarch, a disgusting wife, a scoundrel son, and a humane but still bandit-Russian. Well, thank you.
Nikita Mikhalkov
Kusturica, on the other hand, acknowledged Yura Borisov's talent but called the film itself "bad." At a press conference in Moscow at the end of February 2025, he commented, "Such a huge role of a talented person [Yura Borisov] in a film that means nothing."
Director Sean Baker in a tuxedo and actress Mikey Madison in a pink dress holding Oscar statuettes
'Anora' director Sean Baker and actress Mikey Madison at the 2025 Oscars
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Social media also features numerous negative reviews questioning the merit of the awards:
'Terrible movie, I can't understand how it deserved all these awards...'; 'I can't understand the fuss around the film?!'; 'The trailer and description are clichés upon clichés'; 'Anora is the worst movie I've seen. Why the Oscar?'; 'Watched it, a one-time movie'; 'If such films win 5 Oscars, then the award is worthless.'
Viewer Comments
It turns out that "Anora's" triumph is both deserved and questionable. What do you think, does Sean Baker's drama deserve such a number of awards, or is the criticism of the film justified?

Earlier, we at zoomboola.com reported on the main Oscar-2024 triumphator who won seven statuettes.