The Oscars—also known as the Academy Awards—is a prestigious event in the film industry, celebrating modern cinema and the people behind it. Each year, the event celebrates various actors, writers, filmmakers, and other production professionals in their contributions to the craft. Despite being an anticipated ceremony throughout the year, the Oscars have grown to be very controversial throughout the media.
The 2025 Oscars, which took place on Sunday, March 2 at 7:00 PM, was no exception to the media controversy. While many viewers and nominees looked to the event to celebrate their favorite films and artists, debates in key categories emerged. Following the event, social media platforms were filled with debates, with film enthusiasts, critics, and industry workers sharing their thoughts on the results, resulting in the award ceremony receiving a lot of backlash.
‘Anora’ wins Best Picture
The independent film “Anora” won Best Picture and this year’s Academy Awards. While the film was well received by the general public and had good reviews, the film only made sixteen million dollars in the box office, significantly less than the other movies in the category. Moreover, the explicit content and mature themes sparked debate of the Academy’s recognition for those films over mainstream movies.
While many celebrated the win for independent cinema, others argued that more popular and ‘family-friendly’ films deserved the award. Regardless of the differing opinions, “Anora’s” win in this category undeniably made history and reinforced the idea that the Oscars are willing to embrace unconventional stories and independent filmmakers.
‘Flow’ won best animated feature
“Flow,” a Latvian film, won Best Animated Feature, shocking many people as it was against critically acclaimed films such as “Inside Out 2” and “The Wild Robot”. This unexpected victory led to discussions about the Academy’s voting patterns and the visibility of smaller international films.
The win served as a catalyst for discussions about the Academy’s voting and the recognition of international animation. Many saw the win as a step forward in giving smaller films a platform, while others felt that the award should have gone to a more widely recognized movie. When asking sophomore Milianna Theodule about this win, she stated how “although I didn’t watch it, it looks like a cute movie and was definitely competition for the other choices in the category”.
‘Wicked’ won best production design
The film adaptation of the musical “Wicked” got the award for Best Production Design at this year’s Oscars. However, controversy soon followed when the director of the film, Jon M. Chu, was not included in the Best Director nominations, despite the film’s multiple successes within the box office, other award ceremonies, and in public review. The lack of representation for this director led to public criticism and discussions about the recognition of directors in successful films such as Wicked.
Zoe Saldaña won best supporting actress
Zoe Saldaña made history by winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Emilia Pérez,” becoming the first American of Dominican heritage to win the award. However, the film faced multitudes of backlash due to resurfaced social media posts by Saldaña’s co-star, Karla Sofía Gascónt. Saldaña expressed her disappointment over the offensive language but expressed her personal experiences working with Gascón, all positive. As well as this, many feel as though supporting actress Ariana Grande in “Wicked” deserved the award, sparking multiple debates within the cinematic community.
Overall, the 2025 Oscars was a night of celebrated victories, heartbreaking losses, and a multitude of controversy. While some celebrated the diversity and inclusion amongst the winners, others debated the validity of the Academy’s voting system and the fairness of it. Nonetheless, the Oscars will continue to be an event important for the future of cinema and the representation of people working within the community.