In an upset win, Gints Zilbalodis’ animated tale of a cat who wakes up to a world invaded by water took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, while the second chapter in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic won for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Design on a night that also saw Iranian filmmakers Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi, with visas approved just yesterday, arrive in the U.S.in time to win Best Animated Short for ‘In the Shadow of the Cypress.’
The 2025 awards season is finally over… as first-time host Conan O’Brien brought a welcome, breezy and sorely needed touch of humility and humor to the 97th Annual Academy Awards.And a giant head full of red hair.
In what could be called an upset in most circles, Gints Zilbalodis’ took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, while the second of Denis Villeneuve’s three-part epic, , won for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Design.Iranian filmmakers Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi, who literally had their passports approved at the last possible moment in order to attend the ceremony, made it with a few hours to spare… just in time to win the Best Animated Short Film award for their haunting, powerful film, .Congratulations to all the winners (listed in bold) and nominees! Performance by an actor in a leading role Adrien Brody in (winner) Timothée Chalamet in Colman Domingo in Ralph Fiennes in Sebastian Stan in Performance by an actor in a supporting role Yura Borisov in Kieran Culkin in (winner) Edward Norton in Guy Pearce in Jeremy Strong in Performance by an actress in a leading role Cynthia Erivo in Karla Sofía Gascón in Mikey Madison in (winner) Demi Moore in Fernanda Torres in Performance by an actress in a supporting role Monica Barbaro in Ariana Grande in Felicity Jones in Isabella Rossellini in Zoe Saldaña in (winner) Best animated feature film of the year - Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman (winner) - Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen - Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney - Nominees to be determined - Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann Achievement in cinematography - Lol Crawley (winner) - Greig Fraser - Paul Guilhaume - Ed Lachman - Jarin Blaschke Achievement in costume design - Arianne Phillips - Lisy Christl - Janty Yates and Dave Crossman - Linda Muir - Paul Tazewell (winner) Achievement in directing - Sean Baker (winner) - Brady Corbet - James Mangold - Jacques Audiard - Coralie Fargeat Best documentary feature film - Shiori Ito, Eric Nyari and Hanna Aqvilin - Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham (winner) - Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska and Paula DuPre' Pesmen - Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius and Rémi Grellety - Nominees to be determined Best documentary short film - Kim A.
Snyder and Janique L.Robillard - Smriti Mundhra and Maya Gnyp - Bill Morrison and Jamie Kalven - Ema Ryan Yamazaki and Eric Nyari - Molly O’Brien and Lisa Remington (winner) Achievement in film editing - Sean Baker (winner) - David Jancso - Nick Emerson - Juliette Welfling – Myron Kerstein Best international feature film of the year Brazil - (winner) Denmark - France - Germany - Latvia - Achievement in makeup and hairstyling - Mike Marino, David Presto and Crystal Jurado - Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini - David White, Traci Loader and Suzanne Stokes-Munton - Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli (winner) - Frances Hannon, Laura Blount and Sarah Nuth Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) - Daniel Blumberg (winner) - Volker Bertelmann - Clément Ducol and Camille - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz - Kris Bowers Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song) “El Mal” from ; Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard (winner) “The Journey” from ; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren “Like A Bird” from ; Music and Lyric by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada “Mi Camino” from ; Music and Lyric by Camille and Clément Ducol “Never Too Late” from ; Music and Lyric by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt and Bernie Taupin Best motion picture of the year - Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, Producers (winner) - Nominees to be determined - Fred Berger, James Mangold and Alex Heineman, Producers - Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A.Jackman, Producers - Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve, Producers - Nominees to be determined - Nominees to be determined - Nominees to be determined - Nominees to be determined - Marc Platt, Producer Achievement in production design - Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia - Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter - Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau - Production Design: Craig Lathrop; Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales (winner) Best animated short film - Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Elslande - Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi (winner) - Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio - Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper - Loïc Espuche and Juliette Marquet Best live action short film - Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz - Adam J.
Graves and Suchitra Mattai
- Victoria Warmerdam and Trent (winner)
- Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw
- Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek
Achievement in sound
- Tod A.Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey and David Giammarco
- Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill (winner)
- Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz and Niels Barletta
- Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson and John Marquis
- Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A.Rizzo and Leff Lefferts
Achievement in visual effects
- Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin and Shane Mahan
- Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft and Peter Stubbs
- Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer (winner)
- Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story and Rodney Burke
- Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk and Paul Corbould
Adapted screenplay
- Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks
- Screenplay by Peter Straughan (winner)
- Screenplay by Jacques Audiard; In collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi
- Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
- Screenplay by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John "Divine G" Whitfield
Original screenplay
- Written by Sean Baker (winner)
- Written by Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
- Written by Jesse Eisenberg
- Written by Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; Co-Written by Alex David
- Written by Coralie Fargeat
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
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