Aaron Sorkin said several years ago (I’m paraphrasing), “It’s selfish of me to say, but historically, the worst times in history breed the best art, and I’m excited to see what comes out of these tough times.” He was referring to the Covid pandemic, which resulted in some of the most forgettable films in recent memory. Fast forward a few years, and global cinema has been absolutely smashing it, proudly making 2024 one of the best years for film (and television) in recent memory.
Here are our predictions for the top categories at the 2025 Academy Awards.
Best Picture
Anora or The Brutalist
Anora was the first American film to won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival since 2011, but writer/director Sean Baker has been smashing it for some time, just on a much smaller, indie circuit. I do think Anora is a bit of a shoe-in at this point, but due to the mysticism surrounding The Brutalist, don’t count that one out.
Best Director
Sean Baker for Anora
I really think the indie king has got this one in the bag. Sean broke out into the (sort of) mainstream 10 years ago with Tangerine, shot entirely on an iPhone with a budget of, like, six dollars, and now he will (hopefully) get the recognition he deserves.
Best Actor
Timothee Chalamet in A Complete Unknown or Adrien Brody in The Brutalist
Ol’ T-Bone had one of the best media tours in recent memory while promoting his Bob Dylan biopic, and made immediate fans of anyone who previously found him dull. However, after Brody picked up the Golden Globe for his performance in The Brutalist, something tells me he might just pick up a little gold man for the second time (although the assistance of AI to perfect is accent is questionable…)
Best Actress
Demi Moore in The Substance or Mikey Madison in Anora
Demi Moore delivered a Rocky-esque speech after her Golden Globe win, noting that despite having acted for over 40 years, this is the first time she’s won an award for anything – how do you not get choked up hearing something like that? Still, after sweeping practically every other award across the world, it’s hard to bet against Madison for her performance as Anora.
Best Supporting Actor
Yuri Borisov in Anora or Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain
I honestly thought Borisov was the best part about Anora. Playing arguably the best tough-guy-with-a-heart I’ve ever seen on screen, I really hope the unknown dude takes it home, but alas, I wouldn’t be surprised if Culkin wins since he already did at the Golden Globes.
But after watching the adorable clip below, like, come on. How could you not want Borisov to win?
Best Supporting Actress
Zoe Saldana in Emilia Perez or Isabella Rossellini in Conclave
Saldana did great, but considering Rossellini’s decades-long career, on top of her professional relationship with David Lynch who just passed away, something tells me the sentimentality of Hollywood might give her the nod.
Best Original Screenplay
Anora or The Substance
This is a toss-up, but my gut says Anora. After all, Sean Baker is a man whose storytelling prowess comes from the power of the pen, and he impressively dismisses fancy technology, VFX, AI, you name it, and has proven time and time again that the most important thing to make a good movie is a good script.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Nickel Boys or Emilia Perez
Based on the best-selling book by Colson Whitehead, rarely does a cinematic adaptation get as much praise as the original, but The Nickel Boys‘ screenwriters Joslyn Barnes and RaMell Ross succeeded where many others failed. Then again, Emilia Perez‘s Jacques Audiard has been nominated for a lot of categories (13 in total), so it wouldn’t be surprising if they give him this one just so he walks away with something.
Best International Feature
This one ain’t even a question (at least it shouldn’t be). Though technically an Iranian film, writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof narrowly escaped the draconian clutches of his regime and fled to Germany, and the film is thereby the official selection of Germany. Getting this picture made has been the stuff of legend, and thankfully, Rasoulof is getting the recognition and salute he deserves after risking his life in the name of art. He is so punk rock.
You can watch the Oscars in the UAE by streaming it on MBC 2, MBC Max, and Shahid Plus.
