Oscars 2025: check out what happened at the Awards Ceremony

The ceremony, held in LA, California, showcased spectacular works, and Brazil won its first-ever Academy Award. The 97th Academy Awards took place on Sunday (2nd) in Los Angeles, United States. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the winners of the ceremony, considered the most prestigious in global cinema.

The 2025 Oscars, which had already generated much discussion on social media even before the event, gathered thousands of viewers rooting for their favourite films. Throughout the evening, the awards were presented in a carefully structured narrative, with the most highly anticipated statuettes saved for the end.

The nominees were announced on 23rd January this year. Among them, the film Emilia Pérez received 13 nominations, making it the most nominated production. In second place were The Brutalist and Wicked, with 10 nominations each.

At the opening of the ceremony, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the lead actresses of Wicked, performed together. They delivered a rendition of the hit Defying Gravity, a song from the film’s official soundtrack.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo thrill audience with emotional performance at the 2025 Oscars. Photo: Reuters/Carlos Barria

“First Times”

The Wicked costume designer, Paul Tazewell, won the Oscar for Best Costume Design. The 60-year-old American became the first Black man to win in this category. In his acceptance speech, Tazewell celebrated his achievement: “This is such an important honour: I am the first Black man to receive the Oscar for Costume Design for my work on ‘Wicked’. I am incredibly proud! Thank you to everyone in the UK for the beautiful work— I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Paul Tazewell becomes the first black man to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design — Photo: Reuters

Brazil won its first-ever Academy Award at the 97th edition of the Oscars. The film I’m Still Here received the award for Best International Feature Film. In addition to this category, the Brazilian production, directed by Walter Salles, had received two other nominations at the 2025 Oscars: Best Picture— marking the first time a Brazilian film had been nominated in this category— and Best Actress, with Fernanda Torres.

In his speech, director Walter Salles paid tribute to Eunice Paiva: “Such a great honour. This is for a woman who suffered an immense loss. This award goes to her, Eunice Paiva, and to the extraordinary women who brought her story to life, Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro.”

I'm Still Here' wins Oscar for best international film — Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Tributes

Alongside the award presentations, the ceremony also featured tributes to James Bond, Quincy Jones, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and various in memoriam honourees.

On stage, Lisa performed Live and Let Die, the theme song from the eighth James Bond film, Live and Let Die (1973) by Wings. Doja Cat followed with Diamonds Are Forever, the title song from Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Raye performed Skyfall by Adele, the theme for Skyfall (2012). For the tribute to Quincy Jones, Queen Latifah took the stage. Latifah, a longtime friend of the producer, had collaborated on his 1995 album Q’s Jook Joint.

Check out the winners in each category

Best Picture - Anora

Best International Feature Film - I’m Still Here

Best Director: Sean Baker – Anora

Best Actress: Mikey Madison – Anora

Best Actor: Adrien Brody – The Brutalist

Best Supporting Actress: Zoë Saldaña – Emilia Pérez

Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin – The True Pain

Best Original Screenplay - Anora

Best Adapted Screenplay - Conclave

Best Editing - Anora

Best Documentary Feature - No Other Land

Best Documentary Short Subject - The Only Girl in the Orchestra

Best Animated Feature - Flow

Best Animated Short Film - In the Shadow of the Cypress

Best Live-Action Short Film - I’m Not a Robot

Best Cinematography - The Brutalist

Best Production Design - Wicked

Best Costume Design - Wicked

Best Makeup and Hairstyling - The Substance

Best Original Score - The Brutalist

Best Original Song: “El mal” – Emilia Pérez

Best Sound - Dune: Part Two

Best Visual Effects - Dune: Part Two