Anora Secures Five Oscars at the 2025 Ceremony
In a night marked by a notable absence of direct references to political reality, particularly Trump's administration's "imperialistic" turn, the 97th Academy Awards saw a poignant moment when the Best Documentary Oscar was awarded to "No Other Land".
Directed, produced, written, and edited by an Israeli-Palestinian collective, this documentary focuses on the residents' resistance and an unexpected alliance between Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham. The film sheds light on the production and distribution of the US version of the film.
The film's cast, which includes Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham, used their acceptance speech as a platform to call for an end to "ethnic cleansing" of the Palestinian people.
However, the road to recognition in the U.S. was not easy for "No Other Land", as it struggled to find a distributor.
Meanwhile, other accolades of the night went to Sean Baker's film, which received a total of 5 statuettes, and "The Only Girl in the Orchestra" which won the Best Documentary Short award. Daryl Hannah, while presenting the Best Editing award, made a direct reference to political reality by speaking "Slava Ukraini!" (Glory to Ukraine).
The Best Live Action Short award was given to "I'm Not a Robot", and the Best Film award was won by "Anora". Despite the politically charged undertones of some speeches and references, the Academy Awards ceremony overall seemed to steer clear of overt political commentary.
The word "war" echoed in the Academy Awards theatre during the Best Documentary Oscar announcement, serving as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflicts and struggles depicted in "No Other Land". The film's win undoubtedly highlights the power of cinema to spark dialogue and bring attention to pressing global issues.
