The 2025 Academy Awards had all the makings of an unforgettable night – glamour, groundbreaking wins, emotional speeches and a rare moment of political reckoning.
While the ceremony largely played it safe, the stage became a powerful platform for voices demanding justice, with the Israeli-Palestinian documentary No Other Land delivering one of the night’s most stirring and controversial moments.
In one of the evening’s few overtly political moments, the makers of No Other Land took the stage to accept the Best Documentary Feature award – and used their time to call for a political solution to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Palestinian journalist Basel Adra, one of the four directors behind the film, made an impassioned plea:
“We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people.”
His co-director, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, acknowledged the uncomfortable reality that he and Adra live “unequal lives” under the same regime – one free, the other oppressed.
“There is a different path, a political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people,” Abraham declared, as the room fell into a hushed silence.
It was a rare, raw moment, especially on a night where many expected the Academy to steer clear of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The night, however, belonged to Mikey Madison – the 25-year-old breakout star who took home Best Actress for her role in Anora, becoming the youngest winner in the category in nearly a decade.
The film, which follows a New York stripper who falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch, swept the night with five Oscars, including Best Director for Sean Baker – who made history by personally winning four awards (directing, writing, editing, and producing) for a single film.
In her heartfelt speech, Madison paid tribute to the sex worker community her character represents:
“I want to honour and recognise the sex worker community. The women I’ve had the privilege of meeting have been one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience.”
A nod to representation that felt long overdue – and one that echoed the film’s celebration of those living on society’s margins.
In a year where conversations around diversity and representation continue to dominate Hollywood, Zoe Saldaña became the first American actress of Dominican origin to win an Oscar – taking home Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Pérez.
Her emotional speech saw her fighting back tears as she dedicated the win to her immigrant parents:
“I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands.”
Saldaña’s win capped off a near-perfect awards season, having already bagged trophies at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and SAG Awards.
The In Memoriam segment was particularly poignant this year, with Gene Hackman – the legendary two-time Oscar winner who passed away just last week – at the centre of the tribute.
Morgan Freeman delivered a moving eulogy for his late friend, remembering him as “a generous performer whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.”
Hackman’s final words on legacy?
“I don’t think about legacy, but I hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work.”
If last year’s ceremony was all about celebrating the weird and the wonderful (Everything Everywhere All At Once, anyone?), this year felt more like a collision of the personal and the political.
From No Other Land’s defiant call for justice to Mikey Madison and Zoe Saldaña’s victories breaking long-standing glass ceilings – the Oscars reminded us that stories have the power to not just entertain, but ignite conversations.
Yet, the glaring fact that No Other Land still remains without a U.S. distributor serves as a sobering reminder of how politics continues to shape what stories get told – and who gets to tell them.
Here’s a rundown on winners:
Best Picture: Anora
Best Actress: Mikey Madison (Anora)
Best Director: Sean Baker (Anora)
Best Actor: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)
Best Documentary: No Other Land
Best International Film: I’m Still Here
Best Animated Feature: Flow
For all the glitz and glory, this year’s Oscars felt like a quiet act of resistance — a night where those on the margins claimed their space, and where the most powerful moments came not from rehearsed speeches, but from artists who dared to demand a better world.
Whether Hollywood will actually listen?
That’s a story for next year’s Oscars.