California [US], February 8: At the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, held on Saturday, February 8, Anora triumphed as the Best Picture, edging out strong contenders such as A Complete Unknown, The Brutalist, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, Nickel Boys, Sing Sing, The Substance, and Wicked.
Writer-director Sean Baker, accepting the prestigious honor, expressed his surprise and gratitude. “When those who dedicate their lives to their love of film and film criticism and film journalism, when they see something positive in your work, just a little, it means everything in the world. So thank you guys so much,” he said.
He went on to reflect on the film’s modest budget, saying, “We made this little film — it was $6 million. That’s micro-budget these days. We shot on film. We shot in New York City. That all happened because of my incredible cast and crew who roughed it up. We put every dollar up on that screen.”
Anora, a gripping narrative about a Brooklyn sex worker, played by Mikey Madison, who gets entangled with the Russian mafia, captivated both critics and audiences alike.
The 30th annual Critics Choice Awards, initially scheduled for January 12 but rescheduled due to the LA wildfires, was hosted by Chelsea Handler. The ceremony celebrated the best in film and television, with Conclave and Wicked earning multiple nominations.
In television, Shogun led with six nominations, while other notable series such as Abbott Elementary, Hacks, and The Diplomat each earned four nods. The event was streamed live on Lionsgate Play in India.