The 2025 Oscars have come to a close, and one of the biggest winners of the night is Sean Baker, who took home the award for Best Director for his film Anora.

Baker’s acceptance speech was more than just a celebration of his own achievement – it was a call to action to protect the future of movie theaters.

“We’re all here tonight and watching this broadcast because we love movies,” Baker said.

He added, “Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater… Watching a film in the theatre with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, and, in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever.”

But Baker warned that this experience is under threat. “It’s a communal experience you don’t get at home. And right now, the theater-going experience is under threat,” he said, adding, “Movie theaters, especially independently-owned theaters, are struggling,” he said.

“During the pandemic, we lost 1,000 screens in the US, and we continue to lose them regularly. If we don’t reverse this trend, we’ll be losing a vital part of our culture,” he said.

Baker’s passionate plea was met with applause from the audience, and his message resonated with many in the film industry.

As a self-proclaimed “indie film lifer,” Baker knows firsthand the importance of independent movie theaters in supporting new and innovative filmmakers.

Anora was a critical and commercial success, and its Oscar win was the culmination of a long and successful awards campaign.

The film was nominated for six Oscars in total, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress for Mikey Madison.

Baker accepted his award, presented by Quentin Tarantino, and he thanked his team, including his wife Samantha Quan, who is also a producer on the film.

Sean Baker was also honoured for Best Film Editing.

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