Anora, a comedy-drama about an exotic dancer who marries a whimsical Russian, took home the coveted Best Picture Oscar on Sunday night. This marked the climax of an impressive awards season for a film that didn’t make waves at the box office.

Along with the top honour, Sean Baker claimed Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing, tying Walt Disney’s record with four competitive Oscars in a single year. 

Mikey Madison also earned the Best Actress award for her standout performance. The only category where Anora didn’t secure a win was Best Supporting Actor, where Yura Borisov lost to Kieran Culkin, who starred in A Real Pain.

Despite Anora’s modest commercial success, its journey through award season began with a high-profile win of the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival last May. However, unlike recent Best Picture winners like Oppenheimer and Everything Everywhere All at Once, it didn’t dominate the awards landscape. 

Though it picked up significant recognition from the Producers Guild, Directors Guild, and Writers Guild, Anora was notably absent from the top awards at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and BAFTAs.