Oscar Winners List 2025: How Indie films dominated the Academy Awards and trounced mainstream Hollywood

Anora won the Best Film at Oscars 2025.

Sean Baker’s speech at the 97th Oscars wasn’t just an acceptance—it was a statement. As he took the stage to claim the Best Picture award for ‘Anora,’ he championed the rise of indie films, a message that felt perfectly timed on a night when indie cinema reigned supreme. Low-budget films didn’t just win; they dominated, leaving big-budget studio productions in the dust. ‘Anora,’ ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘A Real Pain,’ ‘The Substance,’ ‘Emilia Pérez,’ ‘Flow,’ and ‘Conclave’ all took home major awards, while only ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Wicked’ managed to rescue Hollywood’s blockbuster pride. With ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Anora’ alone sweeping up a combined eight trophies, the night belonged to indie films—a defining moment in the history of Oscar awards.

The turning point

The rise of indie films at the Oscars can be traced back to 2017, when ‘Moonlight’ shocked the world by trouncing ‘La La Land’ for Best Picture. It was more than just a mix-up by Warren Beatty; it marked a turning point in the Academy’s voting trends, supporting independent films with powerful social themes over big-budget studio productions. This shift gained even more momentum in 2020 when ‘Parasite,’ distributed by Neon, made history as the first non-English-language film to win the Best Film award. Its victory sent a clear message—powerful storytelling could transcend language barriers and challenge Hollywood’s biggest studios. From there, the floodgates opened. ‘Nomadland,’ ‘CODA,’ and ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ solidified the indie wave and became a movement, proving that big-budget films weren’t just losing ground—they had every reason to be afraid.

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Bold and radical storytelling

Several factors have altered the Oscars landscape, with the biggest being the Academy’s growing embrace of socially relevant storytelling. Films like ‘Anora,’ ‘The Brutalist,’ and ‘The Substance’ tackled themes of immigration, social acceptance, and aspiration—resonating deeply with both audiences and voters. Their success was amplified at the Oscars by their prior strong performances at major festivals like Venice, Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, and Busan—film festivals that have always championed bold, thought-provoking cinema. Big-budget studio production, on the other hand, prioritized box office returns over artistic freedom, leading to a flood of sequels and franchise films and therefore played safe and avoided risks. The only exceptions came when master filmmakers like Christopher Nolan or Denis Villeneuve were at the helm, proving that in today’s industry, creativity, not just commercial appeal, is the key to Oscar glory.

The contribution of streaming platforms

Streaming platforms have played a significant role in the rise of indie films, giving them both visibility and financial backing. ‘Emilia Pérez’ had the support of Netflix, while ‘The Substance’ was championed by Mubi, proving that digital platforms are now key players in shaping award contenders. Beyond streaming, production houses like Neon and A24 have become synonymous with high-quality indie cinema, ensuring these films reach the audiences they were made for. Neon has built its reputation on Oscar-worthy films like ‘Parasite,’ ‘I, Tonya,’ ‘Triangle of Sadness,’ and ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig,’ while A24 has backed gems like ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ ‘Lady Bird,’ and ‘Moonlight.’ These companies have evolved into powerhouses, making indie films more mainstream than ever, no longer limited to niche audiences but accessible to viewers worldwide.

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No risk, no gain

The duel between indie films and big-budget productions at the Oscars reflects a significant shift in how cinematic excellence is defined. While Hollywood blockbusters continue to rule the box office, independent films have firmly established themselves at the Academy Awards, proving that compelling storytelling and artistic vision have the potential to outweigh spectacle. This trend only suggests that the Oscars will remain a platform for bold, unconventional narratives, with only the most creatively ambitious big-budget films breaking through. As the industry evolves, the tug-of-war between artistic risk-taking and commercial filmmaking will persist, but for now, indie cinema stands firmly in the spotlight.