The 98th Academy Awards have announced their winners. One Battle After Another closed the night with six awards, while Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for Hamnet and Michael B. Jordan received Best Actor for Sinners. Sentimental Value made history by winning the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. During the ceremony, Javier Bardem and Saja Kilani also drew attention on the red carpet with their political statements.
The Academy Awards, widely regarded as the most prestigious honors in the film industry, were presented for the 98th time this year. Held on the night of 15–16 March, the ceremony brought together some of Hollywood’s brightest names while honoring the films that defined the past year in cinema.
Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the event began at 02:00 a.m. (Turkey time) following the traditional red carpet ceremony. In Türkiye, the ceremony was broadcast live on Disney+, while a Turkish-language replay is scheduled to air on NOW TV on Tuesday, 17 March.
The night’s biggest winner was One Battle After Another, which stood out with six awards. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film collected multiple prizes including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
In the acting categories, Jessie Buckley received the Best Actress award for her performance in Hamnet, while Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for his role in Sinners.
Political Echoes During Cinema’s Biggest Night
Although the ceremony largely unfolded in a celebratory atmosphere, several speeches throughout the night drew attention for their political undertones. One of the most striking moments came when Javier Bardem took the stage to present the Best International Feature Film award. Before presenting the prize, Bardem addressed the audience with the words: “No to war. Free Palestine.”
Bardem also drew attention for wearing a pin on his lapel reading “No a la Guerra” (No to War) in Spanish, along with another pin representing Palestine. Speaking on the red carpet before the ceremony, the actor explained the meaning behind the pins:
“I’m wearing a pin that I used in 2003 with the Iraq war, which was an illegal war. And we are here, 23 years after, with another illegal war, created by Trump and Netanyahu with another lie.”
One of the most powerful speeches of the night came from David Borenstein, the writer, co-director, and producer of Mr. Nobody Against Putin, which won the Best Documentary Feature award. In his speech, Borenstein recalled that the film is composed of footage exposing propaganda mechanisms in Russia and said:
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin is about how you lose your country.
And what we saw when working with this footage is that you lose it through countless small complicities.
When a government kills people on the streets of our big cities and we stay silent; when oligarchs take control of the media and control what we consume and how we consume it, and we don’t speak up — we are all making a moral choice.
But luckily, even a nobody is more powerful than you think.”
A Call for International Cinema
Sentimental Value, which won the Best International Feature Film award during the ceremony, marked a historic achievement for Norwegian cinema. Accepting the award, director Joachim Trier said he was speaking on behalf of the international film community and emphasized cinema’s power to make the crises of our time visible.
Concluding his speech with a reference to the American writer James Baldwin, Trier addressed the audience by saying:
“I want to end by paraphrasing the wonderful American writer James Baldwin, who makes us remember that all adults are responsible for all children. Let’s not vote for politicians who don’t take this seriously into account.”
Jessie Buckley’s Emotional Thank You
Jessie Buckley, who had previously won a BAFTA for her performance in Hamnet and was considered a strong contender for the Oscar, took home the Best Actress award. During her acceptance speech, Buckley struggled to hold back tears. She dedicated the award to Mother’s Day, which was being celebrated in the United Kingdom on the same day, saying:
“It’s Mother’s Day in the UK today, so I would like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.”
A Call for Ceasefire on the Red Carpet
Saja Kilani, one of the actors of The Voice of Hind Rajab, arrived on the red carpet wearing a pin symbolizing a call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Speaking to the press, Kilani said:
“We’re demanding a permanent ceasefire because there is no ceasefire right now. There are bombings happening to this day, destruction and displacement all over the world — in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and Venezuela, and everywhere. This is a demand for a permanent ceasefire.”
Another actor from the film, Motaz Malhees, announced via social media that he would not be able to attend the ceremony. The actor stated that he was not allowed to enter the United States due to his Palestinian citizenship, a restriction linked to U.S. travel policies affecting Palestinian passport holders.
In his message, Malhees wrote:
“Our film The Voice of Hind Rajab has been nominated for an Academy Award. It is a huge honor to be part of a story the world needs to hear.
But I won’t be there. As a Palestinian, I’m not allowed to enter the United States.
It hurts deeply.
But the truth is: you can block a passport, you can’t block a voice.
I am Palestinian, and I am proud of it.
My spirit will be there with the film that night.”
Full List of Winners
Best Picture: One Battle After Another
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Best Original Song: “Golden,” KPop Demon Hunters
Best Original Score: Sinners
Best Sound: F1
Best Live Action Short Film: The Singers / Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Cinematography: Sinners
Best Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Best Documentary Short Film: All the Empty Rooms
Best Film Editing: One Battle After Another
Best Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Supporting Actor: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan, Weapons
Best International Feature Film: Norway, Sentimental Value
Best Costume Design: Frankenstein
Best Production Design: Frankenstein
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Frankenstein
Best Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay: Sinners
Best Animated Feature Film: KPop Demon Hunters
Best Animated Short Film: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Best Casting: One Battle After Another
