Among the highlights of the Academy Award ceremony this year, is the winning speech by Anora (2024) director Sean Baker, who while accepting the Best Director award from Quentin Tarantino, called for saving movie theaters in the USA. Sean Baker termed his Oscar 2025 speech 'a battle cry' to save theater screens, and despite it being region specific, has resonated with movie buffs all around the world.  

A transcription of Sean Baker's Oscars 2025 Best Director Speech:

"Wow, okay. Quentin (Tarantino who presented Sean Baker the Oscars 2025 Best Director trophy), If you didn't cast Mikey Madison in 'Once Upon A Time (in Hollywood)', there'd be no 'Anora'. Thank you. Thank you so much. And for all your incredible work.

 

Um, guys, I'm gonna take this time up here really quick to read something I'm  very passionate about. Well first off, thank you to the Academy. This means so much. Thank you to my fellow nominees, your films are incredible and it's an honor to be in this category with you. I'm gonna put this (Oscar trophy) down. (Quentin laughs out loud)

 

So we're all here tonight and watching this broadcast because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theatre (applause from the audience). Watching a film in a theater in the with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, scream and fright together, perhaps sit in devastated silence together. And in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. It's a communal experience you simply don't get at home.

 

And right now the theater going experience is under threat. Movie theaters, especially independently owned theaters, are struggling and it's up to us to support them. During the pandemic, we lost nearly one thousand 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.

 

This is my battle cry. Filmmakers, keep making films for the big screen. I know I will. (applause from Quention Taratino on stage and the audience off stage). Distributors, please focus first and foremost on the theatrical releases of your films. Uh, Neon (distributor of 'Anora') did that for me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

 

Parents introduce your children to feature films in movie theaters and you'll be moulding the next generation of movie lovers and filmmakers. And for all of us, when we can, please watch movies in the theater and let's keep the great tradition of the movie going experience alive and well.

 

And one last thing, my mother introduced me to cinema at five years old. Today is also her birthday. Um, happy birthday mom. I love you. Thank you for everything."

 

"Filmmakers, keep making films for the big screen. Distributors, please focus first & foremost on the theatrical releases of the films"

- #Anora director Sean Baker, first person in #Oscars history to win 4 Academy Awards for the same film in one night.pic.twitter.com/cdgPzlsrtb

— MovieCrow (@MovieCrow) March 3, 2025

Anora is a romantic comedy movie which tells the tale of a stripper's whirlwind romance with a Russain heir. Sean Baker, an American filmmaker known for making movies on immigrants, and sex workers became the first person in history by winning four Oscars for the same film.