Sean Baker’s Oscar success was a big win for the little guy

thefader.com:

Prior to the 2025 Oscars there was very little linking Sean Baker, the indie filmmaker behind Anora, to Walt Disney. By the time the ceremony ended, however, they became aligned in history as the only people in history to have won four individual Academy Awards in one night.

It’s a mindblowing stat that shows both the unprecedented nature of Anora’s success and Baker’s control over his own movies: his wins included best original screenplay and editing, disciplines many directors don’t typically handle themselves, particularly the latter.

But then, Baker is not a typical Oscar winner; he is a darling of the indie underground whose films largely center those on the margins of America fighting to survive in a system built to challenge their existence.

With an increasingly changing Academy that’s clearly more keen to celebrate arthouse and independent movies, his win is a beacon of hope for anyone demoralized by blockbuster franchises and bland IP expansions.