“Anora’s” Sean Baker urged the Hollywood community to invest in theatrical releases and support movie theaters, especially those that are independently run, during a passionate speech following his Best Director Oscar win at the 97th annual Academy Awards on Sunday.
Baker opened his acceptance speech by thanking Quentin Tarantino, who presented him with the Best Director statuette, for casting Mikey Madison in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” He credited her role in that film to her casting in “Anora,” which was made for $6 million.
Baker, who has exclusively made indie films throughout his career, called on the industry to put support behind the communal experience of going to the theaters.
“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 theater watching a film,” he said. “Watching a film in a theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, scream and fight 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,” Baker continued. “Movie theaters, especially independently-owned theaters, are struggling, and it’s up to us to support them. During the pandemic, we lost nearly 1,000 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,” Baker said. “Filmmakers, keep making films for the big screen. I know I will.”
He encouraged film distributors to prioritize theatrical windows over streams and also called on parental figures to keep the movie-going experience alive.
“Distributors, please focus first and foremost on the theatrical releases of your films,” he said, crediting Neon, which backed “Anora,” for doing so with his film.
“Parents, introduce your children to feature films in movie theaters, and you’ll be molding the next generation of movie lovers and filmmakers,” Baker continued. “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.”
The filmmaker ended his speech by thanking his mother for introducing him to the cinema when he was 5 years old before dedicating the Oscar to her: “Today is also her birthday. Happy birthday, Mom. I love you. Thank you for everything. This is for you.”
Baker’s speech comes on the heels of his Indie Spirit Awards speech imploring the “unsustainable” indie film system to go through radical change in order to stay alive.
“Anora” had a big night at the Oscars, taking home five statuettes, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Madison, Best Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay. Baker became the first person to win four Oscars since Walt Disney. He and his wife, producing partner Samantha Quan, also made history as the fourth married couple to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
