On March 15th, 2026, the 98th annual Oscars awards ceremony took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The Academy Awards, casually known as the Oscars, is an annual awards ceremony dedicated to celebrating the most brilliant minds in film making – from actors, directors, sound editing crews, documentary directors and many more. In each category are usually 5 nominees, chosen by members in a group of film industry experts called the Academy, with the winner receiving one of the most prestigious awards in the film world: the golden Academy Award of Merit, or an Oscar.
This year’s Oscars was an exceptionally exciting night, with numerous record breaking nominations, historic wins and completely new categories introduced. To name a few:
- Sinners set an all time record for film with the most nominations, with 16!
- Category of Best Casting Director added for the first year ever
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and black person to win Best Cinematography
- A tie for the 7th time in Oscar history for Best Live-Action Short Film
Highlights on the Winners
Sinners
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Featuring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, Delroy Lindo
As mentioned previously, Sinners set the record for film with the most nominations, and was a widely predicated candidate for such acclamation. From casual movie enjoyers to hardcore film critics, Sinners was undeniably fantastic. Without getting into spoilers, the film follows a group of complex characters from troubled pasts, and whether or not they will continue into equally troubled futures. Multiple honors were bestowed upon Sinners at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards before the Oscars, being praised for mesmerizing cinematography, sound, character and plot depth, cultural resonance through exploring the Black experience in the Jim Crow south, above and beyond acting and so. much. more. So, without furthur ado, here are the Oscars Sinners won this year:
- Best Original Score (Ludwig Goransson)
- Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan)
- Best Original Screenplay (Ryan Coogler)
- Best Cinematography (Autumn Durald Arkapaw)
One Battle After Another
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Featuring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Benicio del Toro, Wood Harris, Chase Infiniti
One Battle After Another was another power house at this year’s Oscars, being nominated for 9 Oscars, and taking home the most awards, including some of the top honors. The film is a character – driven drama, following a group of individuals who all face their own battles, one after another (like the title suggests!). One Battle After Another has been critically acclaimed for it’s deeply sensitive and human storytelling, nuanced plot, and phenomenal acting. Before the Oscars, it brought home several awards at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. One thing that sets One Battle After Another apart from other masterful dramas is it’s fast pacing, and intense action scenes, as compared to the typically slow, soft tone of other films in the genre. The awards it took home at the Oscars this year are as follows:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Best Casting (Cassandra Kulukundis)
- Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn)
- Best Adapted Screenplay (Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Best Film Editing (Andy Jurgensen)
Frankenstein
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Featuring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, Charles Dance, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Ralph Ineson, Burn Gorman, Christian Convery
GDT’s Frankenstein is a sensitive creature feature, with truly visually striking cinematography and a unique take on Mary Shelly’s original novel. The film’s gothic artistry is incredibly effective at conveying the emotions of each character’s inner (and outer…) turmoil, and helps cultivate the depressing empathy we feel for the creature. Frankenstein is praised for both it’s emotional depth and genuinely beautiful film-scape – it’s no wonder it took home the bulk of the “visual” Oscar awards.
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey)
- Best Costume Design (Kate Hawley)
- Best Production Design (Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau)
These are some, but definitely not all, of the brilliant minds in filmmaking celebrated at this year’s Oscars. I hope you all can watch and find some enjoyment from these masterfully crafted films, and garner some more appreciation for the artists who have worked tirelessly to create them 🙂
Read more: Oscars 2026: Winners list in full
Featured Image: Photo by Alex Litvin on Unsplash