Paul Thomas Anderson’s darkly comic action thriller One Battle After Another has claimed the Academy Award for Best Picture, capping a dominant night that saw the film secure six Oscars in total.

The film, which had long been considered a frontrunner, overcame strong competition from titles including Sinners, Hamnet, Frankenstein and The Secret Agent. It entered the ceremony with 13 nominations — the second‑highest tally of the year — while Sinners led the field with a record 16 nods.

Set against the backdrop of an authoritarian United States, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a revolutionary figure whose troubled past resurfaces when his daughter disappears. The ensemble cast also includes Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti.

Celebrations erupted on stage as cast members embraced and danced following the announcement. In his acceptance remarks, Anderson reflected on the unpredictable nature of awards recognition, referencing the celebrated slate of nominees from 1975 and suggesting that “there is no best — just a mood that day”. He expressed gratitude for being part of what he described as an exceptional year for cinema.

The director also joked about previously forgetting to thank his cast when collecting the Best Director prize earlier in the evening, adding: “What a night — let’s have a martini.”

The victory marks a significant milestone for Anderson, who had received 14 Oscar nominations prior to this year and was nominated for Best Picture for the fourth time.

Source: Dimsum Daily
--Agencies