Study OAS · 16 March 2026

Oscars 2026: Academy Awards Ceremony Highlights

What's the News?

98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) ceremony was held in Los Angeles, celebrating excellence in global cinema .
Golden K-Pop Artists performance was interrupted/halted during the ceremony, sparking social media reactions and debates about cultural representation .
Multiple categories recognized international films and diverse storytelling from various countries .
The ceremony highlighted growing global influence of non-Hollywood cinema, including contributions from Asian film industries .

Best Picture: One Battle After Another, produced by Adam Somner, Sara Murphy, and Paul Thomas Anderson.
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), marking his first win in this category.
Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), achieving his first-ever Oscar victory.
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), capping off a successful awards season run.
Best International Feature Film: Sentimental Value (Norway), directed by Joachim Trier.
Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters, which also secured Best Original Song for the track "Golden". This is the first time a K-pop song has won an Academy Award.
Technical Dominance: Frankenstein won several categories, including Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design.

Official Entry: India’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film, Homebound (directed by Neeraj Ghaywan), reached the 15-film shortlist but did not secure a final nomination.
Historic Tie: Indian-origin filmmaker Alexandre Singh won Best Live-Action Short Film for Two People Exchanging Saliva. The win was a rare tie with the film The Singers, marking only the seventh tie in Oscar history.
Documentary Recognition: Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir received two nominations in a single year for The Perfect Neighbor (Best Documentary Feature) and The Devil Is Busy (Best Documentary Short).