“Emilia Pérez” has made Oscar history by earning 13 nominations, setting a new record for non-English language films at the 2025 Academy Awards. The nominations this year mark several groundbreaking moments in the Academy’s history. Karla Sofía Gascón has become the first openly transgender performer to receive an acting nomination. “I’m Still Here” has also broken new ground as the first Portuguese-language film to compete for Best Picture.
The Academy Awards’ 97th ceremony promises to be extraordinary. Every film with a Best Actress nomination has earned a Best Picture nod, something unseen since 1978. The Best Director category stands out with an entirely fresh lineup of first-time nominees, last occurring in 1998. Movie fans worldwide can watch these historic moments unfold on March 2, 2025, at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. The ceremony will stream live on Hulu, reaching its largest audience yet.
Academy Announces Most Diverse Oscar Nominations Ever
Netflix’s Spanish-language musical “Emilia Pérez” stands out as a top contender in the 2025 Academy Awards race, setting several historic milestones. The film has revolutionized non-English cinema at the Academy Awards with an impressive 13 nominations.
Emilia Pérez Shatters Non-English Film Record
Jacques Audiard’s musical masterpiece has written its name in Oscar history. The film broke previous records set by “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Roma”, becoming the most-nominated non-English language film ever. Academy voters recognized the film’s excellence across major categories that include best picture, international feature film, original score, and director.
The musical crime drama’s exceptional songwriting shines through with “El Mal” and “Mi Camino” earning Best Original Song nominations. Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius, and Nicolas Livecchi’s collaborative screenplay also earned critical acclaim.
Transgender Actress Makes Oscar History
Karla Sofía Gascón’s powerful portrayal of the main character has earned her a place in Oscar history as the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Academy Award. Before this breakthrough, the Academy recognized only three openly trans nominees: English composer Angela Morley, musician Anohni, and documentarian Yance Ford.
Gascón brings depth and authenticity to her role as a Mexican cartel boss seeking redemption after transitioning. She fought for the chance to appear in scenes both before and after her character’s transition, adding layers of authenticity to the performance. “Without having been through misfortunes and the hardships of life, we cannot bring that on to a role,” Gascón shared about her performance.
The film’s achievements reach beyond Gascón’s groundbreaking nomination. Zoe Saldaña, who proudly represents her Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage, earned her first Oscar nomination in a supporting role. Their performances, along with Selena Gomez’s contributions, helped “Emilia Pérez” secure nominations across technical categories.
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony shows how far Hollywood has come, especially when you look back at the #OscarsSoWhite movement that highlighted diversity issues at the 2015 Academy Awards. This year’s nominations showcase people of color in both best actress and best actor categories, demonstrating the industry’s steps toward more inclusive recognition.
Global Cinema Dominates 2025 Oscar Race
The 2025 Academy Awards stand as a turning point for international cinema. Non-English language films have earned unprecedented recognition across major categories. This change shows how global storytelling now appeals to Academy voters in new ways.
Two International Films Compete for Best Picture
“Emilia Pérez” and “I’m Still Here” represent groundbreaking milestones for international cinema among the ten Best Picture nominees. “I’m Still Here,” the Brazilian drama, has sparked immense national pride as the first Portuguese-language film to earn this prestigious nomination. The film’s reach extends well beyond Brazil, achieving record-breaking U.S. distribution for any Brazilian production.
Five Continents Represented in Major Categories
Nominees now come from multiple continents, with Latin American talent making remarkable strides. Latino performers have secured four acting nominations – surpassing last year’s representation. Fernanda Torres’s nomination for “I’m Still Here” carries extra weight. She follows her mother’s footsteps, Fernanda Montenegro, who became Brazil’s first acting nominee 25 years ago.
Language Barriers Continue to Fall
Academy voters’ viewpoint on language barriers shows a fundamental change from previous years. “Parasite’s” historic Best Picture win in 2020 paved the way for greater recognition of non-English productions. The 2025 nominations build on this progress, as multiple international films earn recognition beyond the International Feature Film category.
Brazilian cinema’s breakthrough exemplifies this rise. Brazil’s rich cultural heritage faced global reach limitations due to language barriers. Brazilian music legend Caetano Veloso once noted, “Brazil is continental in size, but we speak Portuguese, the language of a small country, a language barely recognized in the world”. All the same, “I’m Still Here” has challenged these linguistic boundaries and sparked unprecedented social media engagement. Oscar-related posts about the film have generated nearly 850,000 comments – 100 times more than any other Academy post not related to Brazil.
Industry Veterans React to Historic Nominations
LA wildfires devastate the region as veteran actors and filmmakers react to the 2025 Oscar nominations. The announcement, delayed twice due to the ongoing crisis, comes at a vital time for the entertainment industry.
Past Oscar Winners Celebrate Progress
Demi Moore earned her first Oscar nomination for “The Substance.” She shared mixed emotions of joy and solidarity with the affected community. “This is a time of incredible contrasts, and right now, my heart is with my friends, family, neighbors, and community here in LA,” Moore stated. The fires brought the community together and showed their remarkable strength.
Colman Domingo earned his second straight nomination for “Sing Sing.” He highlighted the value of creating art that clarifies dark places. “To be back again at the Oscar nominations table is truly meaningful to me, especially for the work that ‘Sing Sing’ represents,” Domingo remarked.
Academy Leadership Addresses Changes
The Academy made major changes to this year’s ceremony format. They canceled the traditional Oscar Nominees Luncheon and replaced it with an Annual Academy Dinner. The Academy also dropped live performances of best original song nominees. They will focus on songwriters and their creative processes instead.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer confirmed the ceremony will honor those affected by the wildfires. “We feel that we must move forward to support our film community and use our global platform to draw attention to these critical moments in our history,” Kramer explained.
First-time Oscar host Conan O’Brien shares a personal connection to the crisis. His Pacific Palisades home remains out of reach, while his assistant lost her home completely. “I know so many people who lost their homes and I’m just, was ridiculously lucky,” O’Brien reflected. His words highlight the ceremony’s deeper meaning this year.
The 97th Academy Awards will air on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre. ABC will broadcast it live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The event stands as proof of Hollywood’s resilient spirit while celebrating cinematic achievement.
How 2025 Nominations Transform Hollywood
Streaming platforms and international productions have changed the 2025 Academy Awards landscape. Netflix guides the streaming rise with 18 nominations across six titles, while Universal Pictures leads with 25 nominations.
New Opportunities Emerge for International Talent
Domestic and international filmmaking boundaries keep fading away, shown by record-breaking nominations. Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres shows this change and follows her mother’s path to become the second Brazilian actress nominated for an Oscar. Her powerful performance in “I’m Still Here” shows the Academy’s growing appreciation of global talent.
French director Coralie Fargeat has made history with “The Substance.” She’s the tenth woman nominated for Best Director in the Academy’s 97-year history. This recognition shows broader acceptance of women directors in a variety of genres.
Streaming Platforms Drive Diversity
Digital platforms have altered how the industry creates and distributes content. Netflix’s strong presence among nominees shows how streaming services make filmmaking more accessible and create new opportunities for diverse storytelling.
The 2025 nominations stand out with almost no big-budget sequels. This change shows the Academy’s new point of view on cinematic excellence that values innovative stories over box office success. “Parasite’s” groundbreaking Best Picture win in 2020 started this trend that has grown by a lot.
“Squid Game” and similar cultural hits play a vital role in changing audience priorities. They prove language barriers don’t limit global appeal anymore. The Academy’s 2019 decision to rename “Best Foreign Language Film” to “Best International Feature Film” reflects this new point of view on artistic merit.
Best International Feature nominations include powerful stories like “Emilia Pérez,” “Flow,” “The Girl With the Needle,” “I’m Still Here,” and “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”. These films represent a mixture of global storytelling views.
