The 98th Academy Awards ceremony delivered one of those nights that generate a lot of buzz. Dolby Theatre in Los AngelesFar from being limited to a succession of envelopes and thank yous, the 2026 gala combined spectacle, political statement and an evident clash between auteur cinema and the biggest box office blockbusters.
In a year where the suspense had been very much alive until the very last moment, the Academy ended up confirming what many suspected: the dramedy “One battle after another” It emerged as the big winner, while “The sinners”Despite arriving as the absolute favorite, she had to settle for fewer awards than expected, although all of them were of enormous symbolic weight.
A historic gala with Conan O'Brien at the helm
The ceremony once again featured Conan O'Brien as master of ceremonies for the second year in a row, a decision the Academy has fully exploited. With a parodic opening, reinterpreting Amy Madigan's character in “Weapons”The comedian set the tone for a night in which the acid humor He lived with constant allusions to the international political situation.
O'Brien did not avoid the context of war tensions and global crisisHe warned from the outset that the evening could turn political. Between jokes about the increased security at the theater and references to American pop culture, he wove together comments that targeted world leaders and the television industry itself, leaving the audience to read between the lines.
The auditorium was filled with some of the most recognized personalities from Hollywood and international cinema: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Adrien Brody, Paul Mescal And a long list of stars took to the stage to present awards. Among them, the Spaniard stood out. Javier Bardem, who once again took advantage of his presence to deliver a political message that resonated in Europe and especially in Spain.
“One battle after another”, the big winner of the night
The movie of Paul Thomas Anderson, “One battle after another” (“One Battle After Another” (in its original title), arrived at the gala with 13 nominations and she emerged as the great victor with six statuettesHe won the Oscars for best film, Best Director, best adapted screenplay, best montage, best cast (the new casting category) and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn.
This recognition effectively cements Anderson's status as one of the great auteurs of contemporary cinema, after years of accumulating nominations without the majority support of the Academy. The director used his acceptance speech for Best Director to address his children and the younger generation, acknowledging the “world disaster” that they inherit and encouraging them to contribute “common sense and decency” in an increasingly polarized context.
The award to Sean Penn as best supporting actor, his third statuette after "Mystic River" y “My name is Harvey Milk”However, there was a striking detail: the actor did not attend to collect it, making him one of the most notable absences of the evening. In contrast, Teyana Taylor, also part of the cast, became one of the most charismatic presences of the gala, spreading her enthusiasm every time the cameras focused on her.
“The Sinners”: record nominations and four key awards
If everything pointed to a close duel beforehand, that duel materialized in “The sinners” (“Sinners”), the thriller Supernatural Southern Vampires directed by Ryan CooglerThe film reached the 98th Academy Awards with 16 nominationsbreaking the record they had previously shared “All About Eve”, “Titanic” y "La La Land", all with 14 candidates.
Despite that avalanche of nominations, the film ended the night with four statuettesbut all in categories of enormous prestige: best leading actor all with Michael B. Jordan, best original script, best photography y best original soundtrackThere was no win for best picture or best director, but the film as a whole reinforces its status as one of the year's great titles.
The Oscar to Michael B. Jordan It was one of the most talked-about moments of the gala, especially because it left no award for Timothée Chalamet, favorite for much of the campaign by “Marty Supreme”Jordan's victory, combined with the work of the director of photography. Autumn Durald Arkapaw —first woman to win the Oscar for cinematography for her work in “The sinners”— the soundtrack already signed by Ludwig Göransson, cements the impact of a title that has resonated with both critics and the public.
“Frankenstein” dominates in the visual and design aspects
Among the productions that started with many options was also "Frankenstein", the reinvention of the classic by Guillermo del ToroWith nine nominations, the film didn't compete for the top prize, but it certainly gained significant recognition. technical categories key code.
The film won three Oscars: best production design, best wardrobe y best makeup and hairstylingThese awards recognize the Mexican filmmaker's ability to build visual worlds Rich and detailed, supported by sets, textures and characterizations that make the difference compared to other horror and fantasy proposals.
The work of Kate Hawley in the locker room and the team's locker room makeup and hairdresserLed by professionals such as Mike Hill, Cliona Furey, and Jordan Samuel, the team received unanimous acclaim. Their work solidified "Frankenstein" as the great aesthetic benchmark of the edition, even above productions as visually powerful as “Avatar: Fire and Ashes”, which prevailed in best visual effects but not in the design sections.
Animation, documentaries and short films: triumphs that expand the map of cinema
In the field of animation, the statuette to best animated feature film was to “The K-pop warriors” (“K-Pop Demon Hunters”), which prevailed over titles such as "Bow", “Zootopia 2”, “Little Amélie” y “Elio”Beyond the main award, the film rounded off its triumph with the Oscar for best original song by “Golden”, made of EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick.
The documentary section also had a strong political undertone. The Oscar for best documentary feature was to “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin” ("Mr. Nobody Against Putin"), ahead of works such as “The Alabama Solution”, "Come See Me in the Good Light", “Cutting Through Rocks” o “The Perfect Neighbor”The choice reinforces the Academy's tendency to award works that address geopolitical conflicts and power tensions from a critical perspective.
As for short films, the Academy distributed the spotlight among several productions. The Oscar for best documentary short film was to “All rooms empty” (“All the Empty Rooms”), while "The Girl Who Cried Pearls" was imposed as best animated shortIn fiction, an unusual situation occurred: they shared the spotlight “The Singers” y “Two people exchanging saliva” (“Two People Exchanging Saliva”), titles that have stood out on the festival circuit for their mix of formal risk and accessibility.
The internationalization of the Oscars: Europe and Latin America at the center
The category of best international film It was one of the most followed from Europe, something that was also evident in the gala and the main milestones of the Platino AwardsThe prize ultimately went to "Sentimental value" (“Sentimental Value”), a Norwegian production directed by Joachim Trier, which was competing with the Brazilian “The Secret Agent”, the French co-production “A simple accident”, the Tunisian “The Voice of Hind” y "Sirat".
The triumph of Norway It confirmed the strength of European auteur cinema in the awards race, with Renate Reinve and other cast members who appeared on several prediction lists. However, from a Spanish perspective, the focus was on "Sirat", our film's bet for the international category and also a candidate in better soundwhere it was overtaken by “F1: The Movie”.
The defeat of "Sirat" It left a bittersweet taste in the Spanish film industry, which saw these nominations as a clear opportunity for global visibility. Despite going home empty-handed, the film's presence... Oliver Lax in two high-profile categories reinforces the idea that Spanish-language cinema maintains a sustained presence in major international showcases.
The new Best Casting category and its impact
One of the major new features of this 98th edition has been the introduction of the category of best casting, the first addition of a new discipline in over two decades. The Oscar went to Cassandra Kulukundis for his work in “One battle after another”, defeating the teams of “Hamnet”, “Marty Supreme”, “The sinners” y “The Secret Agent”.
This award represents explicit recognition of work that, until now, has remained in the background despite being fundamental to the final result of any film. The way in which Kulukundis The combination of established actors with emerging faces has been key to the success of Anderson's film, and the Academy wanted to highlight this at a time when the diversity of casts and on-screen representation are at the heart of the debate.
Musical performances, "In Memoriam" and stage presence
Beyond the awards, the gala delivered several moments of pure spectacle. One of the most talked-about was the performance of Barbra Streisand in homage to Robert Redfordwhich thrilled a large part of the audience. The number of “The K-pop warriors”, which transformed the Dolby Theatre into a concert with meticulously choreographed routines and a light show that even made directors like Steven Spielberg.
The classic segment of “In Memoriam” It once again took on special significance. The speeches that accompanied the images, commemorating figures like Rob Reiner, Catherine O'Hara or Diane Keaton They were especially emotional, underscoring the sense of generational change in the film industry.
Political speeches and a focus on current international affairs
If anything marked this edition, it was the clear presence of political messagesFrom the outset, Conan O'Brien warned that the evening could become uncomfortable for some viewers. Throughout the ceremony, several award winners and presenters alluded to the freedom of expression, to media censorship and open conflicts in different parts of the world.
The moment that had the greatest impact in Europe was, without a doubt, the one starring Javier BardemBefore announcing the winner for best international film, the Spanish actor, accompanied by Priyanka Chopra Jonah, launched a resounding «No to war. Free Palestine"—also reviving the insignia and messages she had displayed years before in other war contexts. Her speech was followed closely in Spain, and it once again placed the film community at the center of the debate on the political role of stars."
Other moments with a political message came from comedians like J, which referred to countries whose leaders do not support press freedom, or to controversial decisions by networks such as CBS related to the broadcasting of political interviews. Without directly mentioning all those involved, the presenters shifted part of the criticism to how Hollywood manages its own media contradictions.
The other big names of the night
Although the duel between “One battle after another” y “The sinners” While it dominated the headlines, the gala also made room for other titles that shouldn't be overlooked. “Hamnet”Directed by Chloe Zhao, saw how Jessie Buckley He was taking the Oscar to Best Leading Actress for a role as celebrated as it was heartbreaking. The film was also very well-received in categories such as adapted screenplay, soundtrack, production design, and costume design, although it did not win any awards in those categories.
In the European arena, beyond the triumph of "Sentimental value" As best international film, the Norwegian production gained significant recognition in the categories of performance y scriptPerformers such as Renate Reinve, Elle Fanning o Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas They appeared repeatedly in the nominations, consolidating a particularly strong year for Nordic cinema.
Also etched in our memories were the accolades for productions with impressive technical capabilities, such as “F1: The Movie”, which prevailed in better sound, “Avatar: Fire and Ashes”, winner in best visual effectsBoth reaffirmed Hollywood's ability to continue setting the pace in terms of technology applied to cinema It refers to a level of sound and visual detail that sets the bar very high for future blockbusters.
A year without awards for “Sirât”, but with an impact in Spain
For the Spanish public, one of the main focuses of the gala was on "Sirat", the movie of Oliver Lax who arrived with nominations to best international film y better soundUltimately, the film failed to secure either of its nominations, losing out to [other films]. "Sentimental value" y “F1: The Movie” respectively.
Even so, the presence of "Sirat" In categories with such high visibility, it has been perceived in Spain as a validation of rise of Spanish independent cinema and European. In a year in which Cannes had already previewed several of the titles that would eventually be nominated for Oscars —of “The Secret Agent” a “The Voice of Hind”, to "Sentimental value"—, the Los Angeles event confirmed the harmony between the major European festivals and the American Academy.
The 98th Academy Awards thus paints a very clear picture: the massive recognition of “One battle after another” as the big winner; the confirmation of “The sinners” as a phenomenon that combines popularity and prestige; the consolidation of "Frankenstein" y “The K-pop warriors” in their respective territories; and an international presence in which Europe—with Norway and Spain As this year's leading figures—it keeps pace with Hollywood. All this at a gala where cinema not only celebrated its creative achievements, but also, with varying degrees of subtlety, placed itself at the center of current political and social conversations.
