Anora dominates Producers Guild Awards, strengthens Oscar bid with top honor

Anora cements its status as an Oscar frontrunner after winning the Producers Guild’s top honor for best picture.

Anora continued its award season dominance by securing the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures at the 2025 Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards. The win, coming just a day after its surprise victory at the Critics Choice Awards, further cements the romantic comedy as a frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar.

Director and producer Sean Baker accepted the top honor alongside fellow producers Alex Coco and Samantha Quan. Baker’s success extended beyond the PGA Awards, as he also won the Directors Guild of America’s (DGA) Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Theatrical Feature Film award the same night, reinforcing Anora’s growing momentum.

The PGA Awards have historically been a reliable predictor of the Academy Awards. Gold Derby notes that 13 of the past 16 PGA winners have gone on to claim the Best Picture Oscar, highlighting the significance of Anora’s victory. The film edged out strong contenders including A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, A Real Pain, September 5, The Substance, and Wicked to take the top prize.

Other major winners at the ceremony included The Wild Robot, which won Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures, Shōgun for Outstanding Drama Series, and Hacks for Outstanding Comedy Series. Baby Reindeer took home the award for best limited series, while The Greatest Night in Pop was named Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures.

In addition to competitive categories, the ceremony recognized industry leaders with special honors. Illumination Entertainment CEO Chris Meledandri received the David O. Selznick Achievement Award, while Disney Co-Chair Dana Walden was presented with the Milestone Award. Taika Waititi was honored with the Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television, and late filmmakers Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein were posthumously awarded the Trailblazer Award.

With its latest triumph, Anora continues to build momentum heading into the Oscars, solidifying its status as a leading contender in this year’s awards season.