Oscar Award 2026, Winners List, Category, 98th Academy Awards

98th Academy Awards (Oscars) 2026 celebrated excellence in global cinema by honouring outstanding achievements in filmmaking across artistic and technical categories. Held on 15 March 2026 at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, the ceremony recognised films released in 2025 and witnessed several historic milestones, including record-breaking nominations, the introduction of a new competitive award category, and remarkable first-time achievements. One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner of the evening, reflecting the evolving trends and growing diversity of world cinema.

About the Academy Awards (Oscars)

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the world’s most prestigious film awards presented annually to recognise excellence in cinema.

• They are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), a professional honorary organisation based in the United States.
• The awards honour outstanding achievements in acting, directing, writing, music, cinematography, animation, documentaries and technical filmmaking.
• Winners receive the iconic Academy Award of Merit (Oscar Statuette), regarded as one of the highest honours in international cinema.
• The ceremony is generally held annually at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, California (USA).
• The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929, making it one of the oldest and most respected film award ceremonies in the world.
• The Oscars are regarded as one of the highest global recognitions in the film industry and reflect emerging trends in world cinema.

98th Academy Awards (Oscars) 2026

The 98th Academy Awards 2026 recognised films released during 2025 and celebrated excellence across 24 competitive categories.

• The 98th Academy Awards were held on 15 March 2026 at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles.
• Conan O’Brien hosted the ceremony.

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Oscar 2026 Major Award Winners 

Technical Award Highlights

Introduction of a New Award Category

One of the most significant developments at the 98th Academy Awards was the introduction of a new competitive category.

• The Academy introduced Best Casting as its 24th competitive award category.
• It became the first new competitive category introduced since Best Animated Feature in 2001.
• Cassandra Kulukundis won the inaugural Best Casting award for One Battle After Another.

The new category recognises the vital role of casting professionals in selecting actors best suited for a film.

Oscar 2026 Major Highlights and Records

The 98th Academy Awards witnessed several historic milestones and notable achievements.

• One Battle After Another won six Academy Awards, making it the most awarded film of the ceremony.
• Sinners received 16 nominations, the highest ever earned by a single film in Oscar history, surpassing the previous record of 14 nominations.
• Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman of colour to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
• The song “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters became the first K-pop song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
• The Best Live Action Short Film category resulted in a rare tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, only the seventh tie in the history of the Academy Awards.
• For the first time, Academy members were required to watch all nominated films in a category before casting their votes, strengthening the credibility and transparency of the voting process.

India at the Oscars 2026

Although India did not receive any nominations in the final competitive categories:

• Priyanka Chopra Jonas served as one of the official presenters and presented the Best International Feature Film award alongside Javier Bardem.
• Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir received two nominations:
  • Best Documentary Feature – The Perfect Neighbor
  • Best Documentary Short Film – The Devil Is Busy
• Neither documentary won an Oscar.
• Indian film Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, was shortlisted (top 15) for Best International Feature Film but did not advance to the final five nominations