LOS ANGELES — The film Sinners entered the Academy Awards with historic momentum and left the night with several major wins after earning a record-setting 16 nominations — the most for a single film in the 98-year history of the Oscars.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film had built steady recognition throughout awards season before arriving at Hollywood’s biggest night. Earlier this year, Sinners won the Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, an award recognizing films that make a significant cultural impact while connecting with audiences in theaters.
During the Golden Globes acceptance speech, Coogler credited audiences for helping propel the film’s success.
“I just want to thank the audience for showing up,” Coogler said.
The film’s momentum carried into the Academy Awards, where Sinners secured multiple wins across categories, including a performance win for Michael B. Jordan. The film also made history behind the camera, with its cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming the first woman of color to win in the category — a milestone moment that highlighted the film’s broader recognition across the industry.
In remarks following the win, the Arkapaw said she hoped the moment would inspire the next generation.
“A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight because they’ll want to become cinematographers,” she said. “And I know that.”
The film’s journey through the awards season was fueled in part by its ensemble cast, which includes Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo, Hailee Steinfeld and Omar Miller.
Miller spoke to The Inclusive Voices Project when the film was first released and said the filmmakers were deliberate about how the movie was presented to audiences.
“You saw the blueprint of the youth and the cultural diversity all over the film and all over the film’s marketing,” Miller said in an interview with The Inclusive Voices Project. “They understood that if people leave the theater with their chest up and their chin held high and proud about the movie, they will become ambassadors and create a groundswell of support.”
The story behind Sinners also draws from Coogler’s personal history. The director has said the film was partly inspired by stories he heard growing up about his uncle’s experiences in the American South — memories that helped shape the emotional core of the film.
Producer Sev Ohanian brings a similar perspective to the project. Ohanian was born to an Armenian family that fled Iran before immigrating to the United States, and many of the films he has produced explore themes of family, identity and connection.
Before producing Sinners, Ohanian worked on several projects that examined relationships and cultural identity, including Fruitvale Station, Searching and Missing. In earlier conversations with The Inclusive Voices Project, Ohanian said those themes often stem from his own experience growing up in an immigrant household exploring topics layers of disconnection between immigrant parents and Americanized kids
“It almost feels like these movies are not in some way — not to rectify things — but in some way to understand, said Ohanian.
The film’s success was celebrated not only in Hollywood but also among film communities watching the ceremony. In Glendale, members of the Armenian Film Society gathered to watch the awards together, including professional film editor Yvette Amirian.
“Of course, selfishly, we were all rooting for Sev, our friend,” Amirian said. “And I’m just very excited for them to have gotten to experience this, and I’m sure it’ll be the first of many, many to come.”
Actor and dancer Paul Karmiryan, who was also watching with the group, said the film’s achievements throughout the awards season were significant.
“Look, it’s hard to have 16 nominations. It’s hard to live up to that,” Karmiryan said. “But four wins is no joke.”
Despite not taking home the Best Picture award, Sinners’ record nominations and multiple wins marked a significant moment for the film and its creative team. Industry observers say the film’s success reflects growing recognition for stories that draw from diverse experiences and perspectives.
For many involved with the film, the night was ultimately about celebrating storytelling and the audiences who supported it throughout the year.
