At the 95th Academy Awards held on March 12, 2023, Everything Everywhere All at Once won Best Picture. Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the award honors a film distinguished by creative achievement and overall impact, evaluated across multiple criteria rather than by box office or single elements. Below is an overview of the nominees and winner, followed by background that remains useful for understanding this recurring Academy award category.
2023 Best Picture nominees
These films were nominated for Best Picture at the 95th Academy Awards:
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- The Batman
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Tár
- Top Gun: Maverick
- Triangle of Sadness
- Women Talking
- Oppenheimer
- The Fabelmans
What the Best Picture award measures
Academy members voting in the competitive categories use a preferential ballot for Best Picture, ranking nominees by preference. According to Academy preferential voting rules, voters indicate first, second, and subsequent choices; if no title achieves a majority of first-place votes, lower-ranked preferences are redistributed until a winner reaches the threshold. This method emphasizes broad consensus support across branches of the Academy and reduces the influence of bloc voting seen in some single-category races.
Evergreen context for the category
Best Picture is the only category at the Oscars that can be awarded to films in any eligible format, including shorts and documentaries, provided they meet general eligibility rules. Because the award reflects a season’s overall landscape and voting dynamics, patterns in winners often reveal long-term shifts in industry priorities, technology, and global tastes. Understanding past Best Picture outcomes helps contextualize campaign strategies, genre representation, and how the Academy defines artistic and popular impact over time.
Historical perspective: recent Best Picture winners
Below are recent Best Picture winners and key details relevant to understanding trends and Academy behavior:
| Year (ceremony) | Film | Genre / Format Notes | Competitive context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (92nd) | Parasite | Foreign‑language drama (non‑U.S.) | Historic international breakthrough; strong late‑season momentum |
| 2021 (93rd) | Nomadland | Drama; hybrid documentary performance | Oscar‑bait tone aligned with pandemic viewing and labor themes |
| 2022 (94th) | CODA | U.S. drama; focuses on Deaf culture and music | Streaming release and niche‑appeal success; strong awards campaign |
| 2023 (95th) | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Genre‑blending sci‑fi dramedy; multiverse action‑comedy | Wide‑appeal blockbuster aesthetics; robust campaign and critical reevaluation |
Note on eligibility and format
Any feature film released in the qualifying year and meeting general Academy rules (screenings, length, submission procedures) is eligible for Best Picture, regardless of budget, franchise status, or country of origin. This openness contributes to the category’s variability and long‑term relevance.
Why the 2023 winner may shape future perceptions
Everything Everywhere All at Once combined genre experimentation with accessible storytelling and a broad marketing footprint. Its win signaled appetite for formally daring, high‑concept projects that still achieved commercial visibility. Campaigns that balanced critical praise with clear audience benefits—streaming visibility, cast appeal, and timely themes—aligned with the outcome, and the result reinforced the Academy’s willingness to reward innovation when it also demonstrates broad resonance.
Key terms and related topics
- Academy Awards
- preferential voting
- Best Picture nominees
- Oscars campaign strategy
- genre blending
- streaming and awards
For ongoing reference, treat Best Picture as a snapshot of industry priorities at a given ceremony cycle; trends in wins and nominations often reflect evolving technology, distribution models, and cultural conversations more than isolated creative decisions.