The 98th Academy Awards, Sunday March 15th at the Dolby Theater, Marked 4 Wins for Sinners, 6 Wins for One Battle After Another and A Historic Win for Mexican-American Cinematographer, Autumn Durald Arkapaw
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony and telecast were held last night in Los Angeles. Thank you to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for inviting blackfilm.com every year.
This year, I watched the show from the Oscars press room. I had access to report from the red carpet before the show and was then assigned a seat in the press room where talent was escorted through after leaving the stage accepting the Oscar for their win in their perspective category.
They filed into the room, clutching their Oscar statues, overwhelmed with joy, walking on a cloud, and still coming to terms with what had just happened. With 400+ press people hurling away questions – one at a time, everyone handled the moment with eloquence and grace.
Sinners took home 4 Oscars and One Battle After Another took home 6. Actresses Wumbi Mosaka (Sinners) and Teyana Taylor (Obe Battle After Another) were both nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category but neither actress won. In the Best Actor category, many were betting on either Timothée Chalamet, nominated for Marty Supreme, or Leonardo DiCaprio, nominated for One Battle After Another, but Michael B.Jordan took home the prize.
Full of mostly white journalists, the press room erupted when Coogler’s name was called as winner of Best Screenplay. But the loudest roar in the room came when Michael B Jordan was announced as the best actor winner. I leaped to my feet and turned around to see half of the room on their feet as well. What an emotional moment for me to see the support for him in the room.
Following a banner night for Sinners at the 98th Academy Awards, several of the film’s key creatives made their way into the room. Those wins, we saw, as meaningful steps forward for Black storytellers and creators working across the film industry.
Director and producer Ryan Coogler stepped into the room still celebrating the film’s Best Screenplay victory, a milestone achievement for the filmmaker whose career has consistently centered culturally resonant stories that connect with global audiences. Coogler’s win underscores the growing recognition of Black filmmakers shaping the future of Hollywood at the highest level.
Coogler said in the press room:
“For me, writing this script was really personal. I grew up listening to blues music — my uncle loved the blues — and that music always stayed with me. When I started working on Sinners, I wanted the film to feel like that music feels… something that’s spiritual, something that’s communal. Blues music is about survival. It’s about people finding joy even when life is hard. That spirit was something we tried to bring into every part of the movie.”
The film’s star and producer Michael B. Jordan also shared in the Best Screenplay win as one of the film’s producers, while also enjoying his Best Actor victory. Jordan’s Oscar marks a significant moment in his evolution from supporting actor to leading man AND influential producer, expanding his role in shaping the types of stories and talent that reach the screen.
The adoration for Michael when he walked into the press room, was deafening! I was so proud of him. I have been watching him since he played Wallace on The Wire and, after that, Reggie on All My Children. I felt like a proud Momma.
Jordan said in the press room:
“This film meant so much to all of us. Ryan trusted me with these two characters and gave me the space to really explore them. Playing Smoke and Stack was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it was also one of the most rewarding. I’m just incredibly grateful to the cast, the crew, and everybody who believed in this movie from the beginning. To be standing here right now with this… it’s a blessing.”
Composer Ludwig Göransson earned the Academy Award for Best Original Score, continuing a creative partnership with Coogler that stretches back to Fruitvale Station and includes the Oscar-winning score for Black Panther. For Sinners, Göransson created a sonic landscape rooted in blues, gospel and Southern musical traditions that deepened the film’s emotional core.
Ludwig Göranssen said in the Oscar press room:
“Ryan and I have been working together for a long time. From the very beginning, when we started talking about Sinners, we knew that the blues had to be the soul of the movie. The blues is really the foundation of so much music that exists today. So the idea was to build a score that felt rooted in that tradition but also cinematic.”
One of the evening’s most groundbreaking moments came when cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw won the Oscar for Best Cinematography. Her win is a historic milestone and highlights, Coogler’s ability to recognize talent, regardless of race and gender. She is the first woman of color to even be nominated in the category, let alone win, underscoring the importance of expanding opportunities for diverse voices behind the camera.
Mexican-American, Autumn Durald Arkapaw said in the interview room:
“I’ve learned over the past three months, going through this process that it does take a village to make stuff like this happen. But this isn’t about me anymore. This is about so much more and I know that. I wanted it for all of the ladies in the room and I wanted it for all of the girls at home. So, it happened and I’m so happy for that.”
Although Sinners took home 4 of the 16 Oscars the film was nominated, to emerging African American filmmakers and artists watching from afar, the wins signal something larger than awards. They reflect a widening path for Black creators across every discipline—proving that stories rooted in culture, history and authenticity can stand at the center of the cinematic conversation.
As the filmmakers the creatives from Sinners left the press room, the impact of Sinners was clear: a new generation of storytellers is hopeful shaping the future of film.
My favorite moment of the whole show
One of the most stirring moments of the night at the 98th Academy Awards came when the music of Sinners took over the Dolby Theatre stage, transforming the Oscars into a full-throttle celebration of blues, soul and Black musical legacy.
The Oscar musical tribute for Sinners featured Raphael Saadiq and actor/singer Miles Caton performing the film’s Oscar-nominated original song “I Lied to You.” The performance was backed by an all-star blues ensemble including Brittany Howard, Eric Gales, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Buddy Guy, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, and Alice Smith, creating a blues-driven tribute to the film’s musical roots.
The song—written by Saadiq and composer Ludwig Göransson—is central to the film’s story and was nominated for Best Original Song although it did not win.
Grammy-winning powerhouse Brittany Howard delivered a phenomenal vocal performance that channeled both gospel intensity and rock-soul swagger. Guitar virtuoso Eric Gales ignited the stage with blistering riffs, while modern blues torchbearer Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram added his signature electrifying style.
The performance also honored the genre’s living legends. Blues icon Buddy Guy and Mississippi blues master Bobby Rush brought decades of musical history to the moment, reminding viewers that the blues remains the foundation of American music.
Adding a modern country-blues crossover energy, breakout artist Shaboozey joined the ensemble, while soul vocalist Alice Smith layered the performance with rich, soaring harmonies.
For a few unforgettable minutes, the Oscars stage belonged to the blues. And through the voices and guitars of these extraordinary performers, the spirit of Black music echoed across Hollywood.
RELATED: Oscar Nominations 2026: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners Nominated for a Record-breaking 16 Academy Awards
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