Anora filmmaker Sean Baker used his 2025 Oscars speech for best director to remind us that the sacred movie-going experience needs to be protected.

“We are all here tonight because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with movies? At the movie theatre,” said Baker. “In a time in which our world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever: It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home.”

“And right now, the theatre-going experience is under threat,” Baker continued. “Movie theatres, especially independently-owned theatres, are struggling, and it’s up to us to support them. During the pandemic, we lost nearly 1,000 screens in the US. And we continue to lose them regularly. If we don’t reverse this trend, we’ll be losing a vital part of our culture.”

“This is my battle cry. Filmmakers keep making films for the big screen, I know I will,” Baker continued. “Distributors, please focus first and foremost on the theatrical releases of your films. Parents, introduce your children to feature films in movie theatres and you will be molding the next generation of movie lovers and filmmakers. And for all of us, when we can please watch movies in a theatre and let’s keep the great tradition of the moviegoing experience alive and well.”