Emma Caroline Brown
Editor
The 2025 smash hit film, ‘Sinners,’ continues its successful streak by breaking the record of most Oscar nominations for a single film, which furthers the film’s cultural and historical importance to American filmmaking.
The film picked up a whopping 16 nominations, beating a long-standing record of 14 nominations achieved by ‘All About Eve’ (1950), ‘Titanic’ (1997) and ‘La La Land’ (2016). Nominations for ‘Sinners’ include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Score, Best Leading Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography.
Poster courtesy of Warner Brothers
Dr. Barry Smith, Communication department chair and professor of film, sees the success and recognition of ‘Sinners’ as well-earned, especially as Ryan Coogler has built his filmography up by being an independent filmmaker. While the Oscar race continues to heat up, Smith believes ‘Sinners’ will be a winner in significant categories.
“I would be really surprised if ‘Sinners’ doesn’t come out pretty big with Oscar wins,” Smith said. “It’s a strong contender for Best Picture, Score, Song, Cinematography—I’m personally rooting for Delroy Lindo for Supporting Actor, and I would be very surprised if Coogler, as director, writer and producer, doesn’t wind up with at least two of those wins.”
If ‘Sinners’ wins Best Cinematography, the film will have an even greater historical impact than it already has made. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw could be the first woman ever to win this award, as Best Cinematography is the only remaining Oscar category a woman has not won. Arkapaw is the fourth woman ever to be nominated in the Oscars’ 98-year history.
History and ‘Sinners’ seem to go hand-in-hand as the film covers an era and area of importance for cultural diversity amongst minorities in the South. The film’s setting of 1932 Clarkdale, Mississippi, is the cornerstone of the story’s drive—prohibition, segregation, Jim Crow, musical exploration and multi-cultural communities shed light on the history of the Delta most people do not know.
Dr. Kymara Sneed, assistant history professor at The W, has studied Mississippi history closely, especially the culture of the Civil Rights era within the state. Sneed believes ‘Sinners’ has motivated people to take a closer look at Mississippi’s diverse history and culture that tends to be overlooked or not fully researched.
“When people first think about Mississippi, they think of Emmett Till, Freedom Summer, any of our involvement in the Civil Rights movement,” Sneed said, “Mississippi is a treasure trove for untapped history, especially when you’re looking at cultural history. I think that ‘Sinners’ will help shed more light and bring more attention to Mississippi as a cultural hotspot.”
‘Sinners’ has brought more attention and consideration to Mississippi’s impact on American culture, especially as people not familiar with the state and its history research the cultural richness of the state. Coogler, composer Ludwig Göransson and star Miles Canton visited Clarksdale for special free screenings of the film after locals made the national public aware that the town did not have a theater to screen the film.
One of Coogler’s filmmaking goals seems to be bringing his work to anyone and everyone for enjoyment and appreciation. Coogler’s mindful approach to his writing, directing and producing made ‘Sinners’ an original indie film gifted with a big Hollywood budget.
The film was produced on an estimated $90 million budget, and its performance at the box office totaled a whopping $368.5 million worldwide gross. The film sits in 5th place among the highest-grossing horror movies of all time.
Smith believes the film could be the start of a new movement in major studio filmmaking, as ‘Sinners’ proves modern audiences are still drawn to original ideas and compelling stories.
“Maybe it becomes another classic American film,” Smith said. “The music of the film just stands out so much, and there are people who will rewatch movies from decades ago because the music of the film speaks to them in a way other movies don’t. This was a visual experience, but it’s also an auditory experience.”
Only time will tell how ‘Sinners’ impacts American filmmaking and culture as a whole, but for now, it remains clear that the film has captivated audiences on a grand scale. People who have not been to a movie theatre in years ventured out to see the film on the big screen, and critics continue to praise Coogler’s filmmaking and ability to connect with mass audiences and those who are rarely represented.
See how ‘Sinners’ performs at the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 15 at 6 p.m., and be sure to stop by Hogarth Cafeteria on March 2 and 4 from 5 to 6:30 pm, and 6 from 11 am to 12:30 pm to fill out an Oscar ballot for The Spectator’s campus-wide competition. The two contestants with the most correct predictions will each win a $25 Amazon gift card.