Critics’ Choice Awards: All We Imagine As Light, a poignant Malayalam-language film directed by Payal Kapadia, was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The film lost to Selena Gomez-starrer Emilia Pérez. Other nominees included Flow (Latvia), I’m Still Here (Brazil), Kneecap (Ireland), and The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany). The film has so far fallen short at major Hollywood awards, also missing out at the Golden Globes.
Adding to the setback, All We Imagine As Light was not India’s official submission for the 2025 Oscars. The Film Federation of India chose Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) for the Best Foreign Language Film category, but it too failed to secure a nomination. Despite its historic Grand Prix win at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the film has so far fallen short at major Hollywood awards.
In the television category, Citadel: Honey Bunny, starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Series. It lost to Korean’ Netflix series Squid Game. Other contenders in the category included Acapulco, La Maquina, The Law According to Lidia Poet, My Brilliant Friend, Pachinko, and Senna.
Zoe Saldaña, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Pérez, gave a teary shout-out to her sons during her acceptance speech. Saldaña thanked her collaborators and supporters, calling the win an “incredible honor”. “To my fellow nominees, the films this year and the work you’ve all done. It’s breathtaking,” she said. She also acknowledged the role of critics, saying she appreciates “the really insightful and helpful feedback, like, ‘Her crying is really distracting. She’s in too many franchises,’ or my personal favorite, ‘She’s too blue.’ So I will listen to you all tonight, and I will accept this with pride”.
Sean Baker’s Anora took home the top prize, winning Best Picture. Baker expressed his shock at the win, calling it “so unexpected”. “When those who dedicate their lives to their love of film and film criticism and film journalism, when they see something positive in your work, just a little, it means everything in the world,” he said.
While Indian nominees missed out at the Critics’ Choice Awards 2025, their presence among the nominees underscored the increasing diversity and quality of Indian storytelling. The global visibility gained through these nominations will undoubtedly open doors for more Indian filmmakers and actors, allowing them to showcase their talent to a wider audience. The Critics Choice Awards 2025 served as a reminder of the growing influence and artistic merit of Indian productions, despite the absence of wins.
