Canada at the Oscars-2026: four statuettes in one evening
Canadian filmmakers showed one of their best results in recent years, winning awards in animation, design, and makeup.
On March 15, 2026, the 98th Academy Awards ceremony took place in Hollywood, and Canadians took home four Oscars. For a country many only know for hockey and maple syrup, this is a serious achievement. Who won, why it matters, and what signal this sends to those connected with Canada — let's break down the main highlights of the evening.
The Main Showdown: "Sinners" vs. "One Battle after Another"
The ceremony at the Dolby Theatre was hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien. The evening's main intrigue was the face-off between two films. "Sinners" by Ryan Coogler set an absolute record in Oscar history with 16 nominations, surpassing "Titanic," "La La Land," and "All About Eve." However, "One Battle after Another" by Paul Thomas Anderson became Best Picture, collecting six awards. For Anderson, these are his first wins in a career spanning 14 nominations.
Michael B. Jordan won the Oscar for Best Actor in "Sinners," and Jessie Buckley became Best Actress for her role in "Hamnet." Sean Penn took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in "One Battle after Another," and Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for the film "Weapons."
Among the evening's unusual events was the first-ever Oscar for Best Casting. It went to Cassandra Kulukundis for her work on "One Battle after Another." This is the first new category in 24 years. Additionally, there was a tie in the Best Live Action Short Film category between "The Singers" and "Two People Exchanging Saliva" — only the seventh tie in the award's entire history.
"The Girl Who Cried Pearls" — Best Animated Short Film
The stop-motion animation "The Girl Who Cried Pearls," created by Montreal directors Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The film was produced with support from the National Film Board of Canada, which now has 12 Oscars and 79 nominations in its history.
At the press conference, Szczerbowski said: "We see this as the result of many decades of policy," acknowledging Canada's system of government funding for culture. In their acceptance speech, the directors emphasized the role of the Canadian filmmaking community and called their team not just names in the credits, but part of a large creative family.
"KPop Demon Hunters" — Best Animated Feature
Best Animated Feature went to "KPop Demon Hunters," and its co-director is Korean-Canadian Maggie Kang from Toronto. An immigrant who built her career in Canada received the highest award in world cinema for her debut work. The film also won in the Best Original Song category for the composition "Golden" — the first K-pop song ever to win an Oscar.
Notably, another Canadian was also nominated in this category — Domee Shi, co-director of Pixar's animated film "Elio."
"Frankenstein" — Two Statuettes for Canadians
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Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" brought Canadians two more awards. Tamara Deverell from Cape Breton and Shane Vieau from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, won in the Best Production Design category. Deverell served as production designer, while Vieau was responsible for set decoration.
Additionally, Canadians Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey were part of the team that received the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for work on the same film. They shared the award with American special effects master Mike Hill. "Frankenstein" was filmed at Toronto production facilities, once again confirming Canada's status as one of the world's film production centers.
Why This Matters
Talents from small towns in Nova Scotia, from Montreal studios and Toronto workshops are stepping onto the world stage. Canada creates an environment where creative people receive government support and international recognition. The cultural funding system, developed film production infrastructure, and openness to immigrants — all this makes the country an attractive place for professionals from creative industries.
For those considering moving to Canada and working in film, animation, design, or other creative professions, the four Oscars won by Canadians in 2026 are not just a source of pride, but tangible proof of the opportunities this country offers.
