At the 96th Academy Awards held in Hollywood, the Irish-produced film Poor Things claimed three Oscars — for Makeup and Hair Styling, Costume Design, and Production Design — marking a quiet but consequential moment in the longer story of Ireland's place in world cinema. Behind the wins stands Dublin's Element Pictures, built by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe through years of patient creative partnership with visionary filmmakers. The film's triumph in the craft categories speaks to something enduring: that the most meticulous, imaginative work often finds its recognition not in the loudest prizes,
Irish-Produced 'Poor Things' Wins Big at Oscars, Boosting Film Industry
A major boost for the Irish film industry
Mark
So Poor Things won three Oscars—makeup, costume, production design. Why does that matter for Ireland specifically?
Mimi
Element Pictures is Dublin-based, run by two Irish producers. When an Irish studio wins at the Oscars, it raises the profile of the entire industry back home. It shows international investors that serious, award-winning work can be made there.
Luke
But I want to be careful here—the film was directed by a Greek director, Yorgos Lanthimos. The cinematographer, Robbie Ryan, is Irish, but he didn't win. How much of this is actually an Irish production versus a production that happened to be made by an Irish company?
Mimi
Fair point. It's produced by an Irish studio with Irish leadership, but it's genuinely international in its creative team. That's actually the reality of modern film production.
Mark
The article mentions Emma Stone didn't win Best Actress. Did that disappoint people?
Luke
The source doesn't say. We know she was nominated and lost to someone else, but there's no reporting on how that was received or what it meant for the film's overall night.
Mimi
True. Three wins is still substantial, though. Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair—those are the kinds of technical awards that show the film's craft was recognized across the board.
Mark
And Element Pictures has made other films before this?
Mimi
Yes—Room, The Eternal Daughter, Adam & Paul. So this isn't their first success, but Poor Things at the Oscars is their biggest moment yet.
Luke
The article doesn't actually say how many Oscars Poor Things won total, just that it won three and was nominated for eleven. There could be more wins we're not told about.
O Pulso
- Poor Things arrived at the Oscars carrying eleven nominations and the weight of Irish cinema's ambitions on its shoulders.
- The film's darkly surreal visual universe — its elaborate costumes, uncanny makeup, and handcrafted production design — put it in direct competition with the industrial might of Oppenheimer.
- Three wins in the technical craft categories confirmed that Dublin-based Element Pictures can compete at the very highest level of international filmmaking.
- A memorable moment cut through the ceremony's formality when John Cena appeared nearly unclothed to present the Costume Design award, offering a wry tribute to the very craft being honoured.
- Emma Stone's Best Actress nomination fell short against Lilly Gladstone, and Robbie Ryan's cinematography nod was overtaken by Oppenheimer's Hoyte van Hoytema, leaving the Irish camp with both celebration and near-misses.
- The wins are widely seen as a signal that Ireland's film sector is maturing into a force capable of drawing further international investment and creative collaboration.
At the 96th Academy Awards held in Hollywood, the Irish-produced film Poor Things claimed three Oscars — for Makeup and Hair Styling, Costume Design, and Production Design — marking a quiet but consequential moment in the longer story of Ireland's place in world cinema. Behind the wins stands Dublin's Element Pictures, built by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe through years of patient creative partnership with visionary filmmakers. The film's triumph in the craft categories speaks to something enduring: that the most meticulous, imaginative work often finds its recognition not in the loudest prizes, but in the ones that honour the hands that built the world.
Poor Things, produced by Dublin's Element Pictures, won three Academy Awards at the 96th Oscars ceremony held at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre — taking home the prizes for Best Makeup and Hair Styling, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. The film had entered the night with eleven nominations, and its success in the craft categories reflected the extraordinary visual ambition that director Yorgos Lanthimos and his collaborators brought to the project.
Element Pictures is run by Irish producers Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, who have built a long creative partnership with Lanthimos — whose previous film The Favourite also drew significant awards attention. Poor Things centres on a woman, played by Emma Stone, who is reborn with the mind of a child, and its surreal, meticulously constructed world proved compelling to Academy voters across multiple technical disciplines.
The first win, in makeup and hair styling, came at the expense of Oppenheimer. The costume design award followed, with designer Holly Waddington expressing gratitude for the creative freedom the film had given her — a moment made memorable by presenter John Cena, who appeared on stage wearing little more than the winner's envelope, offering deadpan reflections on the importance of clothing to cinema. Production design rounded out the trio of wins.
Not every Irish contender found success on the night. Cinematographer Robbie Ryan, based in Dublin, was nominated for his work on the film but lost to Hoyte van Hoytema for Oppenheimer. Emma Stone, despite a celebrated performance, did not take home Best Actress. Still, the evening reinforced Element Pictures' standing as a serious international production house — one whose credits include Room, The Eternal Daughter, and Adam & Paul — and suggested that Ireland's growing film industry may be poised to attract still greater investment and creative ambition in the years ahead.
Poor Things, an Irish-produced film, claimed three Academy Awards at the 96th Oscars ceremony held Sunday night at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, marking a significant moment for the country's film industry. The film, which had entered the competition with eleven nominations, won in the categories of Best Makeup and Hair Styling, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.
Element Pictures, the Dublin-based studio behind the film, is run by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, two Irish producers who have spent years developing a creative partnership with director Yorgos Lanthimos. The director, known for his previous film The Favourite, brought his distinctive sensibility to Poor Things, a darkly surreal story centered on a woman, played by Emma Stone, who is reborn with the mind of a child. The film's visual and technical ambition—evident in its costume design, makeup work, and production design—proved compelling to Academy voters across multiple categories.
The first win came in makeup and hair styling, where Poor Things defeated Oppenheimer. The costume design award followed, with Holly Waddington accepting the statue and expressing gratitude for the creative freedom the project afforded her. John Cena presented the award in a memorable segment, appearing on stage unclothed except for the envelope containing the winner's name, delivering deadpan commentary about the importance of costumes to filmmaking.
Production design became the film's third win of the evening. The success in these technical categories underscored the film's meticulous craftsmanship. Dublin-based cinematographer Robbie Ryan had been in contention for Best Cinematography, but that award went to Hoyte van Hoytema for his work on Oppenheimer. Van Hoytema used his acceptance speech to encourage aspiring filmmakers to experiment with celluloid film stock, arguing it produces superior results and is more accessible than commonly assumed.
Emma Stone, the film's lead actress, faced strong competition in the Best Actress category from Lilly Gladstone but did not take home the award, despite her previous Oscar win. Element Pictures has built a track record beyond its Lanthimos collaborations, having produced films including Room, The Eternal Daughter, and Adam & Paul. The studio's success at the Oscars signals both the creative strength of Irish production and the international reach of work emerging from Dublin, potentially opening doors for further investment in the country's film sector.
Citações Notáveis
Costumes, they are so important— John Cena, presenting Best Costume Design
The film allowed her to be free and artistic— Holly Waddington, accepting Best Costume Design
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em Extra.ie ↗
Culture & Arts