“Sinners,” Produced by Armenian-American Sev Ohanian, Wins Four Oscars at the 98th Academy Awards

The film “Sinners” was among the major winners at the 98th Academy Awards, taking home four Oscars across several key categories. The movie, produced by Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler, and Zinzi Coogler, had entered the ceremony as one of the most nominated films of the year and ended the night with recognition from the Academy.

“I’m so proud of my colleagues and I’m extra grateful to my worldwide Armenian community for the never-wavering support in me and my films. From this historic  4-time Oscar winning SINNERS, all the way to my first movie MY BIG FAT ARMENIAN FAMILY, to all the others I hope to make. I will continue to try and make you proud. Thank you,” Sev Ohanian told The Armenian Report in a statement.

Director Ryan Coogler won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, honoring the film’s story and writing. The screenplay was widely praised for its strong narrative and emotional depth, which helped make “Sinners” one of the most discussed films of the year.

Composer Ludwig Göransson received the Academy Award for Best Original Score. His music for the film played a major role in shaping its atmosphere and emotional tone. Göransson’s work added intensity and depth to the story and was recognized as one of the standout musical achievements in cinema this year.

“Sinners” also won the Oscar for Best Cinematography, awarded to Autumn Durald Arkapaw. Her win marked an important milestone in the history of the Academy Awards. Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography. She is also the first woman of color to receive the award.

In the history of the category, only three women had previously been nominated: Rachel Morrison in 2018 for Mudbound, Ari Wegner in 2021 for The Power of the Dog, and Mandy Walker in 2022 for Elvis. Arkapaw’s achievement represents a major step forward for representation in the field of cinematography.

Arkapaw, who is of Filipino and African American Creole descent, also made history as the first female cinematographer to shoot a film using IMAX 65mm and Ultra Panavision formats for “Sinners,” pushing technical boundaries in large-format filmmaking.

Another major award for the film came with Michael B. Jordan, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in “Sinners.” His portrayal in the film received strong praise from critics and audiences and became one of the defining performances of the year.

The film had already achieved major success before the awards ceremony, earning approximately $368 million worldwide and receiving numerous nominations and honors throughout the awards season. With multiple Oscar wins, “Sinners” further strengthened its position as one of the standout films of the year.

For Armenian-American producer Sev Ohanian, the success of “Sinners” at the Academy Awards also highlights the growing presence of Armenian talent in major international film productions. As one of the producers behind the film, Ohanian played a key role in bringing the project to the global stage.

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