The Locations Behind This Year’s Oscar Winners, From One Battle After Another to Sinners

Best Picture: One Battle After Another

Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweeping success at this year’s Oscars was well and truly deserved, solidifying his reputation as a master storyteller with an unparalleled eye for detail. Of its 13 nominations, the revolution-oriented epic took home six awards, including the coveted Best Picture, along with Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (for Benicio del Toro’s magnetic performance), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Casting. The film’s narrative, a blistering commentary on contemporary American society, found its visual anchor in a meticulously crafted "Any-Town, USA" aesthetic.

This deliberate mélange of non-specific settings used in One Battle After Another works brilliantly to present a kaleidoscopic snapshot of the country as it exists today—a landscape riddled with both stark beauty and simmering unrest. This ambitious vision was brought to life through the tireless efforts of production manager Florencia Martin, who embarked on an extensive journey across more than 25 cities in California and Texas. Martin’s challenge was to identify locations that felt simultaneously familiar and anonymous, reflecting the film’s universal themes of societal division and the search for identity in a fractured nation. Her team sought out quintessential American locales: dilapidated main streets that spoke of forgotten dreams, sprawling suburban developments that hinted at quiet desperation, and vast, open highways stretching into an uncertain future. From the sun-drenched, sprawling suburbs of Southern California, offering a veneer of placid normalcy, to the gritty, industrial backroads of Sacramento, and the rugged, forested expanses of Humboldt County, each location was chosen for its ability to contribute to the film’s overarching mood of latent tension and simmering discontent.

Martin’s artistry lay in her ability to stitch together these disparate elements into a cohesive visual tapestry. For instance, a nondescript diner in a Californian desert town, with its faded neon sign and worn vinyl booths, served as a poignant meeting point for characters grappling with ideological divides. Meanwhile, a seemingly ordinary strip mall in Texas, bustling with everyday life, subtly underscored the film’s critique of consumerism and its impact on the American psyche. The juxtaposition of these recognizable yet generalized settings allowed the audience to project their own experiences onto the narrative, making the "battle" feel deeply personal and universally resonant. The dusty, wide-open spaces of West Texas, often captured during golden hour, evoked a sense of both freedom and isolation, mirroring the characters’ individual struggles for agency amidst collective upheaval. Conversely, the dense, urban environments, with their oppressive concrete structures and constant hum of activity, highlighted the claustrophobia and pressure felt by those caught in the film’s revolutionary currents. This masterful integration of diverse American landscapes, both beautiful and brutal, was instrumental in One Battle After Another becoming 2026’s Best Picture winner, offering a profound cinematic reflection on the state of the nation.

Best Actor: Sinners

A first Oscar nomination—and now a triumphant first win for Michael B. Jordan, who delivered a performance of breathtaking intensity in Sinners. This Southern Gothic drama had everyone racing to the cinema, captivated by its clever blend of horror, supernatural elements, and toe-tapping, period-appropriate music. Sinners is a masterclass in how to keep an audience on the edge of their seats, primarily through its immersive atmosphere and Jordan’s deeply unsettling portrayal. The film transports viewers to the Mississippi Delta in 1932, a pivotal year marked by the throes of the Great Depression, widespread social inequality, and a rich, yet often dark, cultural landscape.

The choice of the Mississippi Delta in 1932 is far from arbitrary; it is a region steeped in history, folklore, and a unique cultural identity that lends itself perfectly to the Southern Gothic genre. It’s the birthplace of the blues, a genre born of hardship and spiritual yearning, which weaves itself into the film’s very fabric. The economic devastation of the era, coupled with the deep-seated racial tensions and spiritual fervor prevalent in the South, created a fertile ground for stories of human struggle, supernatural intervention, and moral reckoning. To bring this world to vivid, chilling life, the production wisely chose to film in nearby Louisiana, a state renowned for its bayous, historic plantations, and a distinct architectural heritage that could convincingly stand in for the Delta.

We spoke to Academy Award-winning production designer and New Orleans local Hannah Beachler, the brains behind the Sinners set, to find out more about creating the eerie scenes that hooked so many viewers—and the powerful performance from Michael B. Jordan that earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor (after the film had a record-breaking 16 nominations). "The Delta in the 30s wasn’t just a place; it was a state of mind," Beachler explained. "It’s a land where the veil between worlds feels thin, where ancient beliefs and modern struggles collide. We focused on authenticity: the specific types of juke joints, the sharecropper cabins, the languid, Spanish moss-draped cypress trees. Every detail, from the peeling paint on a clapboard house to the oppressive humidity hanging in the air, was designed to immerse the audience in that particular time and feeling of dread and beauty." Beachler’s intimate knowledge of the region, combined with extensive historical research, allowed her team to meticulously recreate the period. They scouted abandoned farmhouses, utilized the natural, claustrophobic beauty of the bayou swamps, and built sets that evoked the struggling communities of the era. The omnipresent sounds of cicadas, the murky waters, and the isolation of the landscape became characters in themselves, amplifying the film’s themes of sin, redemption, and the spectral forces at play. Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of a man haunted by his past and a pact with the devil was undeniably elevated by these visceral surroundings, making his journey through the eerie, atmospheric Louisiana bayou a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.

Best International Feature: Sentimental Value

“Oh my goodness. Thank you so much. I’m just a film nerd from Norway,” Joachim Trier said with genuine humility as he accepted the award for Best International Feature at the 2026 Academy Awards. His win for Sentimental Value was not just a triumph for Norwegian cinema, but a resounding declaration of Oslo’s cinematic potential, placing the often-overlooked Scandinavian capital firmly on the global cultural map.

Sentimental Value lets Oslo have a starring role, alongside acting nominees like Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, and Elle Fanning. The film is an intimate, melancholic exploration of human connection and urban alienation, and Oslo provides a richly textured canvas for these universal themes. A city that often falls to the wayside in favor of more popular European capitals like Paris, London, or Rome, Oslo’s portrayal in Trier’s film is revelatory. Instead of focusing on grand, iconic landmarks, Sentimental Value delves into the city’s quieter, more introspective corners—the cozy cafes of Grünerløkka, the serene paths along the Akerselva River, the modernist architecture juxtaposed with historic buildings, and the ever-present proximity to nature with its fjords and forests just a stone’s throw away.

The film meticulously captures the rhythm of daily life in Oslo, highlighting its unique blend of urban sophistication and natural beauty. Audiences are taken on a visual tour that includes brisk walks through the bustling Aker Brygge waterfront, contemplative moments in the sculpture-filled Vigeland Park, and intimate conversations within the warm, minimalist interiors of typical Norwegian apartments. Trier’s camera doesn’t just observe; it immerses, allowing the city’s subdued light, crisp air, and even its specific sounds to become integral to the narrative. The director masterfully uses Oslo’s distinct seasons—the long, bright summer evenings giving way to the stark, introspective beauty of winter—to mirror the emotional arcs of his characters. This deep engagement with the city’s character makes Sentimental Value more than just a story set in Oslo; it’s a film about Oslo, revealing its soul to a global audience.

We’re expecting the Norwegian capital to get an influx of film-loving travelers this year, eager to trace the footsteps of the characters and experience the city’s unique charm firsthand. Tourists will likely seek out the specific neighborhoods, cafes, and natural vistas depicted, hoping to connect with the film’s profound sense of place. This newfound cinematic spotlight is a testament to Trier’s vision and his ability to transform his hometown into a vibrant, complex, and emotionally resonant character, proving that sometimes, the most sentimental value is found in the places we call home.

Best Actress: Hamnet

Jessie Buckley has the world fighting back tears often, it seems—first, with her heart-wrenching performance in Hamnet, and then as she took to the stage to accept her first Oscar award for the film. Buckley delivers an utterly captivating portrayal of Anne Hathaway, also known as Agnes, William Shakespeare’s enigmatic wife and the mother to his children. Based on the best-selling, critically acclaimed book by Maggie O’Farrell, the story beautifully centers Agnes, a herbal healer with profound spiritual, generational ties to nature and the forest, whose life is irrevocably shaped by love, loss, and the burgeoning genius of her husband.

The film’s visual narrative is inextricably linked to Agnes’s deep connection to the earth, making the choice of filming locations paramount. To faithfully recreate England in the late 1580s, a period before rampant industrialization altered the landscape, the cast and crew took to the lush, unspoiled landscapes of Herefordshire. This county, nestled along the Welsh border, offered an authentic tapestry of rolling hills, ancient woodlands, meandering rivers, and historic architecture that transported audiences back to Shakespearean England. The production team meticulously transformed medieval farmhouses, quaint market towns, and secluded hamlets into living, breathing film sets, paying close attention to historical accuracy in every detail, from thatch roofs to rough-hewn timber frames.

The beauty of Herefordshire’s natural environment became a character in itself, embodying Agnes’s spiritual essence and her profound understanding of the natural world. Scenes of Agnes foraging for herbs in sun-dappled forests, brewing remedies in rustic cottages, or communing with the elements on windswept hillsides were not merely shot in nature; they were imbued with nature. The ancient woodlands, with their gnarled oaks and dappled light, served as a visual metaphor for Agnes’s deep-rooted wisdom and her connection to a world beyond the tangible. The changing seasons of the British countryside—the vibrant greens of spring and summer giving way to the golden hues of autumn and the stark beauty of winter—mirrored the cycles of life, death, and renewal central to the story, particularly in the wake of the devastating plague.

The movie, which also stars Paul Mescal as the ambitious young William Shakespeare, masterfully uses these British countryside settings to underscore the contrast between Shakespeare’s burgeoning theatrical world and Agnes’s grounded, earthy existence. The rugged, untamed beauty of Herefordshire provides a powerful backdrop for a story of love, grief, and the creative process, reminding viewers of the timeless human connection to the land and the profound inspiration it can offer. Buckley’s raw, empathetic performance, perfectly framed by these exquisite, historically resonant landscapes, made Hamnet an unforgettable cinematic experience and a well-deserved win for Best Actress.

Best Costume Design: Frankenstein

The latest retelling of Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein, proved to be as epic and visually arresting as its literary predecessor, earning critical acclaim and a trio of well-deserved Academy Awards. Naturally, costume design, make-up and hairstyling, and production design did the mammoth work of creating the haunting, atmospheric Gothic world of Frankenstein—and the trio of Oscar wins in these categories prove it was worth every stitch, brushstroke, and meticulously crafted set piece. These awards collectively celebrate the immense effort to transport audiences to late 18th-century Europe, a period defined by intellectual ferment, scientific ambition, and a burgeoning Romantic fascination with the sublime and the macabre.

The creative team embarked on an ambitious 100-day shoot across various locations in the United Kingdom, tasked with transforming contemporary British landscapes into the diverse settings of Shelley’s original "travelogue" novel. The journey began in Scotland, where the historic, brooding architecture of Edinburgh and the dramatic, atmospheric streets of Glasgow were chosen to evoke the intellectual centers and dark alleys of Victor Frankenstein’s Europe. Edinburgh, with its Old Town’s medieval closes, Georgian New Town’s elegant but stern facades, and its dramatic volcanic rock formations like Arthur’s Seat, provided the perfect blend of scholarly gravitas and inherent mystery for the scenes set in universities and grand, yet foreboding, family estates. Glasgow’s Victorian-era buildings, often shrouded in mist, lent themselves to the darker, more industrial aspects of the story, hinting at the nascent scientific advancements and their potentially monstrous consequences.

Further south, the production moved to Wiltshire, a county in England renowned for its ancient landscapes, rolling chalk downs, and prehistoric monuments. This provided a stark, contrasting backdrop to the urban settings, offering the desolate, isolated environments crucial for the Creature’s tormented existence and Victor’s agonizing pursuits. The vast, open spaces and ancient forests of Wiltshire served as powerful visual metaphors for the wild, untamed forces of nature that Victor seeks to conquer, and the Creature’s desperate search for belonging amidst a hostile world. The sheer scale and ambition of these location choices, combined with the exquisite period-appropriate costumes worn by stars Jacob Elordi (as the Creature) and Oscar Isaac (as Victor Frankenstein), the transformative make-up, and the immersive production design, collectively brought Mary Shelley’s visionary tale of the Modern Prometheus to life with unprecedented depth and visual grandeur. Each element contributed to a cohesive, chilling, and utterly unforgettable cinematic experience that honored the novel’s enduring legacy.