Oscars Best Picture Winners List: Every Year's Oscar Winning Film

The Academy Award for Best Picture is the most prestigious award given out at the Oscars. It honors the film that is judged by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be the best of the year.

This article is a comprehensive guide to the Best Picture winners, providing you with interesting facts and presenting the complete list of winners, from the very first ceremony in 1929 to the most recent one in 2024.

Interesting Facts about the Best Picture Award

Most-nominated films: “Titanic” and “All About Eve” hold the record for most nominations (14 each) but didn’t win the most awards.
Record-breaking wins: “Ben-Hur,” “Titanic,” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” are tied with 11 wins each.
First non-English language winner: “Parasite” (2019) became the first film in a language other than English to win the award.
Few female directors: Only three women have directed Best Picture winners: Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”), Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”), and Sian Heder (“CODA”).
Sequel success: Only two sequels have won Best Picture: “The Godfather Part II” (1974) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003).

The Complete List of Best Picture Winners

The following list presents the Best Picture winners in chronological order, starting from the most recent:

Note: Year in the first bracket after the movie indicates the year of the film’s release.

2020s: Best picture winners

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” (2022): A unique blend of sci-fi and family drama.
“CODA” (2021): A heartwarming story about a deaf family and their musical daughter.
“Nomadland” (2020): An introspective journey through America’s landscape.

Also Check: Oscars 2024: Complete winners list

2010s: Best picture winners

“Parasite” (2019): A gripping tale of class struggle and family dynamics.
“Green Book” (2018): A road trip through the American South during the 1960s.
“The Shape of Water” (2017): A unique love story between a mute woman and a mysterious creature.
“Moonlight” (2016): A profound exploration of identity and masculinity.
“Spotlight” (2015): The true story of journalists uncovering a massive scandal.
“Birdman” (2014): A dark comedy about an actor struggling to find relevance.
“12 Years a Slave” (2013): A harrowing tale of survival and resistance.
“Argo” (2012): A thrilling account of a covert operation in Iran.
“The Artist” (2011): A silent film paying homage to the early days of Hollywood.
“The King’s Speech” (2010): The story of King George VI’s quest to overcome his stutter.

2000s: Best picture winners

“The Hurt Locker” (2009): An intense war drama focusing on bomb disposal experts.
“Slumdog Millionaire” (2008): A vibrant tale of love and destiny in India.
“No Country for Old Men” (2007): A gritty chase for stolen money in the Texas desert.
“The Departed” (2006): A complex story of crime and undercover operations.
“Crash” (2005): Intersecting stories of race and loss in Los Angeles.
“Million Dollar Baby” (2004): A touching narrative of a determined female boxer.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003): The epic conclusion to a fantasy saga.
“Chicago” (2002): A dazzling musical set in the jazz-infused 1920s.
“A Beautiful Mind” (2001): The struggle of a brilliant mathematician with schizophrenia.
“Gladiator” (2000): A historical epic of revenge and honor.

1990s: Best picture winners

“American Beauty” (1999): A satirical look at suburban life.
“Shakespeare in Love” (1998): A romantic fantasy about the young William Shakespeare.
“Titanic” (1997): A tragic love story aboard the ill-fated ocean liner.
“The English Patient” (1996): A tale of love and loss during World War II.
“Braveheart” (1995): The legendary story of Scottish hero William Wallace.
“Forrest Gump” (1994): The extraordinary life of a simple man.
“Schindler’s List” (1993): A businessman’s rescue of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.
“Unforgiven” (1992): A retired gunslinger’s final showdown.
“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991): A chilling duel of wits between a young FBI agent and a brilliant psychopath.
“Dances with Wolves” (1990): An American soldier’s experience with the Lakota people.

1980s: Best picture winners

“Driving Miss Daisy” (1989): A touching story of friendship and social change in the South.
“Rain Man” (1988): An emotional journey between two brothers, one of whom is autistic.
“The Last Emperor” (1987): The life story of the last Emperor of China.
“Platoon” (1986): A gritty, realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War.
“Out of Africa” (1985): A memoir of love and loss in colonial Kenya.
“Amadeus” (1984): The dramatic rivalry between composers Mozart and Salieri.
“Terms of Endearment” (1983): A story of the complex bond between a mother and daughter.
“Gandhi” (1982): The biography of Mahatma Gandhi, a leader of nonviolent resistance.
“Chariots of Fire” (1981): The inspiring true story of two British track athletes.
“Ordinary People” (1980): A family’s struggle to cope with loss and guilt.

1970s: Best picture winners

“Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979): A nuanced exploration of divorce and its impact on a family.
“The Deer Hunter” (1978): The effects of the Vietnam War on a group of friends.
“Annie Hall” (1977): A witty and introspective look at a romantic relationship.
“Rocky” (1976): The underdog story of a struggling boxer.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975): A man’s battle against an oppressive mental institution.
“The Godfather Part II” (1974): The continuation and backstory of the Corleone family saga.
“The Sting” (1973): Con men plot to swindle a mob boss.
“The Godfather” (1972): The epic tale of a powerful crime family.
“The French Connection” (1971): A gritty, fast-paced tale of police pursuit.
“Patton” (1970): The complex character study of General George S. Patton.

1960s: Best picture winners

“Midnight Cowboy” (1969): The unlikely friendship between two hustlers in New York City.
“Oliver!” (1968): The musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.
“In the Heat of the Night” (1967): A black detective and a white sheriff solve a murder in the South.
“A Man for All Seasons” (1966): The story of Sir Thomas More’s conflict with King Henry VIII.
“The Sound of Music” (1965): A musical about a governess who brings music to a widowed naval officer’s family.
“My Fair Lady” (1964): The transformation of a Cockney flower girl into a society lady.
“Tom Jones” (1963): The bawdy adventures of a young charmer.
“Lawrence of Arabia” (1962): The life of British officer T.E. Lawrence.
“West Side Story” (1961): A modern-day Romeo and Juliet set in New York City.
“The Apartment” (1960): A corporate clerk lends out his apartment for executives’ affairs.

1950s: Best picture winners

“Ben-Hur” (1959): A Jewish prince seeks revenge against his Roman friend who betrayed him.
“Gigi” (1958): A Parisian girl is groomed to be a courtesan, but longs for true love.
“The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957): POWs in Burma are forced to build a bridge for their Japanese captors.
“Around the World in 80 Days” (1956): An adventurous journey based on Jules Verne’s novel.
“Marty” (1955): A simple butcher finds love, challenging societal expectations.
“On the Waterfront” (1954): A former boxer stands up against corrupt union bosses.
“From Here to Eternity” (1953): Lives intertwine at a Hawaiian military base before Pearl Harbor.
“The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952): The lives of circus performers.
“An American in Paris” (1951): A love story between an American painter and a French dancer.
“All About Eve” (1950): An aging Broadway star deals with a manipulative young fan.

1940s: Best picture winners

“All the King’s Men” (1949): The rise and fall of a corrupt politician.
“Hamlet” (1948): Shakespeare’s tragic tale of the Prince of Denmark.
“Gentleman’s Agreement” (1947): An exposé of anti-Semitism in postwar America.
“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946): The challenges faced by three returning veterans.
“The Lost Weekend” (1945): A writer’s battle with alcoholism.
“Going My Way” (1944): A young priest revitalizes a parish and bonds with an older priest.
“Casablanca” (1943): A love triangle set against the backdrop of World War II.
“Mrs. Miniver” (1942): The experiences of an English family during World War II.
“How Green Was My Valley” (1941): The life of a Welsh mining family.
“Rebecca” (1940): A young bride is haunted by her husband’s first wife’s memory.

1930s: Best picture winners

“Gone with the Wind” (1939): The epic romance set during the American Civil War.
“You Can’t Take It with You” (1938): A man from a family of rich snobs becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family.
“The Life of Emile Zola” (1937): The biography of the French writer who defended Alfred Dreyfus.
“The Great Ziegfeld” (1936): The rise and fall of a Broadway showman.
“Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935): The true story of the HMS Bounty’s mutiny.
“It Happened One Night” (1934): A runaway heiress and a reporter engage in a cross-country romance.
“Cavalcade” (1933): The lives of two families are traced from the Boer War to the 1920s.
“Grand Hotel” (1932): Various lives intersect in a luxurious Berlin hotel.
“Cimarron” (1931): The story of the Oklahoma land rush and its effects on one family.
“All Quiet on the Western Front” (1930): The harrowing experience of World War I from a German soldier’s perspective.

1920s: Best picture winners

“The Broadway Melody” (1929): A behind-the-scenes look at the Broadway theater.
“Wings” (1927): A silent film about World War I fighter pilots, notable for its aerial combat scenes.

The 96th Academy Awards: Your Guide to Hollywood’s Biggest Night

The 96th Academy Awards, honoring the best films of 2023, are almost here! Gear up for an evening of glitz, glamour, and cinematic excellence on March 10, 2024. The ceremony will be held at the iconic Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, starting at 4:00 PM PST (7:00 PM EST) and broadcast live on ABC.

Jimmy Kimmel takes the stage for the fourth time as the host. Get ready to see a star-studded red carpet starting at 6:30 PM ET, with coverage available through “Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live” and “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars.”

A Night of Competition and Recognition

This year’s ceremony promises to be a thrilling competition, with “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” leading the pack as the most nominated films with a staggering 21 nominations each, including Best Picture.

Other notable contenders include:

Killers of the Flower Moon: Martin Scorsese’s crime drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
Poor Things: Yorgos Lanthimos’ darkly comedic sci-fi film featuring Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe.
Anatomy of a Fall: Justine Triet’s critically acclaimed French drama exploring female friendship.

The night promises to be more than just awards. Expect a diverse range of captivating performances to keep the audience entertained throughout the ceremony. And, for those who want more, the Oscars will be followed by an all-new episode of the popular sitcom, “Abbott Elementary.”