One Battle After Another Sweeps 2025 National Board of Review Awards

Inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, the Warner Bros. feature blends black comedy, action and political satire. The film follows DiCaprio as “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun — also known as Bob Ferguson — a paranoid, off-grid former revolutionary of the radical French 75 movement. Living in Baktan Cross, California, with his teenage daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti), his quiet existence unravels when disgraced military officer Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) reappears under the guise of an immigration raid, reigniting an old feud.

The story unfolds across militias, extremist groups, and resistance networks, while exploring father–daughter bonds, anti-fascist ideologies, and generational trauma. The cast includes Regina Hall, Sean Penn, and Teyana Taylor.

Awards and Critical Momentum
With five major honors, One Battle After Another led the winners list, outpacing titles like Sinners — which took Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler and Outstanding Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw — and If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You, which earned Rose Byrne Best Actress.

Other NBR winners include:

• Best Supporting Actress: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value)

• Best Directorial Debut: Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby)

• Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar (Train Dreams)

• Best Animated Feature: Arco

• Best International Film: It Was Just an Accident

• Best Documentary: Cover-Up

• Outstanding Stunt Artistry: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

The NBR also placed One Battle After Another at the top of its Top 10 Films list, alongside Sinners, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Frankenstein, Wicked: For Good, and others. While NBR winners rarely match Oscar Best Picture outcomes — the last alignment being Slumdog Millionaire in 2008 — the sweep positions the film as a major contender for the 2026 awards season.

This article is authored by Akanksha Sudham, an intern with Deccan Chronicle