“Everything Everywhere All at Once” won big-time at the 2023 Academy Awards, taking home seven trophies from 11 nominations, including the highest honor of best picture. Seven Oscars for one film does not happen often, and only a couple dozen other films have achieved the status. Before “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) was the most-awarded picture in recent decades. The highest number won by a single film is 11, which three films have achieved in the 95-year history of the awards. Check out the list below to see the most awarded films in Oscar history.
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Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – 11
Image Credit: ©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection The concluding film of Peter Jackson’s trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels took home the most trophies of any film in the 21st century. The 2003 film won all 11 of its nominations including best picture, director, adapted screenplay, editing, set decoration, costume design, makeup, original score, original song, sound mixing and visual effects.
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Titanic – 11
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection The story of a romance torn apart by the Titanic ship’s fate, this 1997 James Cameron classic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet matched the 11-Oscar record taking home best picture, director, cinematography, set decoration, costume design, film editor, score, song, sound, sound effects editing and visual effects.
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Ben-Hur – 11
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection “Ben-Hur” shows what happens when a Jewish prince, whose Roman friend betrayed him and put him into slavery, is hungry for revenge. The 1959 film was the first to win 11 Oscars, for best picture, director, actor, supporting actor, cinematography (color), set decoration (color), costume design (color), film editing, score, sound and special effects.
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West Side Story – 10
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstoc This 1961 classic featuring Rita Moreno portrays the classic “Romeo and Juliet” story through a modernized New York city lens. It took home 10 Oscars for best picture, director, supporting actor, supporting actress, cinematography (color), set decoration (color), costume design (color), film editing, score and sound.
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The English Patient – 9
Image Credit: Courtesy of Miramax A World War II plane crash survivor starts having flashbacks that uncover a love affair as he is taken care of by a young nurse. The 1996 romance, directed by Anthony Minghella, scored nine wins for best picture, director, supporting actress, cinematography, set decoration, costume design, film editing, score and sound.
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The Last Emperor – 9
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Unsurprisingly, the 1987 film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci tells the story of the last emperor of China, and it won all nine of its nominations for best picture, director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, set decoration, costume design, film editing, score and sound.
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Gigi – 9
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM “Gigi” (1958) shows the blossoming friendship relationship between a wealthy playboy and a training courtesan. The Vincente Minnelli musical took home nine wins for its nine nominations including best picture, director, adapted screenplay, cinematography (color), set decoration, costume design, film editing, score and original song.
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Slumdog Millionaire – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. When a teenager from the Mumbai slums is featured on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and gets arrested for potential cheating, his past becomes clearer. The most Oscar-awarded work in recent years, this 2008 film scored eight for best picture, director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, film editing, score, song and sound mixing.
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Amadeus – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy of Orion Pictures Milos Forman’s film tells the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his fierce rival, composer Antonio Salieri. The 1984 film won eight Academy Awards for best picture, director, actor, adapted screenplay, set decoration, costume design, sound and makeup.
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Gandhi – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection Telling the story of the acclaimed Indian anti-colonial nationalist and political leader who emphasized nonviolence, this 1982 film directed by Richard Attenborough scored eight wins for best picture, director, actor, original screenplay, cinematography, set decoration, costume design and film editing.
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Cabaret – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Directed by Bob Fosse, the musical tells the story of Sally Bowles, a promiscuous American performer in in Berlin during the Nazi rise to power. “Cabaret” (1972) scored the most wins of any film that hasn’t won best picture, and took home eight Oscars for director, actress, supporting actor, set decoration, film editing, score and sound.
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My Fair Lady – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. The musical classic tells the story of an arrogant professor who believes he can turn a working-class girl into a member of high society. This 1964 George Cukor film won eight Oscars for best picture, director, actor, cinematography (color), set decoration (color), costume design (color), score and sound.
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On the Waterfront – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures In Elia Kazan’s classic crime drama “On the Waterfront,” Marlon Brando plays a former prizefighter who has to stand up to his union bosses, which happen to include his older brother. The 1954 film scored wins for best picture, director, actor, supporting actress, screenplay, cinematography (black and white), set decoration (black and white) and film editing.
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From Here to Eternity – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures “From Here to Eternity” (1953) takes place in 1941 Hawaii as a private receives punishment and a captain’s wife and second-in-command fall for each other. The film won eight Oscars for best picture, director, supporting actor, supporting actress, screenplay, cinematography (black and white), film editing and sound.
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Gone With the Wind – 8
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection “Gone With the Wind” shows a passionate romance between a Southern belle and a blockade runner taking place amid the Civil War and Reconstruction period. The 1939 film has been met with controversy for its inaccurate depictions of slavery though it received eight Oscars in its time for best picture, director, actress, supporting actress, screenplay, cinematography (color), art direction and film editing, as well as an honorary Oscar for the William Cameron Menzies’s achievement in the use of color and the technical achievement award.
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Gravity – 7
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection The 2013 film shows two astronauts struggling to survive after being stranded in space. “Gravity” won seven Oscars for directing, cinematography, film editing, score, sound editing, sound mixing and visual effects, making Alfonso Cuarón the first Hispanic and Mexican person to take home the directing prize.
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Shakespeare in Love – 7
Image Credit: Everett Collection Facing writers’ block and broke, a young William Shakespeare meets the muse to inspire his greatest work in John Madden’s 1998 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ralph Fienees. After a heated season of Oscar campaigning, “Shakespeare in Love” took home seven Oscars for best picture, actress, supporting actress, screenplay, set decoration, costume design and score.
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Schindler’s List – 7
Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Witnessing his Jewish workforce being terrorized by Nazis in occupied Poland in World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler must make a decision with people’s lives at stake. The 1993 Steven Spielberg film won seven Oscars for best picture, director, screenplay, cinematography, set decoration, film editing and score.
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Dances With Wolves – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of Orion Pictures Kevin Costner’s directing debut tells the story of Lieutenant John Dunbar, a Union soldier who transfers to a remote outpost during the Civil War and develops a growing rapport with the nearby Sioux tribe. The 1990 Western won seven Oscars for best picture, director, screenplay, cinematography, sound, editing and score.
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Out of Africa – 7
Image Credit: Universal Studios “Out of Africa” (1985) depicts a colonial Kenya in the 1900s where a Danish plantation owner, played by Meryl Streep, falls in love with a big-game hunter, played by Robert Redford. The sweeping Sydney Pollack romance took home seven Academy Awards for best picture, director, screenplay, cinematography, set decoration, sound and score.
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The Sting – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal Studios “The Sting” (1970) revolves around 1930s grifters, played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford, attempting to pull off a big-time con. The George Roy Hill caper film took home seven Oscars for best picture, director, screenplay, set decoration, costume design, film editing and score.
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Patton – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox George C. Scott stars in the 1970 biopic about controversial American general George S. Patton during World War II. It received seven Oscars for best picture, actor, director, screenplay, set decoration, sound and film editing.
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Lawrence of Arabia – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures The 1962 David Lean historical epic tells the story of English officer T.E. Lawrence, who led Arab tribes in fighting the Turks in World War I. Receiving seven Academy Awards, the film won best picture, director, cinematography (color), set decoration (color), sound, film editing and score.
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The Bridge on the River Kwai – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957) tells the story of British prisoners of war who must build a bridge in occupied Burma for their Japanese captors, meanwhile the allied forces have plans to destroy it. The David Lean film took home seven Oscars for best picture, actor, director, screenplay, cinematography, film editing and scoring.
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The Best Years of Our Lives – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946) shows World War II veterans coming home to the Midwest only to find that their families have been changed. It won seven Academy Awards for best picture, actor, supporting actor, director, screenplay, film editing and score, as well as an honorary award to Harold Russell.
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Going My Way – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures The 1944 musical comedy revolves around a priest who joins a Manhattan parish only to be met by skepticism from another father. “Going My Way” received seven Oscars for best picture, actor, supporting actor, director, writing (original story), writing (screenplay) and song.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once – 7
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection After gathering up most of the trophies at earlier awards ceremonies, The Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” swept the 2023 Oscars with seven wins, for best picture, best actress, best supporting actor and actress, best director, best editing and original screenplay.
