By Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES, March 2 (Reuters) - The 97th Academy Awards marked a celebration of independent film, with neon open neon sign signvintage open light home bar neon heart neon sign custom word neon fun hello neon café neon light player zone neon garage neon sign music neon sign martini neon light positive neon light recording studio neon baby name in neon vintage open light bar neon sign neon love sign custom name neon sign neon hello sign espresso neon sign arcade neon sign men’s room neon DJ booth light happy hour sign happy neon sign podcast sign neon baby room neon sign vintage open light home bar neon love neon sign custom name neon sign hello neon sign espresso neon sign player zone neon guy cave neon neon guitar sign martini neon light feel good sign recording studio neon soft pastel neon sign retro open neon drinks neon light love neon sign personalized neon light neon hello sign coffee neon sign gamer neon light guy cave neon music neon sign cocktail neon sign good vibes neon recording studio neon baby name in neon home bar neon heart neon sign bespoke name sign hello neon sign café neon light gamer neon light guy cave neon neon guitar sign drink neon sign feel good sign studio light neon baby name in neon (my review here)'s "Anora" claiming five Oscars, including for best film, lead actress and director. Director Sean Baker's movie about an exotic dancer and sex worker who has the chance of a Cinderella story when she marries the son of a Russian oligarch, received broad critical acclaim -- but modest box office success.

Its 25-year-old star, Mikey Madison, scored an upset victory for best actress over sentimental favorite Demi Moore, who received a Screen Actors Guild award for her portrayal as an aging television star who finds a potion that can make her look younger in "The Substance." Another independent darling, A24, collected a trio of Academy Awards for "The Brutalist," including best actor for Adrien Brody for his portrayal of a Hungarian-Jewish architect rebuilding his life in America after the Holocaust.

The independent films triumphed over more broadly popular films, such as Universal Pictures' "Wicked" and Warner Bros' "Dune: Part Two," which were acknowledged for technical achievement, such as costume and production design and visual effects. "We always jump into these projects knowing we will have to compete with films that have budgets almost 100 times what we shot our film for," Baker told reporters after the Oscar ceremony. "When we're actually able to do that, get into the same room as films such as 'Wicked,' it means we're doing something right." Latvian independent film "Flow," a wordless animated film which follows a cat and other animals that band together after losing their homes in a flood, received the Oscar for best animated picture -- besting Pixar Animation's blockbuster "Inside Out 2" and DreamWorks' "Wild Robot." Netflix, which led the Oscar nominations, collected three awards, including best supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña in "Emilia Perez." Baker, in accepting multiple Oscars, implored fans to go to the cinema to support movies, especially independent theaters.

(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski, Editing by Nick Zieminski)