The Ridley Scott film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 2001 ceremony was Gladiator.
Gladiator was released in 2000, but it won Best Picture at the 73rd Academy Awards, held on 25 March 2001. The ceremony honored films released during the previous year, which is why the film is often associated with both 2000 and 2001.
The historical epic follows Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed after Emperor Marcus Aurelius dies. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and seeks revenge against Commodus, the new emperor who murdered his family.
Gladiator won five Oscars in total, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. It competed for Best Picture against films including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Erin Brockovich, Chocolat, and Traffic. Its win helped revive the modern sword-and-sandal epic.