After being presented with the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, Sean Baker took the opportunity to show his appreciation for sex workers. Listening to the voices of many sex workers from all backgrounds, Baker learned how many stories there are to be told. I believe his films remain a testament to his appreciation for sex work.
Following the success of “The Florida Project,” Sean Baker created a film starring Mikey Madison as the titular “Anora.” Ani, as she expresses she’d rather be called throughout the film, is a 23-year-old sex worker in Brooklyn, New York.
Not without spunk and spirit, Anora makes her living at a club in Manhattan where she is introduced to Ivan, played by Mark Eydelshteyn, the son of Russian oligarchs. From there Ivan and Anora embark on a whirlwind romance much to Ivan’s relatives’ dismay.
Baker is no stranger to showing a deeper portrayal of sex work and all that comes with it. Known for his sentimentality that is strategically woven with humor, Baker can subtly and discretely elicit strong emotional responses before the audience can even understand why.
While “Florida Project” focused on poverty through a child’s eyes, the focus of “Anora” remains on sex workers; Baker’s filmwork remains individualistic. The tasteful cast, camera work, and realistic settings are strong throughout his films. It is hard to miss Baker’s key elements that have stayed strong in his films.
There is a strong sensitivity and poignancy surrounding the characters of this film. Sex work is rarely portrayed in films in a way that audiences, specifically other sex workers, feel it is well-illustrated.
Rather than focusing on villainizing or stereotyping this line of work, Baker takes the opportunity to create an authentic experience. Through using meticulous casting and locations to bring a realistic and touching portrayal of an otherwise taboo and villainized field of work.
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One of Baker’s most admirable qualities is his ability to cast fitting actors and nonprofessionals. Madison is a wonderful example of this, for her tireless training going into this movie is not lost throughout, making her performance feel more authentic. As well as Baker’s filming choices, real strip clubs and airports were purposefully left open for business during filming.
Baker centering the storyline around sex work and the working class is not an easy feat. The realistic elements of casting and location are not only a pleasant addition but necessary when portraying such a complex topic.
Madison’s portrayal of Anora is nothing short of entertaining and sentimental while the film continues to delve deeper into the character’s true emotions and misgivings. For her first lead performance, Madison decided to put her all into this role.
Madison spent months with a dance coach and took lessons from exotic dancers to make the dancing on screen look effortless for her character. Madison’s performance has been widely discussed since “Anora” was released, and she is a possible contender for an Oscar this year.
Anora’s “fairytale come to life” starts to turn sour as the film progresses. Anora and Ivan’s relationship begins to crumble under external factors and Ivan’s faults.
The film concludes with a final scene packed with raw emotion. Anora’s vulnerability shining at the end is so much more moving after seeing so much of her spunk throughout the movie.
“Anora” is now playing at FilmScene in Iowa City.