What appears to be a saccharine “Cinderella” fairy tale hides the most raw reflection on humanity. Sean Baker is truly a master—this is a must-watch of the year.
🎬 Anora
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Anora, a Russian-speaking New York stripper, crosses paths with Ivan, a young Russian oligarch heir. A whirlwind romance ignites—luxury mansions, wild parties, yachts, private jets… Ivan sweeps Anora into a fantasy life straight out of a fairy tale. Their impulsive Las Vegas wedding crowns this illusion with glittering perfection.
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But reality shatters illusions. When Ivan’s oligarch family learns of the marriage, the dream collapses overnight. Crushed by familial power, Ivan flees, abandoning Anora and his godfather Toros in a chaotic, farcical pursuit.
Throughout this chase, Anora clings to the hope of love and marriage. She pleads with Ivan to defy his family, unaware she’s merely a pawn in their game. When Ivan coldly dismisses her with, “Thanks for making my American trip… interesting,” the icy truth is utterly heartbreaking.
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On the surface, the film seems a simple tale of the rich exploiting the vulnerable. Yet through subtle details, the director reveals something deeper:
To the oligarchs, Anora’s identity is irrelevant—whether stripper or shopgirl, she’s disposable. This class divide runs deeper than we dare imagine.
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The ending left me breathless—Anora and the bodyguard? I’m obsessed.
Snow falls silently outside a car as they sit inside. Anora straddles him, attempting to repay his kindness the only way she knows—through intimacy. But the man simply gazes at her, his eyes filled with pure reverence.
In that moment, she shatters. Collapsing into the arms of the man who’s quietly protected her, she weeps uncontrollably. That embrace destroyed me. She finally sees her “love” with Ivan for what it was—a self-made delusion. Here, in the wreckage, she finds something real.
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Outside, whirling snow. Inside, souls laid bare. The film closes with a dialogue-free long take—Sean Baker, you absolute genius. Perfection.