Anora: Sean Baker’s Dazzling Rom-Dramedy, the Small Indie that Could

Anora Has Already Won the Big Three

In a dazzling sweep, Anora has claimed the trinity of guild awards—PGA, DGA, and WGA, solidifying its place as the film to beat.

The Producers Guild honored its flawless execution, the Directors Guild hailed Sean Baker’s visionary touch, and the Writers Guild crowned its razor-sharp screenplay.

This trifecta is historic and prophetic. Films that achieve this rare feat often dominate the Oscars, and Anora seems poised to be the favorite Best Picture winner (though major upsets have happened before).

Throughout, he creates scenes that feel alive and engaging at the same time. From the tension of a home invasion to the quiet vulnerability of a shared glance, every frame shows authenticity.

Baker’s intentions were towards “telling human stories that are hopefully universal. It’s helping remove the stigma that’s been applied to sex work that’s always been applied to this livelihood.”

Baker hired Andrea Werhun, a Canadian writer and actress known for her 2018 memoir, “Modern Whore,” about her prior time as a sex worker, as a creative consultant.

Baker said that Anora is of Russian ethnicity and “from one of the post-Soviet countries.

Baker cast Mikey Madison, without an audition, after seeing her in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) and Scream (2022).

Madison learned Russian, visited strip clubs, and studied the Brooklyn accent to prepare.