The director Sean Baker (1971) has made 5 films, among which 'The Florida Project' and 'Tangerine' stand out. He was recently awarded an Oscar for the film 'Anora', which tells the story of a young stripper. Due to her proficiency in Russian, her boss arranges clients who speak this language for her. (Movie distributor Cinemundo)
In the story, the son of one of the oligarchs who emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union appears. The young man, named Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), begins a romantic relationship with Anora.
Ivan is depicted as a young man showing signs of emotional neglect, seeming like a 'spoiled child', constantly seeking validation in romantic relationships and dependencies, such as addiction to video games, promiscuous sex, alcohol, and even drugs. Anora starts to fill the emotional void for him, as these addictions only provide him with a temporary sense of pleasure or escape. He lives in a luxurious mansion surrounded by wealth and abundance.
He hires Anora for a week to live with him, leading to several soft-core scenes, which the film is somewhat filled with. For some, the film's narrative is a disappointment, as it doesn't delve deeply into these issues. Despite the strong performances of the characters, the structure of the script shows some predictability, failing to explore what lies beneath, especially in Ivan's personality, and the confusing mixture of English and Russian languages.
As for cinematography, the visual aesthetic is one of the strong points, with compositions, photography, and the creation of an engaging atmosphere. However, the sex scenes are somewhat lengthy. Is it that a certain innovation and originality brought something new to the cinematic narrative, addressing themes in an innovative, though shallow, way? The technical quality, editing, and soundtrack, along with the emotional impact, if they manage to touch the audience's hearts, could contribute to the Oscar, though doubts about the awarded prize may still arise.
Baker also won awards for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing, among others.
The Oscar may be seen as justified by some, while others may disagree. Appreciation is highly personal and dependent on a variety of factors.