Sean Baker‘s “Anora” has already received the coveted Palme d’Or and, most not too long ago, the New York Movie Critics Circle’s Greatest Screenplay award, however accepting the prize, he mentioned his personal mom tried to sway him away from making the movie.
Baker mentioned through the 2025 NYFCC ceremony that his mother disapproved of him writing a movie from the attitude of an erotic dancer (Mikey Madison) who weds a Russian billionaire (Mark Eydelshteyn), solely to have her dream life dominated as a sham marriage. Yura Borisov, Vache Tovmasyan, and Karren Karagulian star because the fixers who push for an annulment.
Author/director Baker has centered his profession on telling the tales of intercourse staff, with earlier movies “Pink Rocket” and “Tangerine” destigmatizing the business. “Anora” is the most important movie of Baker’s profession, touchdown almost 200 nominations from the Golden Globes, key guilds, and critics’ teams forward of Oscar nominations being introduced. The New York Movie Critics Circle Greatest Screenplay win is the most recent accolade for Baker’s “Anora.”
“My mom wouldn’t agree along with your selection,” Baker mentioned. “I don’t suppose she even made it by way of ‘Pink Rocket.’ After which, after she noticed, I assume half of it, she requested me what was subsequent. I pitched ‘Anora’ to her over the cellphone, and he or she actually mentioned — I’m quoting — ‘Sean, folks don’t wish to see that.’”
Fortunately, Baker was undeterred.
“In all honesty, this award does make issues simpler,” indie icon Baker mentioned. “As a filmmaker, it’s validating and most significantly, it’s encouraging.”
Baker mentioned, “I’m inspired to proceed to jot down and make these movies that may ultimately obtain scathing and demoralizing opinions from the one and solely Richard Brody [from The New Yorker]. However relaxation assured, my mother will learn your opinions.”
Additionally through the ceremony, Jim Jarmusch applauded Baker’s depiction of intercourse onscreen.
“What I liked so admirably about intercourse on this movie is the way it’s diversified,” Jarmusch mentioned when introducing Baker. “And it’s not, often, no less than in American movies. They usually do intercourse to a type of cliche. On this movie, it’s largely transactional. It’s typically mechanical, typically it’s foolish, typically it’s sensual, but it surely’s simply one thing very, very robust. I prefer to see intercourse in movies that present the number of what it’s and never as admirable too, on this movie.”
Jarmusch, whose “punk rock method to filmmaking” with options corresponding to “Thriller Practice” and “Night time on Earth” impressed the “DNA” of “Anora,” based on Baker, additionally in contrast Baker to John Cassavetes.
“Sean Baker, you deserve this award,” Jarmusch mentioned.