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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Anora

Anora is a 2024 American romantic comedy-drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Sean Baker.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Anora is a 2024 American romantic comedy-drama that won the Palme d’Or and multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

What it is

Directed by Sean Baker, the film follows Anora “Ani” Mikheeva (Mikey Madison), a Brooklyn sex worker whose impulsive marriage to the son of a Russian oligarch sparks a family effort to annul it. The cast includes Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, and Aleksei Serebryakov.

Why it matters

Anora won the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and later five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Its success highlights Baker’s distinctive style—mixing humour, sex-work themes, and class conflict—and its theatrical release reached Canadian audiences in 2024.

Key details

The film premiered on May 21, 2024 at Cannes and was released by Neon. It is often described as a modern Cinderella story with a chaotic edge. Baker wrote, directed, produced, and edited the film himself.

In short

  • Won Palme d’Or at Cannes and multiple Oscars, including Best Picture
  • Directed by Sean Baker, who also wrote, produced, and edited
  • Stars Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn sex worker in a troubled marriage
  • Released in Canadian theatres in 2024
Canadian angle

Anora was released in Canadian theatres in 2024 and received coverage from Canadian and international entertainment outlets, making it relevant to Canadian film audiences.

Quick questions

What is Anora about?
It follows Ani, a Brooklyn sex worker, whose impulsive marriage to the son of a Russian oligarch triggers a family effort to annul it.
Who directed Anora?
Sean Baker directed the film.
Did Anora win major awards?
Yes. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and later multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anora
    Supports: Basic film identification, director, cast, premiere, release, box office, and Palme d’Or claim.
  2. Wikipedia (German) — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anora_(2024)
    Supports: Cannes premiere and Academy Award wins including Best Picture and Best Director-related honors.
  3. AlloCiné — https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=323024.html
    Supports: French release date, runtime, genre, and synopsis.
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/anora
    Supports: Genre, synopsis, release information, director, producer names, and content rating.
  5. NPR — https://www.npr.org/2024/10/23/nx-s1-5159909/anora-sean-baker-mikey-madison
    Supports: Plot outline, character names, and the marriage-annulment premise.