Anora: Sean Baker's Palme d'Or Winner Screens at Rome Film Fest

Sean Baker's 'Anora', winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes, screened in the Best Of section of the Festa del Cinema di Roma. The film follows Ani (Mikey Madison), a sex worker in a Manhattan club, whose life changes when she meets Vanja (Mark Eidelstein), the son of a Russian oligarch. He pays her $15,000 to be his girlfriend for a week, leading to a whirlwind romance and a Las Vegas wedding. The dream shatters when Vanja's family sends enforcers to annul the marriage, turning the film into a black comedy and action-packed chase through Brooklyn neighborhoods Coney Island and Brighton Beach. Baker blends a Cinderella story with the harsh reality of the American Dream, exploring class differences and the impossibility of social mobility. The film is described as a pop, Gen Z-accessible rom-com with a 'Pretty Woman' vibe, yet retains Baker's signature focus on marginalized characters. Madison's performance is praised for its charisma and physicality, and the unresolved ending suggests authentic connection is only possible between those of similar humble origins.