It’s been a wild Oscar season, full of thrilling campaigns, shocking scandals, and above all else, incredible movies. Going into this final weekend, Best Picture seemed far from a lock, as award bodies weren’t revealing a clear frontrunner.
The Vatican-set thriller Conclave won the BAFTA. Anora won Critics Choice and the Spirit Awards, while the Golden Globes gave Best Drama to The Brutalist and Best Musical/Comedy to Emilia Pérez. But as the final moments of the 97th Academy Awards drew to a close, there could only be one Best Picture winner, and that honor went to Anora.
Nominated for six Academy Awards, Oscar–winning director Sean Baker’s Anora stars Oscar–winning actress Mikey Madison as Brooklyn sex worker, looking for love but also breathing room when she marries the carefree son of a Russian oligarch. But when his parents find out about their vows, a trio of not-so-tough minions are sent to break them up. In Mashable’s rave review of the film, I wrote, “Anora is a visceral experience, making its audience not voyeurs but one of the crew. Thus embedded, our pulses race, our eyes grow wide, our hearts dance as our heroes do. Anora offers a glorious thrill, as bold as it is brilliant.”
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In their acceptance speeches, both Baker and Madison thanked the sex workers who shared their experiences to make Anora come to life. At the end of the Oscars, Anora walked away with five Academy Awards, including Best Achievement in Editing and Best Original Screenplay.
How to watch: Anora is available on Prime Video for rent or purchase.