On March 2, Sean Baker made history by becoming the first person to win four Oscars for a single film. It was a dominating achievement — especially for Anora, a film made with a budget of only $6 million. Anora is a neo-realist take on sex work, following Ani, played by Mikey Madison, who’s a stripper who enters a transactional sexual relationship with the son of a Russian oligarch. When he decides to marry her, she believes she has struck rich.
Throughout the film, we see the world through Ani’s perspective, sharing in her hope that she can escape her circumstances. This sense of optimism becomes a central tone, drawing the audience into the fantasy that she has, in fact, struck rich, but, as with all of Baker’s films, he has a way of reminding us that people are complex. Just when we’re fully immersed in Ani’s dream, he finds the perfect moment to rip it away.
Baker’s approach to sex work is deeply humanizing, focusing on the lived experiences of individuals rather than broad stereotypes. In doing so, he offers a rare, nuanced perspective on a profession that is often misrepresented on screen.
Sean Baker’s Longstanding Interest in Sex Work
Baker’s focus on sex work in his films began with Starlet (2012). In an interview with The Talks, he explained how researching that film changed his perspective: “I got to know sex workers and heard their stories and saw that everybody is an individual, that not one single film can represent all of sex work.”
Since then, he’s made five films centered on sex workers, each offering a different lens on their lives. Anora is his most explicit portrayal yet, working to destigmatize the industry right from the opening scene.
The film starts with a stylized sequence inside a strip club: pink and blue lighting, slow-motion edits, and an upbeat song repeating the phrase “stay close to me.” The scene feels dreamlike, almost surreal, emphasizing the fantasy that fuels the industry.
But then the camera focuses on Ani’s face during a lap dance, and the illusion cracks. She looks detached, almost bored. By normalizing her expressions within this context, Baker frames sex work as just that: work, complete with its mundane, repetitive nature.
The film then shifts to Ani moving through the club, searching for potential clients. We see how she adjusts her personality to fit each customer’s desires, showing the complexities of the job.
Finding the Mundane in the Scandalous
A standout scene in Anora occurs when Ani and her coworker, Lulu, take a smoke break. Lulu recounts a strange customer interaction: a man told her that she reminded him of his “18-year-old daughter” before purchasing five lap dances.
Rather than reacting with disgust, Ani and Lulu laugh. The moment highlights the way humor helps people cope with uncomfortable situations while also highlighting the solidarity between them based on their identities and experiences.
This singular scene of mundanity allows for the sex club to be reflected as a normal workplace environment. It’s not layered with judgments or a desire to portray sex workers as destitute but rather as any other service worker. This creates a feeling of nuance that allows for the characters to transform away from an archetype.
This portrayal of sex work is one of the most endearing qualities of Baker’s film and allows them to have a grit gentleness. By working with Indie studios like NEON, Baker is afforded the luxury of artistic freedom, often casting non-actors and real sex workers in his films. This creates a culture within his work that feels authentic and grounded.
The Power of Risk
Baker’s ability to create this kind of authenticity comes from his unique approach to filmmaking. He encourages improvisation and collaborates with his performers, allowing them to shape their characters naturally. It’s a risky strategy, but one that has defined his career.
Finding ways to push against normativity has allowed him to stand out in the industry. One of the riskiest decisions he made was for Tangerine — a film shot entirely on an iPhone 5s with an estimated budget of $100,000. Although it may not be my favorite project of his, it encapsulates the spirit of his work and paved the way for his future projects.
His 2017 film The Florida Project, which is one of my personal favorites, captures the struggles of transitional homelessness through the eyes of a child. The film follows Moonee, a young girl living in a motel just outside Disney World with her mother, Halley. The motel’s bright pink and aquamarine exterior creates a whimsical facade, contrasting sharply with the harsh realities of poverty.
Despite her circumstances, Moonee’s playful energy fills the screen, making her eventual realization that she may be taken from her mother even more heartbreaking. The film ends in a signature Baker style: without a clean resolution. Moonee and her friend, hand in hand, run toward Disney World in a dreamlike escape.
This moment creates interesting commentary on the way that capitalism commodifies our dreams and imagination, a moment that is abruptly interrupted by the credits, denying the audience closure on this commentary.
A Signature Ending
Baker uses the same technique in Anora’s emotionally raw ending. Throughout the film, Ani maintains a tough, unshakable exterior. But when Igor, employed by the Russian oligarch, shows her genuine care, she spirals, unsure of how to process real affection. She lashes out, hitting him before breaking down in his arms. Just as the moment reaches its peak, the screen cuts to black, the credits roll, and the audience can still hear the sound of Ani’s sobs.
This abrupt ending has divided audiences. Some see it as another way Baker sexualizes Ani, while others, myself included, view it as a moment of self-awareness for her character. Ani realizes that all her relationships are built on transactions, and when faced with something real, her instinct is to offer her body; but then, she realizes, she’s objectifying herself — it’s a moment of clarity she doesn’t know how to handle.
Why Baker’s Win Matters
Baker’s shocking Oscar sweep isn’t just a win for him, it’s also a win for independent cinema. In an industry dominated by blockbuster franchises and billion-dollar budgets, Anora proves that small, deeply personal films can still break through.
By staying out of the Hollywood machine, Baker preserves his creative freedom. His films don’t wrap things up neatly or feed audiences what they expect. They force us to sit with uncomfortable realities, to engage with characters we might otherwise overlook.
At a time when politicians and corporations are tightening their grip on the media we consume, filmmakers like Baker remind us why independent storytelling matters. His work challenges us to seek out unconventional art — because sometimes, it’s the stories that push boundaries that change the way we see the world.
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