The dramatic comedy Anora, which already boasts the prestigious Palme d’Or from the Cannes Festival, has now achieved another major success at the Telluride Festival. Although no high-prestige awards are given out at this event, the small Colorado town attracts the crème de la crème of the American film industry, eager to get a glimpse of the latest cinematic offerings.

The American premiere of Anora was held here, and it captivated everyone, from producers to critics and film fans. One producer told Variety that they are determined to work with Anora‘s lead actress, Mikey Madison, as soon as possible. According to the magazine, there was also buzz in Telluride that Madison‘s performance is a serious Oscar contender.

Sean Baker, the film’s director, is indeed known for putting his actors in Oscar-worthy positions; a few years ago, Willem Dafoe was nominated for the golden statuette for their 2015 film, Tangerine. Festival-goers believe that Baker has now introduced two new Russian talents to the world in Anora. One is the male lead, Mark Eydelshteyn, who plays a Russian oligarch’s son, and the other is Yura Borisov, who takes on the role of a tough guy.

Anora is admittedly a modern Cinderella story, but it has also been described as a wilder and more absurd version of Pretty Woman. The heroine is an Uzbek sex worker in Brooklyn who befriends a somewhat scatterbrained billionaire’s son (Eydelshteyn), and after a wild week, they marry in Las Vegas. The Russian parents do not support the idea and send their men to annul the marriage. What follows is a madcap series of events, but, as is usual with Baker, there are lessons to be learned along the way.

(Anora – domestic release date: November 7, 2024.)