Anora

The 2024 American romantic comedy directed by Sean Baker tells the story of an energetic Uzbek-American girl named Anora, who prefers to be called Ani. She grew up in the multicultural Brighton Beach neighborhood of New York City and works as a stripper in a local club. Thanks to her grandmother, who didn't speak English, Ani knows Russian, which helps her communicate with Russian-speaking clients. One day, she meets Ivan, the spoiled son of a powerful Russian oligarch, who has come to New York ostensibly for studies but is actually leading a lavish lifestyle. A quick connection forms between them, and Ivan offers Ani to be his companion for a week for a generous fee. Their relationship rapidly develops, and soon they decide to marry in Las Vegas. However, Ivan's parents, upon learning of the unequal marriage, fly in from Moscow to break up their son's union with a girl from the lower class. They hire a charismatic Armenian named Toros and his assistants, including the silent gopnik Igor, to carry out this task. The film was acclaimed by critics for its deep social context and accurate representation of the sex industry, and it was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Mikey Madison.