'Anora,' the latest film by Sean Baker, made its UK debut at the BFI London Film Festival, garnering notice for its powerful depiction of life without the usual Hollywood extravaganza. Speaking at London's Royal Festival Hall, Baker and the movie's actor, Mikey Madison, underlined the value of seeing movies on the big screen that don't just include explosions and superheroes.
The Palme d'Or-winning film "Anora" stars Madison in the title character as a Brooklyn sex worker on Brighton Beach who gets involved with the son of a Russian tycoon. The movie, which wowed audiences at Cannes before playing to large crowds at Telluride and Toronto, has been commended for its nuanced treatment of its themes and characters.
In a conversation organized by Kristy Matheson, the festival director, Baker described how he went about crafting a "twisted Cinderella story" using Coney Island as the backdrop. He and Madison also discussed how delicate it is to film intimate situations, pointing out that there are no intimacy coordinators on site but stressing the meticulous preparation and high standards of comfort.
In order to ensure that the sex scenes were handled delicately and respectfully, Baker emphasized that they be addressed with clinical precision, leaving no space for improvisation. Madison highlighted the teamwork involved in bringing each scene to life on screen by providing insights into the lengthy conversations and planning that went into it.
October 18 in the United States and November 1 in the United Kingdom are the scheduled release dates for the Neon-distributed feature. "Anora" is proof of Baker's dedication to making movies that appeal to grownups by emphasizing human tales above spectacle.