ANORA Trailer 2 (2024) Mikey Madison

ANORA Trailer 2 (2024) Mikey Madison

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ANORA Trailer 2 (2024) Mikey Madison, Drama, Romance Movie
© 2025 - NEON

"We are married! They're gonna have to accept that!" Neon has debuted the second US trailer for Anora, the beloved Palme d'Or winner from the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, made by acclaimed filmmaker Sean Baker (of Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket). This has been getting rave reviews from everyone since Cannes, with stops at TIFF and NYFF. Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn who works nightly as a stripper in Manhattan, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and then impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch named Vanya (aka Ivan). Once the news reaches Russia, their little fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. So begins 24 hours of stressful NYC mayhem as hired goons pick her up and try to find Ivan. Mikey Madison stars as Ani as one of this year's big breakouts, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, & Vache Tovmasyan. Anora is finally opening in US theaters starting this month - a must watch whenever it plays near you. This is a nice fairy tale trailer that captures the dreamy, wacky vibe of the film - check it out below and watch out.

Here's the second official trailer (+ poster) for Sean Baker's film Anora, direct from Neon's YouTube:

Anora Poster

You can rewatch the first US trailer for Sean Baker's Anora right here, and the international trailer here.

Ani (Mikey Madison) is a young Uzbek-American stripper from Brighton Beach, a Russophone enclave in New York City. As she is somewhat conversant in Russian, her boss at the strip club fixes her up with a Russian-speaking client. After meeting Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch, a romance kindles that leads to their elopement while on a trip to Las Vegas. Their fairytale marriage is threatened when the man's parents travel to New York to force an annulment. Anora is written and directed by acclaimed American filmmaker Sean Baker, director of the films Four Letter Words, Take Out, Prince of Broadway, Starlet, Tangerine, The Florida Project, and Red Rocket previously. Produced by Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker. This first premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year (read our review). Neon debuts Baker's Anora in select US theaters starting October 18th, 2024 this fall. Don't miss it. Who's in?
Anora

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sean Baker
Written by Sean Baker
Produced by
Alex Coco
Samantha Quan
Sean Baker
Starring
Mikey Madison
Mark Eydelshteyn
Yura Borisov
Karren Karagulian
Vache Tovmasyan
Aleksei Serebryakov
Cinematography Drew Daniels
Edited by Sean Baker
Music by Matthew Hearon-Smith
Production
companies
FilmNation Entertainment
Cre Film
Distributed by Neon
Release dates
May 21, 2024 (Cannes)
October 18, 2024 (United States)
Running time 139 minutes[1]
Country United States
Languages
English
Russian[2]
Armenian
Box office $2.4 million[3][4]
Anora is a 2024 American romantic comedy-drama film written, directed, and edited by Sean Baker. It follows the beleaguered marriage of Brooklyn stripper Anora (Mikey Madison) and the son of a Russian oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn); Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Aleksei Serebryakov also star.

Anora premiered on May 21, 2024, in competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d'Or, the first American film to do so since The Tree of Life in 2011; it was released theatrically on October 18, 2024, by Neon. The film received acclaim for Madison's performance and Baker's direction, screenplay, and editing.

Plot
Anora "Ani" Mikheeva is a young stripper living in Brighton Beach, a Russian-speaking neighborhood in Brooklyn. Although she is good at her job, Ani is unhappy with her life and looking for a way out.

As Ani is the only stripper in her upscale Manhattan strip club who speaks Russian, her boss introduces her to Ivan "Vanya" Zakharov, the dissolute and immature son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Vanya is ostensibly in America to study, but prefers to party and play video games in his family's Brooklyn mansion. His parents pay his godfather Toros and henchmen Garnick and Igor to keep an eye on him and clean up his messes.

Although Ani does not see herself as a prostitute, Vanya hires her for several sexual encounters. He grows attached to Ani and pays her $15,000 to stay with him for a week and pose as his girlfriend, triggering a whirlwind romance. Vanya and his entourage fly to Las Vegas, where Vanya asks Ani to marry him. Although Ani is initially skeptical, Vanya insists his love is genuine, and they elope in a small Vegas wedding chapel.

After the wedding, Vanya offhandedly mentions that he hopes to use Ani to obtain a green card so that he will not have to go home and work for his inattentive father, Nikolai. Ani quits her job at the club and throws herself into to the role of Vanya's devoted wife, but Vanya remains childish and thoughtless. News of the wedding spreads on Russian social media, to the fury of Vanya's domineering mother, Galina, and Nikolai. They immediately fly to America to confront their son. In the meantime, Galina orders Toros to find the couple and arrange an annulment.

Toros sends Garnick and Igor to confront Ani and Vanya at the mansion. They inform Vanya that his parents will take him back to Russia and enrage Ani by repeatedly calling her a prostitute. Vanya flees on foot, leaving Ani to deal with the fallout. She fights Garnick and Igor, destroying much of Vanya's living room in the process; however, they eventually subdue her. When Toros arrives, he lectures Ani about Vanya's immaturity and explains that Vanya has no personal assets to split in a divorce. He offers her $10,000 to accept the annulment. Ani insists that she and Vanya are in love, but reluctantly agrees to help Toros find him in hope that she is able to remind Vanya of their love and convince him to stay with her against his family's wishes. Toros also confiscates Ani's wedding ring.

Ani, Toros, Garnick, and Igor spend most of the night driving around Brooklyn looking for Vanya. They learn that Vanya, unable to cope with the stress, has gone on a bender and is visiting a string of nightclubs. Ani catches Vanya receiving a lap dance from a rival stripper at her old workplace. She desperately tries to explain the situation to Vanya, but he is too intoxicated to listen. After learning that a New York judge cannot annul the wedding since Ani and Vanya were wed in Nevada, Galina – who has just landed in New York with Nikolai – orders the group to fly to Las Vegas.

Ani introduces herself to Vanya's parents in Russian, attempting to prove herself to them and salvage her marriage to Vanya, but Galina is unmoved and openly contemptuous of Ani. Vanya immediately concedes to his parents, coldly telling Ani that the marriage is impossible, and appears to care little for Ani or any part of their relationship. Ani threatens to force Vanya through lengthy divorce proceedings to end their marriage, but Galina promises to destroy her life if she does so. Ani, recognizing Vanya's immaturity and his family's dysfunction, gives in and signs the annulment papers. She mocks Vanya and berates Galina for being such a bad mother that Vanya married a stripper to disrespect and annoy her. Nikolai laughs gleefully, acknowledging the truth in Ani's outburst. After the papers are signed, Igor suggests that Vanya apologize to Ani, but Galina insists that her son will not apologize to anyone, and Vanya will not be held accountable for what he has put Ani through.

Igor takes Ani back to New York to pack up her belongings. They spend a final night in Vanya's family's mansion, where they exchange mild, but genuine, conversation. In the morning, Igor gives Ani the money Toros promised her and drives her home. Before dropping her off, he returns Ani's wedding ring as a token of goodwill. Ani responds by initiating sex with him, but recoils when he tries to kiss her. She breaks down crying in his arms.

Cast
Mikey Madison as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva, a high-priced stripper at the Headquarters strip club[5]
Mark Eydelshteyn (alternatively anglicized to "Eidelstein") as Ivan "Vanya" Zakharov, the wealthy son of a Russian oligarch[6]
Yura Borisov as Igor, a Russian henchman hired by Toros to look after Vanya
Karren Karagulian as Toros, an Orthodox priest and Vanya's godfather
Vache Tovmasyan as Garnick, an Armenian henchman hired by Toros
Aleksei Serebryakov as Nikolai Zakharov, Vanya's father
Darya Ekamasova as Galina Zakharova, Vanya's mother
Lindsey Normington as Diamond, a Headquarters stripper who competes with Ani for clients
Ivy Wolk as Crystal, Vanya’s friend who works at a Coney Island candy shop
Luna Sofía Miranda as Lulu, another Headquarters stripper
Alena Gurevich as Klara
Sebastian Conelli as Tow Truck Driver
Production

Director Sean Baker with his wife and co-producer Samantha Quan
For Anora, Baker has stated that his intentions were towards "telling human stories, by telling stories that are hopefully universal [...] It's helping remove the stigma that's been applied to [sex work], that's always been applied to this livelihood."[7] Baker hired Andrea Werhun, a Canadian writer and actress best known for her 2018 memoir Modern Whore about her prior time as a sex worker, as a creative consultant.[8]

Baker chose to cast Mikey Madison as the eponymous character after seeing her performances in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Scream.[9] He hired Madison without an audition.[10] Madison learned Russian, visited strip clubs, and studied the Brooklyn accent to prepare for the part.[10] Although some media outlets incorrectly reported that the character of Anora Mikheeva was Uzbek-American, Baker later clarified in an interview with NPR that Anora "is of Russian ethnicity" and "from one of the post-Soviet countries".[9][11][12]

Principal photography took place at the beginning of 2023 in Brooklyn, New York.[13] For the Zakharov mansion, Baker filmed at 2458 National Drive, a Mill Basin mansion once owned by Vasily Anisimov, an actual oligarch with ties to Russia. Baker had searched on Google for "the biggest and best mansion in Brighton Beach."[14] To learn more about the area, Baker and Mikey Madison temporarily moved to southern Brooklyn during pre-production. Toros and Ani's search for Vanya during his Brooklyn bender is filmed in a number of restaurants and clubs that the producers had actually frequented.[15]

At a press conference in Cannes, Madison stated that Baker and producer Samantha Quan, who is Baker's wife, would act out different sex positions to demonstrate what they wanted the actors to do. Madison was offered an intimacy coordinator, but said: "As I'd already created a really comfortable relationship with both of them for about a year, I felt that that would be where I was most comfortable with and it ended up working so perfectly."[7]

Release

Yura Borisov, Sean Baker, Mikey Madison, Karren Karagulian and Vache Tovmasyan at TIFF 2024
Worldwide distribution rights were acquired by FilmNation Entertainment in October 2023. The film was then sold by FilmNation to Le Pacte for France, Lev for Israel, Kismet for Australia and New Zealand, and Focus Features/Universal Pictures International for the rest of the world excluding North America in deals similar to those made on Baker's previous film, Red Rocket.[13] In November 2023, Neon acquired North American distribution rights to the film,[16] and opened it in limited release on October 18, 2024.[17][18]

Anora premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2024,[19][20] and won the festival's Palme d'Or on May 25.[21] It earned a 10-minute standing ovation at the end of its screening.[22] It became the fifth consecutive Palme d'Or winner distributed by Neon in the United States, following Parasite, Titane, Triangle of Sadness, and Anatomy of a Fall; all except Titane went on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, with Parasite winning.[23] It is also the first American-produced film to win the Palme d'Or since 2011's The Tree of Life.[24]

The film also played at the Toronto International Film Festival,[25] the New York Film Festival,[26] the San Sebastián International Film Festival,[27] and has been selected by the Busan International Film Festival,[28] the BFI London Film Festival,[29] the 19th Rome Film Festival[30] and several others. It was also the closing film at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024.[31]

Reception
Box office
In the United States, the film made $550,503 in its opening weekend from six theaters; its per-screen-average of $91,751 was the best of 2024 (topping Kinds of Kindness' $75,458 average), and the second-best since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (after Asteroid City's $142,230).[32][33] Expanding to 34 theaters in its sophomore weekend, the film made $867,142 and finished in eighth place.[34]

Critical response

Mikey Madison's performance as the title character earned critical acclaim.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 99% of 161 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 9.0/10. The website's consensus reads: "Another marvelous chronicle of America's strivers by writer-director Sean Baker given some extra pizzazz by Mikey Madison's brassy performance, Anora is a romantic drama on the bleeding edge."[35] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 91 out of 100, based on 48 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[36]

Greta Gerwig, serving as the president of the 77th Cannes Film Festival Jury, commented that "[Anora] was something we collectively felt we were transported by, we were moved by [...] It felt both new and in conversation with older forms of cinema. There was something about it that reminded us of [the] classic structures of Lubitsch or Howard Hawks, and then it did something completely truthful and unexpected."[37]

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair wrote: "[Anora is] a wild, profane blast [...] Even when Baker's storytelling and dialogue gets repetitive, Madison keeps things lively [...] I found myself torn between finding Baker's conclusions compassionate and sensing a vague whiff of something patronizing. [...] Baker's explorations of outsiders tend to tread between graciousness and gawking, benevolent anthropology and the more malevolent, missionary kind."[38]

Justin Chang of The New Yorker wrote: "Anora plays like a wild dream—first joyous, then catastrophic, and always fiercely unpredictable [...] A contemporary return to screwball tradition is a welcome but challenging proposition, and Baker’s play with the form is hardly seamless. [Anora] built up a righteous steam of fury, now unleashes it against the Ivans of the world and salutes those toiling thanklessly in their employ."[9]

Accolades
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Cannes Film Festival May 25, 2024 Palme d'Or Sean Baker Won [39]
Miskolc International Film Festival September 14, 2024 Emeric Pressburger Prize Anora Nominated [40]
Toronto International Film Festival September 15, 2024 People's Choice Award 2nd Runner-up [41]
Mill Valley Film Festival October 16, 2024 MVFF Breakthrough Performance Award Mikey Madison Won [42]
Savannah Film Festival November 2, 2024 Breakthrough Award Won [43]
Celebration of Cinema and Television November 12, 2024 Producer Award Samantha Quan Won [44]
Gotham Awards December 2, 2024 Best Feature Sean Baker, Alex Coco, and Samantha Quan style="background: #FFD; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="partial table-partial"|Pending [45]
Best Director Sean Baker
Outstanding Lead Performance Mikey Madison
Outstanding Supporting Performance Yura Borisov
References
"Anora (18)". British Board of Film Classification. September 9, 2024. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
"62nd New York Film Festival Main Slate Announced". Film at Lincoln Center. August 6, 2024. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
"Anora (2024)". Box Office Mojo. Nash Information Services. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
"Anora (2024)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
Canfield, David (May 23, 2024). "The "Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity" of Cannes Darling Anora". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
"Anora". Neon. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
Ritman, Alex; Shafer, Ellise (May 22, 2024). "Sean Baker Makes Movies About Sex Workers in Hopes of 'Helping Remove the Stigma' — and He's 'Already Talking About the Next One'". Variety. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
Vincent Perella, "Sean Baker Didn’t Pick Up on the Similarities Between ‘Anora’ and ‘Pretty Woman’ Until Halfway Through Production" Archived September 21, 2024, at the Wayback Machine. IndieWire, September 8, 2024.
Chang, Justin (October 11, 2024). ""Anora" Is a Strip-Club Cinderella Story—and a Farce to Be Reckoned With". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
Ford, Rebecca (October 16, 2024). "Mikey Madison's Life Hasn't Changed Yet—but When the World Sees 'Anora,' It Will". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
Whipp, Glenn (October 16, 2024). "Review: Sean Baker's freewheeling 'Anora' is a stripper's fairy tale crashing to Earth". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
Westervelt, Eric (October 20, 2024). "Sean Baker on writing and directing 'Anora'". NPR. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
Lang, Brent (October 25, 2023). "'Red Rocket' Director Sean Baker and FilmNation Entertainment Reteam on 'Anora' With Mikey Madison Starring (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
Quinlan, Adriane (October 18, 2024). "The Real Russian Oligarch Family Who Built Anora's Mansion". Curbed. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
D'Addario, Daniel (October 4, 2024). "How Sean Baker Made 'Anora' — a Twisted Brooklyn Love Story Filled With Sex, Strippers and Russian Oligarchs". Variety. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
Grobar, Matt (November 2, 2023). "Sean Baker Pic 'Anora' Acquired By Neon For North America". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
Lang, Brent (June 4, 2024). "Sean Baker's Palme d'Or Winner 'Anora' Scores Fall Release Date From Neon (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
Grobar, Matt (July 15, 2024). "'Anora' Trailer: Mikey Madison's Stripper Falls For Son Of Russian Oligarch In Neon's Palme D'Or Winner From Sean Baker". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
"The Screenings Guide of the 77th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. May 8, 2024. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
Ntim, Zac (April 11, 2024). "Cannes Film Festival Lineup Set: Competition Includes Coppola, Audiard, Cronenberg, Arnold, Lanthimos, Sorrentino & Abbasi's Trump Movie — Full List". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
Leffler, Rebecca (May 25, 2024). "Sean Baker's 'Anora' wins Palme d'Or at 2024 Cannes Film Festival". Screen International. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Hipes, Patrick; Ntim, Zac (May 21, 2024). "Sean Baker's 'Anora' Gets 10-Minute Ovation In Cannes Film Festival World Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
Wiseman, Andreas (May 25, 2024). "Fantastic Five! Neon Makes It Five Palme d'Or Winners In A Row As 'Anora' Scoops Cannes Top Prize". Deadline. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Rothkopf, Joshua (May 25, 2024). "Sean Baker's 'Anora' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
"Anora". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
"Anora". New York Film Festival. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
Ford, Lily (September 21, 2024). "Sean Baker Talks 'Anora' Success in San Sebastian: "I'm Not Looking for It to Get Me a Marvel Film"". The Hollywood Reporter.
"The 29th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. September 3, 2024. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
Tabbara, Mona. "BFI London Film Festival unveils full 2024 line-up". Screen. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
"Films of the 2024 Film Fest". Cinema Foundation for Rome. September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
Staff, Scroll (October 9, 2024). "MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will open with Payal Kapadia's 'All We Imagine as Light'". Scroll.in. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
Goldsmith, Jill (October 20, 2024). "Anora Rocks Best Per Screen Opening Of 2024 As Neon Calls Out Critical & Audience Trajectory Similar To Parasite – Specialty Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
"Domestic 2024 Weekend 42". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 28, 2024). "'Venom: The Last Dance' Trips Stateside With $51M Opening, But Makes Up For Shortfall Abroad – Sunday AM Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
"Anora". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 26, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
"Anora". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and. "Sean Baker's 'Anora' Wins Palme d'Or at 2024 Cannes Film Festival: See the Full Winners List". A.frame. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
Lawson, Richard (May 21, 2024). "'Anora' Is a Raucous Good Time With a Gut-Punch of an Ending". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
Murray, Miranda (May 25, 2024). Merriman, Jane (ed.). "Exotic dancer drama 'Anora' wins Cannes Film Festival's top prize". Reuters. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
"The 20th Anniversary Edition of CineFest Miskolc IFF Ready to Take Off". FilmNewEurope. August 31, 2024. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
Rebecca Rubin, "Tom Hiddleston’s ‘The Life of Chuck’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award". Variety, September 15, 2024.
"AwardsWatch - 47th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) Brings Amy Adams, Mikey Madison, Danielle Deadwyler, Jude Law, Payal Kapadia to the Bay Area for Awards and Tributes". AwardsWatch. September 11, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
"AwardsWatch - 2024 SCAD Savannah Film Festival Honorees Include Steve McQueen, Karla Sofía Gascón and Sebastian Stan". AwardsWatch. September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
"The Critics Choice Association Anounces Full Slate of Honorees for the 3rd Annual Celebration of AAPI Cinema & Television – Critics Choice Awards". Retrieved October 26, 2024.
Goldsmith, Jill (October 29, 2024). "Gotham Awards Nominations: 'Anora' Leads Pack, 'Challengers' & 'Nickel Boys' Among Group Up For Best Feature". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
External links
Official website
Anora at Neon Films
Anora at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
vte
Sean Baker
vte
Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or
Categories: 2024 films2024 independent filmsFilms directed by Sean BakerFilms shot in New York CityFilmNation Entertainment filmsNeon (company) filmsAmerican comedy-drama filmsAmerican independent films2020s American films2020s English-language films2020s Russian-language filmsFilms set in New York CityFilms set in Coney IslandFilms about marriageFilms about strippersFocus Features filmsLe Pacte filmsPalme d'Or winnersUniversal Pictures films2024 comedy-drama filmsEnglish-language comedy-drama filmsRussian-language comedy-drama filmsEnglish-language independent films
“Anora,” a free-wheeling comedy about a sex worker who becomes entangled with the family of a Russian oligarch, led the Gotham Awards, picking up four nominations, including a nod for best feature.

“Nickel Boys,” the story of two African-American teens who are sent to an abusive reform school, and “I Saw the TV Glow,” a psychological horror film about high schoolers who begin to lose touch with reality, were close behind with three nods apiece.

“Nickel Boys” will vie for best feature alongside “Anora.” Other nominees for the top prize include the erotic drama “Babygirl,” the black comedy “A Different Man” and “Challengers,” a love triangle that unfolds against the backdrop of professional tennis. There were several notable omissions, with critically heralded films like “The Brutalist” and “Conclave” passed over for a best feature nomination. “The Brutalist” did earn two nominations for its star Adrien Brody and for the supporting turn of Guy Pearce.

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Best director will be a race between “Anora’s” Sean Baker and “I Saw the TV Glow’s” Jane Schoenbrun, as well as Payal Kapadia (“All We Imagine as Light”), Guan Hu (“Black Dog”) and RaMell Ross (“Nickel Boys”).

Popular on Variety
In 2021, the Gothams decided the awards for acting would no longer be defined by gender. That means that Brody will compete for best lead performance with the likes of Demi Moore (“The Substance”), Pamela Anderson (“The Last Showgirl”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Saoirse Ronan (“The Outrun”), Justice Smith (“I Saw The TV Glow”), Keith Kupferer (“Ghostlight”), Mikey Madison (“Anora”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”) and Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”).

The show is one of the first major awards gatherings of the year. It serves as an unofficial kickoff to the months-long marathon that includes stops at the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the BAFTAs, before culminating with Oscar night.

The Gothams’ taste haven’t always aligned with that of the Academy Awards. Last year’s winners included “Past Lives” for Best Feature, whereas the Oscars gave its top prize to “Oppenheimer,” which didn’t submit for consideration. However, other best feature victors included Best Picture winners such as “Spotlight” (2015), “Moonlight” (2016) and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022).

Just as “Oppeneheimer” opted not to be considered for Gothams, other films such as “Gladiator II” and the Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” didn’t submit, while Oscar contenders such as “Maria” and “Emilia Perez” were ineligible for best feature because they were foreign productions.

In the past, the Gothams had a budget cap of $35 million for eligible films, but that was removed in 2023 and isn’t in place this year.

Each category is decided by a different jury of critics, journalists and other industry professionals, requiring screening links to be provided to all its jury members. That’s in contrast with the Oscars or the BAFTAs, which are determined by actors, filmmakers and other artists who are in the entertainment industry.

The Gotham Awards will take place on Dec. 2, 2024, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

View the complete list of nominations below:

Best Feature

Anora

Sean Baker, director; Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, producers (NEON)

Babygirl

Halina Reijn, director; David Hinojosa, Julia Oh, Halina Reijn, producers (A24)

Challengers

Luca Guadagnino, director; Luca Guadagnino, Rachel O’Connor, Amy Pascal, Zendaya, producers (Amazon MGM Studios)

A Different Man

Aaron Schimberg, director; Gabriel Mayers, Vanessa McDonnell, Christine Vachon, producers (A24)

Nickel Boys

RaMell Ross, director; Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David Levine, producers (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)

Outstanding Lead Performance

Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl (Roadside Attractions)

Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (A24)

Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (A24)

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (Bleecker Street)

Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (A24)

Keith Kupferer, Ghostlight (IFC Films)

Mikey Madison, Anora (NEON)

Demi Moore, The Substance (MUBI)

Saoirse Ronan, Outrun (Sony Pictures Classics)

Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)

Outstanding Supporting Performance

Yura Borisov, Anora (NEON)

Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (Searchlight Pictures)

Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (Netflix)

Brigette Lundy-Paine, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)

Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters (Netflix)

Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (A24)

Katy O’Brian, Love Lies Bleeding (A24)

Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (A24)

Adam Pearson, A Different Man (A24)

Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best Director

Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light (Sideshow and Janus Films)

Sean Baker, Anora (NEON)

Guan Hu, Black Dog (The Forge)

Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)

RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)

Best International Feature

All We Imagine as Light

Payal Kapadia, director; Julien Graff, Thomas Hakim, producers (Sideshow and Janus Films)

Green Border

Agnieszka Holland, director; Fred Bernstein, Agnieszka Holland, Marcin Wierzchoslawski, producers (Kino Lorber)

Hard Truths

Mike Leigh, director; Georgina Lowe, producer (Bleecker Street)

Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell

Thien An Pham, director; Jeremy Chua, Tran Van Thi, producers (Kino Lorber)

Vermiglio

Maura Delpero, director; Francesca Andreoli, Maura Delpero, Santiago Fondevila Sance, Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli, producers (Sideshow and Janus Films)

Best Documentary Feature

Dahomey

Mati Diop, director; Mati Diop, Judith Lou Lévy, Eve Robin, producers (MUBI)

Intercepted

Oksana Karpovych, director; Darya Bassel, Olha Beskhmelnytsina, Rocío B. Fuentes, Giacomo Nudi, Lucie Rego Pauline Tran Van Lieu, producers (Grasshopper Film)

No Other Land

Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor, directors; Fabien Greenberg, Bård Kjøge Rønning, producers (Antipode Films)

Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat

Johan Grimonprez, director; Rémi Grellety, Daan Milius, producers (Kino Lorber)

Sugarcane

Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, directors; Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn, producers (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Union

Stephen Maing, Brett Story, directors; Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone, producers (Self-Distributed)

Best Screenplay

Between the Temples, Nathan Silver, C. Mason Wells (Sony Pictures Classics)

Evil Does Not Exist, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Sideshow and Janus Films)

Femme, Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping (Utopia)

His Three Daughters, Azazel Jacobs (Netflix)

Janet Planet, Annie Baker (A24)

Breakthrough Director

Shuchi Talati, Girls Will Be Girls (Juno Films, Inc)

India Donaldson, Good One (Metrograph Pictures)

Alessandra Lacorazza, In the Summers (Music Box Films)

Vera Drew, The People’s Joker (Altered Innocence)

Mahdi Fleifel, To a Land Unknown (Watermelon Pictures)

Breakthrough Performer

Lily Collias, Good One (Metrograph Pictures)

Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios)

Maisy Stella, My Old Ass (Amazon MGM Studios)

Izaac Wang, Dìdi Y(Focus Features)

Brandon Wilson, Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)

Read More About:
Anora, Gotham Awards, The Brutalist
A new trailer offers a closer look at Anora. The critically acclaimed movie, which hold a Certified Fresh 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes from more than 80 Anora reviews following its premiere at Cannes in May, is the latest feature from writer-director Sean Baker (The Florida Project, Red Rocket) and stars Mikey Madison in the title role as a New York City-based stripper who finds herself plunged into a whole new world of wealth and intrigue when she agrees to marry the rich Russian heir Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn).

NEON has now unveiled the second official trailer for Anora. It kicks off with a full minute exploring how Anora and Vanya meet and fall in love, before bringing in the conflict at the center of the movie when Vanya's parents send a handler to fix their son's mistake. This results in Anora physically fighting back, followed by a shot of her gagged with what appears to be a red scarf. Over alternating clips of the couple and increasing violent intensity around them, she fights to have her marriage respected. Check out the trailer below:

What This New Anora Trailer Means
The Characters' Romance Is Front And Center
Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eidelshtein as Ivan lying in bed chatting in AnoraImage via NEON
While this new clip does not offer much more insight into the specifics of the plot of the movie, it does take a different approach from the first Anora trailer. While the previous trailer focused on the intrigue and melodrama that occurs when Vanya's handler arrives, the new trailer spends the most time establishing the relationship between the title characters. While their marriage itself is a mercenary endeavor, the new trailer highlights the genuine love and passion that blossoms between them.

Both trailers have emphasized the "Cinderella story" aspect...

This new trailer underscores the fact that Anora is a love story first and foremost. This may be one reason that both trailers have emphasized the "Cinderella story" aspect of the title character's journey in spite of their different focuses. This is likely important, as the movie seems to blend aspects of the comedy, drama, romance, and thriller genres simultaneously, so giving audiences insight into the core of the movie is likely important in making sure it reaches the most viewers.

Our Take On The Anora Trailer
The Buzzy Movie Could Be An Oscar Winner
Mikey Madison as Ani exiting a car in AnoraImage via NEON
Another important aspect of the movie that is highlighted in the new Anora is the lead performance by Scream star Mikey Madison, which could very well earn her an Oscar. The star is already being considered a frontrunner for a Best Actress nomination at the 2025 Academy Awards (landing at No. 3 on Variety's predictions chart), and any opportunity to highlight her role and showcase the duality of her character will likely help the movie's Oscar campaign down the road.

Source: NEON & Variety

Anora Official Poster
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Anora
Comedy
Drama
Romance
Anora's life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, catapulting her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny. As her new in-laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty union, Anora must navigate the cultural and social chasms between her past and her present. The film, directed by Sean Baker, masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt drama, painting a vivid picture of love, identity, and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry.

Director
Sean Baker
Release Date
October 18, 2024
Studio(s)
Cre Film , FilmNation Entertainment
Writers
Sean Baker
Cast
Mikey Madison , Mark Eydelshteyn , Karren Karagulian , Yuriy Borisov , Vache Tovmasyan , Ivy Wolk , Luna Sofía Miranda , Ross Brodar , Lindsey Normington , Darya Ekamasova , Emily Weider , Alena Gurevich , Masha Zhak , Paul Weissman , Charlton Lamar , Aleksey Serebryakov , Ella Rubin , Vincent Radwinsky , Michael Sergio , Brittney Rodriguez , Sophia Carnabuci , Anton Bitter , Zoë Vnak
Character(s)
Anora , Ivan , Toros , Igor , Garnick , Crystal , Lulu , Security Guard , Diamond , Galina , Nikki , Clara , Tatiana's Hostess , Nick , Court Security , Nikolay , Vera , Jimmy , Judge , Dawn , Jenny , Tom , Rachel
Runtime
139 Minutes
Main Genre
Comedy
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Movies
Movies Trailers
Anora
Anora
People are falling in love with “Anora.”

Sean Baker has made his mark on indie cinema with notable features such as “The Florida Project” and “Red Rocket.” His latest film, “Anora,” a reimagining of “Pretty Woman” that trades Richard Gere’s debonair corporate raider for Mark Eydelshteyn’s sex-crazed son of a Russian oligarch, is his most accessible project yet. And just as “Pretty Woman” launched Julia Roberts into the stratosphere, Mikey Madison‘s turn as a less glamorous sex worker has made her the year’s breakout performer. Following its Palme d’Or win at Cannes in May, the film made its U.S. premiere at the Telluride Film Festival to a sold-out crowd. Its subsequent screenings were turning away approximately 200 people at each, making it one of the hottest tickets at the festival alongside Sony’s “Saturday Night” and Netflix’s “Emilia Perez.”

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The film follows Anora (Madison), a sex worker from Brooklyn who marries a rich Russian heir (Eidelstein), which makes his shadowy businessman father and his even more terrifying mother very, very unhappy. Their fury over the impulsive unions triggers a series of unfortunate events and puts their relationship to the test.

Popular on Variety
Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.

Neon
Telluride served as an Oscar litmus test for the film — a bonkers comedy with outrageous scenes you wouldn’t expect a conventional cinephile or AMPAS voter to embrace. But they seem to be.

One producer in attendance who saw the film told Variety, “I loved the film, and I need to work with Mikey Madison ASAP.”

This sentiment echoed throughout the Colorado resort town, where Madison’s masterful performance as the title character was the talk of the festival. At 25, Madison will be the youngest competitor in the best actress race, potentially emerging as one of its few sure-fire bets alongside Angelina Jolie (“Maria”).

Neon, which made history with “Parasite’s” best picture win, all eyes are on the Oscars. The indie studio is expected to put its full weight behind “Anora.”

Baker has yet to find himself in the thick of Oscar’s attention for his past work, which tends to get more traction with critics’ groups. “Tangerine” (2015) was a significant breakout for the filmmaker, garnering nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards. “The Florida Project” (2017) earned widespread acclaim for its star Willem Dafoe, who won several precursor awards and was nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars. While “Red Rocket” marked a notable comeback for star Simon Rex, he only managed to win a best actor trophy from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

That may change with “Anora.” In fact, Baker, known for his explicitly sexual content in his movies, could find himself mirroring Chloé Zhao’s four-nomination day for “Nomadland.” If that happens he would be nominated for his work as a producer, director, writer, and editor. His vision is fully realized in “Anora,” with audiences loving the wild and profane adventure that could become one of the awards season’s critical darlings.

Baker’s signature talent for discovering new and exciting actors is fully displayed in “Anora.” Festival attendees are already rallying behind two standout supporting performances: Eydelshteyn as an overzealous, spoiled rich kid, and Yura Borisov as a quietly commanding bodyguard. Both men are worthy of supporting actor consideration, though vote-splitting often occurs in tight races, especially with lesser-known actors.

Next, “Anora” will head to the Toronto Film Festival before traveling to the New York Film Festival. Will the buzz continue to grow for this lively romp? Watch this space.

Read More About:
Anora, Mikey Madison, Oscars, Telluride Film Festival
People are falling in love with “Anora.”

Sean Baker has made his mark on indie cinema with notable features such as “The Florida Project” and “Red Rocket.” His latest film, “Anora,” a reimagining of “Pretty Woman” that trades Richard Gere’s debonair corporate raider for Mark Eydelshteyn’s sex-crazed son of a Russian oligarch, is his most accessible project yet. And just as “Pretty Woman” launched Julia Roberts into the stratosphere, Mikey Madison‘s turn as a less glamorous sex worker has made her the year’s breakout performer. Following its Palme d’Or win at Cannes in May, the film made its U.S. premiere at the Telluride Film Festival to a sold-out crowd. Its subsequent screenings were turning away approximately 200 people at each, making it one of the hottest tickets at the festival alongside Sony’s “Saturday Night” and Netflix’s “Emilia Perez.”

Related Stories
A robot and a cartoon shaking hands
VIP+
AI in Animation Is Not an All-or-Nothing Proposition
Teri Garr
Teri Garr, Star of 'Young Frankenstein' and 'Tootsie,' Dies at 79
The film follows Anora (Madison), a sex worker from Brooklyn who marries a rich Russian heir (Eidelstein), which makes his shadowy businessman father and his even more terrifying mother very, very unhappy. Their fury over the impulsive unions triggers a series of unfortunate events and puts their relationship to the test.

Popular on Variety
Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.

Neon
Telluride served as an Oscar litmus test for the film — a bonkers comedy with outrageous scenes you wouldn’t expect a conventional cinephile or AMPAS voter to embrace. But they seem to be.

One producer in attendance who saw the film told Variety, “I loved the film, and I need to work with Mikey Madison ASAP.”

This sentiment echoed throughout the Colorado resort town, where Madison’s masterful performance as the title character was the talk of the festival. At 25, Madison will be the youngest competitor in the best actress race, potentially emerging as one of its few sure-fire bets alongside Angelina Jolie (“Maria”).

Neon, which made history with “Parasite’s” best picture win, all eyes are on the Oscars. The indie studio is expected to put its full weight behind “Anora.”

Baker has yet to find himself in the thick of Oscar’s attention for his past work, which tends to get more traction with critics’ groups. “Tangerine” (2015) was a significant breakout for the filmmaker, garnering nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards. “The Florida Project” (2017) earned widespread acclaim for its star Willem Dafoe, who won several precursor awards and was nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars. While “Red Rocket” marked a notable comeback for star Simon Rex, he only managed to win a best actor trophy from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

That may change with “Anora.” In fact, Baker, known for his explicitly sexual content in his movies, could find himself mirroring Chloé Zhao’s four-nomination day for “Nomadland.” If that happens he would be nominated for his work as a producer, director, writer, and editor. His vision is fully realized in “Anora,” with audiences loving the wild and profane adventure that could become one of the awards season’s critical darlings.

Baker’s signature talent for discovering new and exciting actors is fully displayed in “Anora.” Festival attendees are already rallying behind two standout supporting performances: Eydelshteyn as an overzealous, spoiled rich kid, and Yura Borisov as a quietly commanding bodyguard. Both men are worthy of supporting actor consideration, though vote-splitting often occurs in tight races, especially with lesser-known actors.

Next, “Anora” will head to the Toronto Film Festival before traveling to the New York Film Festival. Will the buzz continue to grow for this lively romp? Watch this space.

Read More About:
Anora, Mikey Madison, Oscars, Telluride Film Festival

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