What is screwball comedy Anora about as it takes home five Oscars?

When we think of a movie made to dominate the 97th Academy Awards, a screwball comedy doesn't exactly come to mind. However, Anora managed to scoop up five Oscars at the prestigious ceremony.

The 'anti-Pretty Woman' film, which follows the story of a young Brooklyn-based sex worker and her Russian oligarch heir love interest, has dominated the awards scene.

So, after beating out blockbuster films like Wicked and Conclave on Sunday night, what is Anora all about?

Who stars in Anora?

Mikey Madison is the breakout star of the film. The actress, who fronted in the 2022 version of Scream, plays the titular character Anora, or Ani.

The 25-year-old beat out front-runner Demi Moore to win the Best Actress award on Sunday night, with director Sean Baker gushing over her to BBC.

'Mikey's win is so important to me. It's something that I was really hoping for,' he says. 'I'm so happy that the industry and the academy are recognising her incredible talent,' he said.

The Los Angeles native actress praised the sex worker community during her acceptance speech, saying: 'I also want to again recognise and honour the sex worker community. I will continue to support and be an ally, all of the incredible people, the women that I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community, have been one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience.'

Mark Eydelshteyn starred alongside Mikey as her on-screen love interest Vanya. Anora is being praised for its talented cast, which also featured Aleksei Serebryakov, Vache Tovmasyan, Karren Karagulian, and Yura Borisov.

What is Anora about?

Anora is described as both a comedy and a drama, following a love story between Anora, who works as a sex worker, and Vanya, who is the son of a Russian oligarch.

The pair meet through Anora's boss, with Vanya hiring her to spend the week with him. They get swept up in a whirlwind romance and impulsively tie the knot in Las Vegas, where the Russian heir proposes to the Brooklyn native.

The fairytale ends for the newlyweds when they are met with the wrath of Vanya's parents. They set out to New York to get their son's marriage annulled on account of his new bride working as a stripper.

Who is behind the film?

It comes as no surprise that Anora is a hit, as the movie was written and directed by renowned filmmaker Sean Baker. The Oscar winner is responsible for the 2017 cult classic film The Florida Project, and Red Rocket.

He made history on Sunday night, after becoming the first person to secure four Oscars for a single film at one ceremony.

Upon receiving the honour at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Sean said: 'I want to thank the Academy for recognising a truly independent film. This film was made with the blood, sweat, and tears of incredible indie artists and… long live independent film!'

What categories did Anora win Oscars in?

Anora scooped up a whopping five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director.

The movie's Academy Awards success comes as no surprise as it has garnered critical acclaim since its release in 2024. Anora has an impressive score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Watch the trailer for Anora here:

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