A New York stripper and the son of an absurdly rich Russian oligarch are living their best lives as they fall for each other in Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning film “Anora.†The love-bomb romance between Ani (Mikey Madison) and Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) is visually effervescent, an inspired frame that invites us in as if we are a plus-one to the party. “I wanted the camera in a certain way to echo her feelings, echo her emotion, her emotional arc and psychological state. Therefore, it’s a little looser, more freewheeling and more colorful at the beginning,†says cinematographer Drew Daniels, who previously collaborated with Baker on “Red Rocket.†The cherry to the whirlwind is Ani saying yes to a no-frills Vegas wedding, the two celebrating under the bright lights of Fremont Street, followed by their return home, when she quits her job and they move in together. A playful montage has the lovebirds buying clothes, feeding each other, sharing picturesque sunset kisses and posing in front of a mirror, where Ani flashes her diamond wedding ring with a smile on her face that says, “Look at me now†— an elated moment for the modern-day Cinderella. At least for now.
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