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Sean Baker’s Anora took home the prestigious award for Best Picture at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, a win that shocked many fans and critics. Known for its gripping narrative about a New York City s*x worker who marries into a Russian billionaire's family, the film stood out as an underdog among competitive nominees.
At the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, Anora won the prestigious Best Picture title, triumphing over several acclaimed films. The nominees in this category included A Complete Unknown, The Brutalist, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, Nickel Boys, Sing Sing, The Substance, and Wicked.
Director Sean Baker himself appeared surprised during his acceptance speech. “So unexpected, so unexpected,” Baker said from the stage in Santa Monica, according to The Wrap's February 7 article. The win marked the only award Anora secured during the ceremony, despite being nominated in six other categories, including Best Actress for Mikey Madison’s performance as the titular character.
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The decision has sparked a heated debate online, with fans and critics flocking to platforms like Twitter to share their reactions. While some celebrated the film’s triumph, others questioned how it beat other heavyweights in the race.
On Twitter, reactions to Anora winning Best Picture at the Critics Choice Awards have been polarized. One user echoed the sentiments of many, tweeting,
“The last movie I was expecting to win, oh my god 😭.” - the User wrote
Another commenter wrote, “Never even heard of the movie. I am blessed that I have other priorities in life.”
One netizen stated, "Did they randomly pick the winners lol"
Despite the skepticism, many fans celebrated Anora's recognition, with some even expressing the belief that the film deserves to be considered for Oscar nominations.
One fan tweeted, “Anora winning Best Picture is exactly what cinema needed. What a masterpiece!”
Another fan stated: “I watched with my girlfriend and my expectations weren’t super high, and I ended up loving it. Incredible movie with some really great acting; it should win a ton of awards this season.”
"It’s coming for the Oscar. If it wins it may be the greatest moment of the year!"- one fan commented.
What is the movie Anora about?
The movie is a 2024 American comedy-drama directed by Sean Baker and tells the story of 23-year-old Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, a stripper living in Brighton Beach, a Russian-American neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Ani’s life changes when her boss connects her with Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov, a 21-year-old, and the son of Russian billionaire Nikolai Zakharov. Vanya, sent to the U.S. to study, spends his time partying in his family’s Brooklyn mansion.
After hiring Ani for multiple encounters and paying her $15,000 for a week together, Vanya proposes to Ani during a trip to Las Vegas. His goal is to secure a green card and avoid returning to Russia. Despite her doubts, Ani agrees, and the couple elopes. Their marriage soon attracts the disapproval of Vanya’s parents. His mother, Galina, sends family enforcer Toros and his henchmen, Garnik and Igor, to annul the marriage and bring Vanya back to Russia.
Tensions escalate when Ani fights off the henchmen after they insult her. The group eventually finds Vanya, but an annulment attempt is dismissed due to Nevada’s laws. At the airport, Vanya’s parents pressure him to end the marriage. Recognizing his immaturity and his family’s power, Ani agrees to an annulment but delivers parting insults to Vanya and Galina.
The film’s closing scenes focus on Ani’s emotional struggle and her interactions with Igor, who returns her wedding ring and drives her home.
Featuring Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Vanya, Anora premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or. Released by Neon in October 2024, the film’s compelling narrative contributed to its win for Best Picture at Critics Choice Awards. Its ensemble cast also includes Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, and Aleksei Serebryakov.
Stay tuned for more updates.
