Passions over the results of the 77th Cannes Film Festival 2024 are not abating. Sean Baker’s winning film “Anora”, which received the Palme d’Or main award, caused serious discussions on social networks. Let’s understand why film critics and audiences praised and criticized the film.
Directed by Sean Baker, Anora tells the story of the son of a Russian oligarch (Mark Eidelstein) who marries sex worker Any-Anora (Mikey Madison), much to the displeasure of her parents (played by Daria Ekamasova and Alexei Serebryakov). For a girl, marriage is the golden ticket to a beautiful and rich life, so she is not ready to give up so easily. It takes two to six to convince him: the taciturn gopnik Igor (Yura Borisov), the Armenian Toros (Karen Karagulyan) and the pessimist Garnik (Vache Tovmasyan).
It is worth saying that the opinions of the Russian audience are divided. While some celebrate that the elimination of the Russians did not happen, some viewers call the movie “cranberry” and this is not enough for the balalaika and the bear. In addition, the latter tried to find political reasons: such a conspiracy, allegedly involving oligarchs and sex workers, reinforces negative stereotypes about Russians. Moreover, most of the time neither of them has seen the movie.
The film is evaluated completely differently by film critics, whose reactions also differ, but for a different reason. Those who defended the film explained to those who had not watched it that, on the contrary, the plot had nothing to do with politics and that the action could take place both in the past and in the present. In addition, film critics point out Sean Baker’s other independent films with similar social themes, such as The Florida Project (which also premiered at Cannes in 2017), Red Rocket, and Starlet.
Other film critics found there were far more worthy contenders at the film festival. They admit that they did not understand the choice of Greta Gerwig, president of the jury of the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Before making the blockbuster Barbie, she had worked on independent films; many film experts expected the winner to be an artistically and technically innovative film, not a film that would appeal to the majority of audiences.
The films “All We Represent as Light”, which received the Grand Prize, and “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” by Iranian director Muhammad Rasulov, which received the FIPRESCI Award, attract particular attention. Meanwhile, the last film received a 12-minute standing ovation. Additionally, Mohammed Rasulov admitted that he had to leave Iran “within a few hours” because he was facing an eight-year prison sentence for making a film critical of the regime in his homeland. Be that as it may, the Cannes Film Festival jury seems to have decided to stay away from politics this time, paying tribute to the Iranian director’s film, and chose Sean Baker’s tragicomedy as the winner.
Source: People Talk
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
