Anora is currently odds on favourite to win Best Picture at the Oscars.
Sean Baker’s sex worker drama received six nominations ahead of the forthcoming 97th Academy Awards ceremony in LA on Sunday, March 2.
It is up against the likes of musical thriller Emilia Pérez, Brady Corbet’s architectural epic The Brutalist, Wicked and Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
Anora currently has booking odds of 4-9 closely followed by The Brutalist on 9-4. Papal drama Conclave is just behind with odds of 16 to 1 while Emilia Pérez and A Complete Unknown are further back on odds of 22-1, according to Oddschecker. Wicked, meanwhile, has distant odds of 50-1.
Anora, which has already won the coveted Palme d’Or and the New York Film Critics Circle’s Best Screenplay award, tells the story of an erotic dancer (Mikey Madison) who marries a Russian billionaire (Mark Eydelshteyn), only for her dream life to be threatened by her disapproving in-laws. Yura Borisov, Vache Tovmasyan, and Karren Karagulian star as the fixers who attempt to get the marriage annulled.
Baker recently revealed that his mother disapproved of the script and tried to sway him away from making the film.
“I pitched Anora to her over the phone, and she literally said – I’m quoting – ‘Sean, people don’t want to see that,’” he said.
Take That meanwhile are due to perform their 2008 hit ‘Greatest Day’, in honour of it prominently featuring in the opening sequence of the sex worker drama at this year’s BAFTAs ceremony on February 16.
Anora is nominated for seven BAFTAs, including Best Film, Director and Leading Actress for Mikey Madison.
It recently came in at Number Five in NME‘s Films Of The Year in 2024.
We said: “The film carefully strikes a balance between darkness and laugh-out-loud comedy – and it’s Baker’s brilliantly written characters, particularly the lead role played by Oscar-tipped Madison, that make the madcap story deeply enjoyable.
“His commitment to shining a light on sex work in a judgement-free, realistic viewpoint – aided by consultant and author of Modern Whore Andrea Werhun – makes the audience root for Ani throughout the whole ordeal and keeps us thinking about her story for weeks after watching.”
The forthcoming Oscars ceremony will be hosted by Conan O’Brien at the Dolby Theatre.
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