I am not typically one to pay any attention at all to the Oscars. But my attention was piqued by Anora , a Sean Baker film that centers on a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, being up for awards in six categories this year—awards that it largely won.
Anora took best picture beating the likes of big deal pictures like Dune: Part Two and Wicked , while actress Mikey Madison took best actress for her portrayal of the film's namesake character. Baker—who wrote and directed—took best director, best original screenplay, and best film editing.
Anora 's only loser last night was Yura Borisov, who was up for best supporting actor but lost to Kieran Culkin. But among sex workers, the film has sparked some seriously diverging opinions. In today's newsletter, I want to explore different takes on the film and on what those involved have been saying about sex work.
Get more of Elizabeth's sex, tech, bodily autonomy, law, and online culture coverage. My first impression is that the film did a good job of challenging some sex worker stereotypes.
Anora—or Ani, as she prefers to be called—starts the film as neither some tragic, exploited waif nor as some glamorous and perfectly empowered boss bitch. She works at a Manhattan strip club, where she hustles hard and has typical workplace troubles, like disputes with coworkers and lack of long-term stability.
