Sean Baker's film utilizes the sex worker industry as a metaphor for the transactional nature of modern capitalism. The protagonist, Anora, is a stripper and escort played by the captivating Mikey Madison. Anora understands the game she is playing and navigates it skillfully. She is alluring and willing to do what it takes to secure her future and achieve the capitalist dream of wealth, status, and power. This inverts the traditional Cinderella story - the "prince" figure, Zakharov, is a spoiled and immature son of Russian oligarchs, while Anora's true emotional connection is with the henchman Igor. The film's heartbreaking ending reveals the scarcity of genuine human interaction throughout the story. By framing the scenario through the lens of human trafficking and transactional relationships, Baker makes the one truly compassionate bond in the film all the more poignant and impactful. The film's raw portrayal of the human costs of capitalism won it Best Picture in 2025.

Director: Sean Baker

Writer: Sean Baker

Stars: Mikey Madison, Paul Weissman, Yura Borisov