**Sean Baker Secures Best Director Oscar for *Anora***

Director Sean Baker has clinched the Oscar for Best Director at the 97th Academy Awards for his outstanding work on *Anora*, outshining other nominees including Brady Corbet (*The Brutalist*), James Mangold (*A Complete Unknown*), Jacques Audiard (*Emilia Pérez*), and Coralie Fargeat (*The Substance*). Baker’s triumph extended further—he also received awards for Best Achievement in Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture, having taken on the roles of writer, director, editor, and producer for *Anora*.

Although Baker’s prior film, *The Florida Project*, garnered an Oscar nomination for Willem Dafoe, this marks the first occasion Baker himself has been honored by the Academy. In addition to his victory for Best Director, he received a nomination as a producer for Best Picture. The film’s leading actress, Mikey Madison, won Best Actress, while co-star Yura Borisov was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

In his acceptance speech, Baker expressed his gratitude towards Quentin Tarantino, who he credited with casting Madison in *Once Upon a Time in Hollywood*, stating it opened the door for *Anora*. He also took the opportunity to champion the theater experience, encouraging audiences to support cinemas, especially independent ones. “It’s a communal experience you just don’t get at home,” he remarked, pushing filmmakers to keep creating films for the big screen and urging studios to focus on theatrical releases.

Baker’s Oscar achievement comes on the heels of recent honors at the Directors Guild of America Awards and the Indie Spirit Awards, where he was awarded Best Director and Best Feature.

**How to watch:** *Anora* can be rented or purchased on Prime Video.