The Palme d’Or to Anora at this year’s Cannes Film Festival brought further international recognition to its director, Sean Baker, after years of dedicated work. The film gave us a glimpse into Baker’s bittersweet filmography as a whole—a realm of urban survival stories filled with underdogs, immigrants, and outsiders navigating friendship, love, and the struggle to make ends meet.
The fifty-three-year-old American director, however, blossomed late due to the alternative path he took to develop his voice. Preferring to work outside of Hollywood’s mainstream, Baker took his time to explore marginalized communities and highlight pressing social issues in those godforsaken places. By consequence of that, his alternative methods allowed him to develop character-driven narratives exploring authentic realities from a closer distance. Anora, for instance, challenges stigmas surrounding sex work by diving into it and telling a human-centered story about a stripper in NYC.
The film not only achieved significant international success, earning around $15 million globally on a $6 million budget, but also won the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. This made it the first American film to earn the honor since Terrence Mallick’s The Tree of Life in 2011.
The Less-Glamorous Side of American Cinema
Born in New Jersey in 1971, Sean Baker began his journey in films as a teenager working at a local movie theater. He later studied editing and film theory in New York City, quickly moving into filmmaking with micro-budgets and agile means to portray his visions. These circumstances were the same that brought him to capture America’s marginalized communities and treat them as alternate universes within our own.
It goes without saying that Baker’s films belong to the tradition of American independent cinema, among directors like Jim Jarmusch, Todd Hayne, and Korine, who explore the country’s grittier, less-glamorous side. Each of his films revolve around a distinctive location, as with Tangerine (2015), a film entirely shot with three iPhone 5S and set in the less-glamorous side of Hollywood, where Baker himself once lived. Baker filled it with characters brought to life by both trained and non-professional actors, adding an authentic, almost documentary touch to his storytelling.
As a dedicated cinephile and collector of vintage movie posters, Baker counts Mike Leigh, Chantal Akerman, John Cassavetes, and Eric Rohmer among his influences. Thanks to these great influences, his films managed to become intense, intimate journeys, often moving between the humorous and the profoundly touching. The final sequence of The Florida Project (2017) exemplifies this, capturing a moment that is raw, poignant, and unforgettable in its own way.
As we already mentioned, his early work involved smaller projects that didn’t initially attract wide audiences or industry attention, though they did gain a loyal, niche following. With limited resources, he focused on mastering his craft, often wearing multiple hats, like writing, directing, editing, and even working on cinematography. That is why his career was more of a slow build rather than a meteoric rise.
His breakthrough then came in his mid-40’s, with Tangerine. Again, the film showcased his ability to tell compelling, visually striking stories with minimal resources. It gained critical acclaim and spotlighted Baker’s talent, leading to larger projects like The Florida Project (2017), which solidified his reputation throughout international festivals. And his gradual ascent reflects his commitment to authentic storytelling over commercial success, ultimately earning him the recognition he now deserved and obtained with Anora (2024).
Full Creative Control Truly Exists in Hollywood
Baker’s complete independence has given him full creative control over his work, leading to films that feel personal and deeply intimate. His ability to create fresh, authentic, and profoundly human stories comes from his unconventional approach. This hands-on style makes him one of the most compelling and fearless voices in modern filmmaking, constantly pushing boundaries and keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.
In conclusion, Sean Baker’s work demands attention just for its bold challenge to the norms of mainstream cinema alone. With Anora, he continues his exploration of overlooked lives, blending realism with sharp, intelligent humor. His distinctive approach and unwavering dedication to authentic, independent storytelling are nothing short of captivating, offering audiences a chance to see the world through the most unique and intimate perspectives.
