Anora depicts events leading up to — and spiralling down from — an extraordinary set of nuptials. Filmmaker Sean Baker reveals all to Screen about the creation of four key scenes. Anora is no exception. The scene: Ani and Ivan meet at Headquarters, the club where she works, then go to a private room.
Headquarters is an actual club. We liked the name so we made it all one. Downstairs was shot with traditional coverage. Upstairs was blocked out very specifically to show you what happens without being explicit. She [Mikey Madison] could have her parents there.
She could have her agents. She could have an intimacy co-ordinator. Him [Mark Eydelshteyn] as well. The scene: Ivan takes Ani and his friends to Las Vegas to party, before he proposes and the pair end up married. When we got there, it was a nice reunion. It was also celebratory, because we were wrapping the film.
The Palms [Casino Resort] gave us almost full access and this wonderful penthouse suite, and allowed us to do what we wanted. Over the course of three days, we did a travelogue, in a way.
We shot it docu-style, most of it handheld except for the proposal in bed and everything to do with their running to the chapel and getting married. That was very controlled with dollies and lockdown camera.
