QCinema which runs until 17 November, features some of the best foreign films in its lineup. Here’s a review of two Cannes winners: Anora and All We Imagine As Light.

ANORA (2024)

Anora, easily the best film I’ve seen this year, is exactly what you crave in a cinematic experience—uninhibited, wholly entertaining, yet firmly grounded in reality. Sean Baker, known for his indies that focus on the marginalized, especially sex workers, crafts a comedic anti-fairytale that won this year’s Palme d’Or, with clarity and a deep understanding of the mind and heart.

Baker takes us on a rollercoaster, pulling us deep into the film’s universe before letting us go with its heart-wrenching ending. With a superb ensemble cast led by the utterly brilliant Mikey Madison in the titular role, Baker’s creative freedom is in full force, marrying romantic comedy and gangster screwball, with a lot of heart and soul.

Madison’s Anora, a richly drawn sex worker who goes by Ani, stumbles into a Cinderella story when, on an otherwise ordinary night at a gentlemen’s club, she meets Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn) — a young client and son of a Russian billionaire, barely a man. The boy’s obscene wealth signals the family’s likely mafia ties, adding an exciting layer to the story.

Baker handles prostitution and mafia life—two worlds that easily pique curiosity — with sensitivity. His compassion for his characters shines through, making it difficult to judge any of them.

Madison is a sassier, edgier Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman.” She gives her Ani a magnetic personality — but the best moments are when her vulnerability slips through her tough exterior. She has us rooting for her throughout, and as Ani falls for Vanya, you know heartbreak is coming, and you brace for the impact.

Despite her hustling skills and the nature of her work, Ani is still innocent and naive, no different from Vanya. Both are just kids trying to escape their worlds. Their sex scenes are graphic but brief, never gratuitous and serve a purpose. Scenes of hedonism mixed with youthful arrogance aren’t romanticized but instead serve as a case study of spoiled billionaire brats and lonely young people.