Sean Baker’s Oscar triumph with Anora is proof that indie filmmakers can break through the Hollywood system and achieve mainstream success without compromising their artistic vision. But it took him two decades.

Baker won Oscars Sunday for original screenplay, editing and directing — as well as Best Picture. In so doing, he tied Walt Disney for the most Oscar wins by a single person on a single night. Additionally, Mikey Madison, the spectacular lead of Anora, won for Best Actress.

“Long live independent film,” Baker said as he accepted Best Picture.

In his 2004 co-directorial debut Take Out, Baker raced around the streets of New York, sometimes stealing shots — aka shooting without filming permits — to tell a micro-budget story of a scrappy immigrant trying to get by. Two decades later, for Anora, he and his team again raced around New York, often in fear of being shut down by cops, and again telling a vivid, passionate immigrant story.

The film continued two decades of scrappy DIY filmmaking on budgets in the single millions or less. Anora was budgeted at $6 million.

Baker broke through in 2015 with the stunning and funny 2015 filmTangerine, in which he used a few iPhone 5s to tell the story of transgender sex workers in West Hollywood. It continued Baker’s cinematic fascination with the lives of sex workers. Baker treats them, and all of his characters, with frank, disarming honesty, seeking authenticity over judgment. He neither condemns nor sanctifies. 

“I want to thank the sex worker community,” he said in accepting the Oscar for screenwriting. “My deepest respect. I share this with you.”

He used his best director awards speech to plead for the future of the theatrical experience.

“Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater. Watching a film in the theater with an audience is an experience where we can… laugh together, cry together, scream and fight together, perhaps sit in devastated silence together. And in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever,” he said. “It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home, and right now, the theater going experience is under threat. Movie theaters, especially independently owned theaters are struggling, and it’s up to us to support them.”

Anora, a captivating story of an exotic dancer and escort (Madison) who marries a Russian oligarch’s son (Mark Eydelshteyn), finally earned Baker the widespread recognition he has long deserved: The film’s accolades started with a Palme d’Or win at Cannes and culminated in the five Oscars at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday.

Sean Baker on Stealing Shots

Baker’s early work was defined by its raw energy and its commitment to portraying marginalized communities with authenticity and empathy. Tangerine (2015), with its vibrant colors and unflinching portrayals, was a watershed moment for independent cinema.

The decision to shoot on iPhones wasn’t just a stylistic choice; it was a necessity born from budgetary constraints. But the limitations became strengths. The iPhone’s small size allowed Baker and his co-cinematographer, Radium Cheung, to move quickly and discreetly, capturing the gritty reality of their surroundings without drawing unwanted attention. They stole shots, embraced improvisation, and created a film that felt both immediate and intimate.

The success of Tangerine opened doors for Baker, but he remained committed to his vision of telling intimate stories. For his next film, The Florida Project (2017), he embraced 35mm film, a significant step up in terms of production value. 

The film is a poignant and heartbreaking look at childhood poverty in the shadow of Disney World. It further solidified Baker’s reputation as a filmmaker with a unique voice for social commentary. In making the film, he surreptitiously grabbed some shots on Disney property.

By the time Baker began working with cinematographer Drew Daniels on Red Rocket (2021), his style became even more defined, blending a documentary-like realism with carefully composed visuals. Red Rocket, shot on 16mm, told the story of a washed-up porn star — played by Simon Rex — returning to his Texas hometown. It continued a Baker tradition of casting first-time actors in major roles, and setting them up to steal scenes. 

Baker filmed Red Rocket near the refineries of Texas City, Texas in 2020 and again had to occasionally shoot without permits because of the difficulty of acquiring them during pandemic lockdowns. The movie’s climactic scene — a naked run through the city by Rex’s character — was almost halted when cops rolled up.

“That’s like guerilla filmmaking all the way: van pulls up, door opens, naked guy jumps out. Then, ‘Get back in the van, let’s get out of here!’” Baker told MovieMaker in 2023.

“There was a moment where the Texas City police came out of nowhere and surrounded us, and we said, ‘Oh, we’re that independent film crew that approached the department about this,’” Baker added. “And they were like, ‘Oh, that’s you guys. OK, yeah, no problem at all.’ And it was at that moment that we realized they’re mostly just concerned about any potential terrorism around the refineries, that’s their number one priority. So we were harmless in their eyes.” 

Run-and-Gun Anora

The Anora cover of MovieMaker Magazine. Fall 2024 – Credit: C/O

Anora’s Oscar wins are not just a personal triumph for Baker, but a victory for indie filmmaking at a time when the studio system finds itself at a crossroads. As the jokes in Sunday’s telecasts noted, Joker 2 was among the megabudget features that collapsed at the box office in 2024. 

Joker 2 was a case of a successful director following his own vision. But countless other would-be blockbusters collapse each year under the pressure of filmmaking by consensus. Passing up big budgets has enabled Baker to make idiosyncratic choices that feel spontaneous, human and alive. Anora cinematographer Drew Daniels told MovieMaker that every decision made on Anora set was the “more difficult option” — from locations to the shooting style.

“Every day you had no idea if we were going to capture the scene or if we were going to get shut down,” Daniels recalled. 

The entire project was shot on one camera — on 35mm film using anamorphic 1970s Lomo Round Front lenses and a Lomo 40-120 zoom lens — except on one day they used two. They shot mostly in Brooklyn in 2023. 

The unpredictable nature of filming on the streets of Brooklyn (and Las Vegas) forced the filmmakers to be resourceful and adaptable, qualities that have always been essential to Baker’s approach.

“I’ve always been looking for those little details that are just like everyday, identifiable, common things,”Baker said in MovieMaker’s fall cover story. 

But he has also been blunt about the sacrifices of indie filmmaking. As he accepted the award for Best Director at the Film Independent Spirit Awards last month, he noted:

“For me, and I think for many of my peers, the average number of years dedicated to making a film is around three… If you are a writer [or] director trying to break in right now, there’s a good chance you’re making a film for free or making next to nothing on production or sale,” Baker said. “How do you support yourself with little or no income for three years?”

With his wins Sunday, many in Hollywood will be knocking at his door, offering new projects and more money. But he has always said his ambition is to make his own projects, without giving up creative control.

Main image: Anora star Mikey Madison and writer-director Sean Baker, shot by Christina Bartolucci for MovieMaker’s fall 2024 issue.