The titular character in anora he purposely avoids using his full name, and the meaning of the word is part of the reason. Sean Baker’s new film was praised by critics and audiences alike, boasting an incredible 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Much of the praise was directed at Mikey Madison, the 25-year-old actress who leads the anora cast as the titular character. She delivers a terribly nuanced performance as a stripper whose life is drastically altered by the whims of a rich Russian boy who asks her to marry him.
A critical detail throughout anora is that, despite the name being the title of the film, she does not use it. Instead of, the main character goes by the nickname Ani and consistently corrects other characters when they refer to her by her legal name. In Anora In a moving finale, there is a scene between Ani and Igor where he discusses the meaning of her name, raising the question of its relevance to the plot, the film’s themes, and her character’s arc throughout the film.
Anora means “Honor”, “Grace” or “Light”
Anora’s name has several positive meanings
At one point, Igor suggests that he likes the name Anora more than Ani, to which she counters by calling his name stupid. He explains that Igor means “warrior”, stating that it is actually a good and noble name. In response, he asks what “Anora” means and starts Googling it. It can be difficult to understand what he says due to the character’s poor English and her interrupting him, telling him to stop.
As he reads, the name Anora comes from Latin origins and typically means “honor.” It also states the English and Hebrew meanings, which include “light” and “grace.” Notably, These are all positive words that don’t really resemble how Ani sees herself. As the film’s final scene, where she begins to cry, shows, she is overwhelmed by serious trauma, and the events of the film cause her to reflect on her life and her general position in the world.
The real reason why Anora is called Ani
Ani is an Americanized nickname
The main reason Ani doesn’t use her full name is because she doesn’t think she deserves it. An important aspect of the film is that Ani isn’t particularly proud of where she comes from, which is demonstrated by the way she denies her ability to speak Russian. and states that she does not normally use the language. Ani comes from a New York subculture where her perception is that girls like her don’t get very far, and she is excited about the idea of marrying Vanya to stand out.
Using Ani’s more Americanized nickname allows her to escape what she believes to be her prison.
Ani’s biggest goal is to earn enough to escape Brighton Beach, which is why she takes advantage of every possibility to keep her marriage with Vanya alive. Using Ani’s more Americanized nickname allows her to escape what she believes to be her prison. Notably, the film anora suggests that although she may struggle, there is already beauty in her life and in the Brighton Beach neighborhood where she feels so trapped.