In a moment of cinematic splendor at the Cannes Film Festival, Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’—a poignant yet comical narrative about a sex worker who weds the progeny of a wealthy Russian magnate—clinched the coveted Palme d’Or. This accolade, bestowed on Saturday, signifies a pinnacle achievement for the 53-year-old auteur, renowned for ‘The Florida Project.’ As the festival’s curtain fell, Baker received his accolade with the film’s star, Mikey Madison, beaming from the audience.

Baker, exuding elation, quipped, “This, quite literally, has been my unwavering aspiration for the past three decades. The next chapter of my journey remains an enigma.” Swiftly, he reaffirmed his enduring mission to “preserve the essence of cinema.” Notably, Baker is the first American helmsman to seize the Palme since Terrence Mallick’s triumph with ‘The Tree of Life’ in 2011.

With a resolute tone, Baker denounced the modern viewing habits perpetuated by tech conglomerates, asserting, “Experiencing a film while concurrently engaging with your phone, checking emails, and offering partial attention is not the paradigm. The world must recollect this.” Dedicating his prize, he proclaimed, “The future of cinema lies where it originated: in the sanctum of the movie theatre,” and honored all sex workers “past, present, and future.”

Presiding over the nine-member jury, Greta Gerwig articulated her transformation as a filmmaker, attributing it to this profound experience. Gerwig extolled ‘Anora’ for its timeless quality, likening its unexpected twists to the works of Ernst Lubitsch or Howard Hawks. Despite being the festival’s most lauded film, ‘Anora’s’ triumph was a mild astonishment, as many had speculated that either the Iranian opus ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ or the poignant Indian saga ‘All We Imagine As Light’ would claim the top prize.