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98 by Jonathan Puntervold

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I just think it's so crazy (in a good way) that I've become so obsessed with Ani/Igor when on paper it probably should work as well as it does (2 rather flawed people, tense interactions, not so happy "ending"). Honestly it's really down to Mikey and Yura, they're so strong individually and together that these characters come to lives without us needing to know their whole backstory.

I like to think Sean Baker wrote the epilogue because them bringing the characters to life made him a shipper 😅(jokes jokes)

I think with Ani and Igor, there's a bit of the “there is something wrong with you that is also wrong with me” thing going on, in that, yeah, they're flawed, but in a way that (eventually) brings out the better, softer, more vulnerable parts of each other. And you're right that it shouldn't work as well as it does; in the wrong hands, the two of them could have easily been made into caricatures (loudmouth Brooklyn stripper, brainless Slavic goon) or the comedy becoming cruel and the drama overwrought or maudlin. I mean, obviously Sean Baker wasn't going to let that happen, but so much of it is clearly the strength of the two main actors and the chemistry they created in their scenes together.

I love the idea that Sean Baker starting shipping his own characters after seeing them brought to life by Mikey and Yura! Can we think of his epilogue as a bit of fanfiction, then? 😍

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TXT/SMBLS, ink on handmade paper

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Kelly Macdonald and Ewan McGregor at the premiere of Trainspotting, 1996

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Not you acting like Ani and this dude probably isn't even rich 😅

Yeah, unlike Ani, I have no illusions about this dude (who definitely doesn’t have a mansion or an oligarch dad). Mostly I’m just counting down the time until this madness passes, which I keep thinking will happen any day now, and then of course that’s the day he wears a well-fitted henley and I’m like fuck.

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Antarctica by Jan Erik Waider

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So I have the worst crush on this guy and it's already cringey enough, but for real he's also so dumb and now I feel like I'm channeling that morosexual post.

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02-09-2025, 12 AM

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I was lucky to watch Anora with a full crowd in theatres (I saw it a third them but it was a weekday afternoon so I was alone, still loved it). It was so fun sensing reactions from the crowd. Nervous chuckles and some squirms in the first act (not so much 'ew sex scenes' more like 'oh this is uncomfy because he's pathetic and clearly doesn't respect her'). Then loads of laughs throughout the second act (for context I'm from Ireland we love that kind of humour) on and off during the home invasion, plus pretty much anything the goons did.

The ending though, when it cut to black and the credits started- stunned silence. Us irish are chatty, this pretty much never happens even after shocking horror films (after Midsommar multiple people said what the fck out loud 😅). But both screenings I saw with a crowd, everyone just quietly gathered their thing and filed out, even those in groups.

Sorry this is so long, I just feel so excited that I witnessed a movie just leaving people stunned, it feels special if that makes sense.

I love this so much — and you're making me jealous that I didn't get a chance to see Anora in theaters like I was meant to (sorry, Sean!). But I think this is really the point of why we go to see movies together, to have that collective experience with everyone else and start dissecting everything we saw the moment the lights turn on. But, yeah, I think the fact that everyone in your theater was so stunned by the final scene speaks volumes about the movie's emotional power. (And maybe it shouldn't surprise us that it would be enough to garner a 7 1/2 minute standing ovation at Cannes and enough critical reception to win Best Picture.)

I agree — it's definitely something special. And it's very, very cool that you got to share it with everyone else in the theater, twice!

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What do you think Igor’s relationship with religion is like? It seems likely that he had some sort of Russian orthodox upbringing…would this have influenced his personality?

My understanding (and someone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) is that for many Russians, in particular Russians under 30, Russian Orthodox (and religion in general) seems to be more of a cultural identity than a strongly-held belief structure or practice. It's not all that dissimilar to levels of religiosity in Europe, so people will say they're Russian Orthodox, but not fully buy into all of the ideas and not attend church frequently (maybe twice a year, if that).

So, if pressed, would Igor say he was Russian Orthodox? Would he say he believed in God? Probably, although I don't know he would put much more thought into it besides that. It's possible he was baptized, but I sincerely doubt he was attending church on a regular basis growing up.

On the other hand, I do see his grandmother as being more religious and going to liturgy on Sundays. Due to her illness, she's less independent and mobile, so he takes her each week. It's not something he would do on his own, but there's a part of him that kind of likes it, mostly the singing and the communal aspect, where you get to lose yourself in something bigger and more expansive than just your own thoughts. Having to stand during most of the service is not as fun — he makes sure that his grandmother can get a chair or a pew seat when she needs it — but it's only for an hour or so.

As for Igor's relationship with religion influencing his personality, I guess I don't see it having all that great an impact. His quiet, more reserved nature, along with his emotional intelligence, probably have their origins more in his upbringing and larger life experience than his belief structures. But ultimately I think he respects religion, as well as its larger social influence, and for his grandmother at least, values her beliefs enough to accompany her to church every week.

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If the ending wasn't meant to be hopeful, then it would've ended with Ani crying alone. There's a reason that when she finally breaks down and drops the facade, she's being held by someone who sees her and actually cares. That's the true intimacy of the scene (rather than the sex, one of many delicious ironies in the film).

I agree; Ani's breakdown is heartbreaking, but the ending isn't a cynical or pessimistic one. It's about being seen — even at your most vulnerable — and the unexpected moments of human connection that can come when you feel safe enough to show that vulnerability.

But I think there's a difference between an ending that isn't purposefully nihilistic and the “hopeful” epilogue that Baker talked about, which offered the possibility of a continued connection between Ani and Igor following the events of the film. I mean, obviously, I would want them to maintain that connection, but I can understand how someone could interpret the film's ending without that possibility. Baker's epilogue, though, indicates that he wanted the actors to play that final scene with a specific long-term ending in mind, which makes sense given how many of us also seemed to gravitate towards that idea after seeing what Ani and Igor shared in that moment. So, yes, the ending is hopeful on its own, but I think what's making us so excited is that the creator saw (and worked to cultivate) the hope in a future between the two characters.

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Did you happen to listen to that podcast with Sean Baker where he talked about the epilogue he wrote for Anora? Apparently he only showed it to the actors to help them portray the last scene better, but he said repeatedly that it was a hopeful epilogue for Anora and Igor and where their relationship would go in the future.... Anora/Igor hive VINDICATED! Hahahaha

Seriously, everyone should go listen to that podcast episode! (They linked it on Instagram, and you can also listen to the full version — the part about the epilogue starts around 23 minutes in.)

And of course my little shipper heart is jumping up and down with glee, because how could anyone watch that moment of raw, intense emotional vulnerability and not see it as point of possible connection between these two characters? The director himself saw their story as ending hopefully because for all her pain and devastation, Ani was able to find someone who saw her and accepted her for everything that she was. In the midst of everything else that was happening, they shared something, enough to plant a seed for a more hopeful, happier ending for the two of them. They deserve a soft epilogue, is all we're saying!

But, honestly, what I love about Sean Baker is even though he throws this at us, he still takes such pains to emphasize that the final scene was created to be deliberately ambiguous. As he says, “the whole ending is designed to allow the audience to have their own interpretation and write their own endings,” and I really appreciate that he gives us that ability, rather than just dictating one single way of seeing the story. I mean, I know how I see it, of course, but that doesn't preclude someone else from reading it a different way, which is what the best kind of art allows us to do.

But the idea that this hopeful epilogue inspired Mikey and Yura to play the scene in a certain way makes so much sense! And of course I'm dying to know what was in it — “there is hope there”? gah! — but I suppose we'll just have to work on creating it ourselves!

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Hello, how are you? Wow, I couldn’t get online all week because of how much work I had to do— I didn’t even have time to interact here on Tumblr.

But seriously, talking about the Oscars, I still can’t believe they won in every category they were nominated for—it’s truly surprising. I’m especially happy for Mikey.

I’ve seen a lot of debates about the film on Twitter... but I don’t have the time or energy to get into any discussions about whether Anora deserved to win Best Picture or whether Sean Baker is problematic (which honestly wouldn’t surprise me if he were).

Anyway, are you following any of this? What do you think?

But honestly, I’m still obsessed with Igor and Anora.

Same — this last week was wild in terms of real world work obligations, and I didn't even get a chance to respond to the asks I got until yesterday.

But, yes, I'm still riding the wave of Oscar euphoria — it was just such an awesome surprise that the Academy loved Anora as much as all of us do! I'm not on Twitter (X, whatever), so I've not been privy to any of the discussions there. (And because of everything going on with my work, I don't even know if there have been any big Tumblr debates or blow-ups over the movie and whether or not it deserved to win Best Picture or Director. Mostly I just stick to my lane and offer my thoughts without trying to get drawn into too much controversy!)

I think a lot of people are getting obsessed with Ani and Igor, especially after the Oscar win. My notes have gone way up in the last week, which is kind of fun, although I feel bad for anyone who was looking for new content from me since my Oscars post-a-palooza. I'm definitely still obsessed, though... I must have watched the movie in bits and pieces at least seven or eight times now! 😅

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Alejandra Pizarnik, tr. by Yvette Siegert, "Extracting the Stone of Madness", Extracting the Stone of Madness: Poems 1962 - 1972

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study of the love note

there is something about the action of folding that is integral to the love note. once folded, it’s charged with a furtive and hopeful magic, like finishing a spell

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Hey I just found your Ani/Igor first on Ao3 and I'm loving them. Are you landing to do more? (I know this sounds super entitled but I'm just curious lol)

Omigod, hey! Thanks for the message, and I'm so glad you've been enjoying the prompt fills! To answer your question, yes, I am definitely planning on doing more. (And no worries on sounding entitled; it's a legit question.) Real life has been, frankly, kinda wild for the last week and a half, so I haven't been able to post anything new, but I hope to fix that very soon. So stay tuned — and definitely subscribe on AO3 so you'll get the notification! :)