Exotic dancer drama 'Anora' wins Cannes Film Festival's top prize

CANNES, France, - "Anora," a darkly funny and touching drama about a young exotic dancer who becomes involved with a Russian oligarch's son, won the Cannes Film Festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or, on Saturday.

The film by U.S. director Sean Baker beat the 21 other films in the competition line-up, including entries by established directors like Francis Ford Coppola and David Cronenberg.

"Anora" continues a streak of sex worker-focused films by Baker, including the 2021 Cannes entry "Red Rocket" and 2017's "The Florida Project" starring Willem Dafoe.