Neon is partnering with independent bookstores in New York City and Los Angeles to give away free limited edition prints of Sean Baker‘s Academy Award-nominated screenplay of Anora.
The exclusive giveaways will take place Feb. 15-18 at L.A.’s Book Soup (West Hollywood), Chevalier’s Books (Larchmont) and Zibby’s Bookshop (Santa Monica). In New York, the locales are: Books Are Magic (Brooklyn) and the Strand Book Store (East Village).
The collector’s edition of the script features the full screenplay, behind-the-scenes photos from the film and a foreword by scribe/director/editor/producer Baker. The cover illustration is an original work by Brianna Ashby, art director and resident illustrator for digital film magazine Bright Wall/Dark Room.
Anora, which is currently positioned as the Best Picture frontrunner after sweeping the top prize at awards ceremonies for the DGA, PGA and Critics Choice, was also a Palme d’Or winner upon its premiere at Cannes. It is now up for six Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress, Supporting Actor (for Yura Borisov) and Film Editing. Anora, which has grossed $36 million worldwide, is also nominated for seven BAFTA Awards, five Film Independent Spirit Awards, three SAG Awards and the WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay.
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Emblematic of Baker’s melancholic yet vibrant tone and honest depiction of marginalized sex workers, the film — half-screwball comedy, half-survival journey — is billed as a “modern-day Cinderella story,” starring Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn-hailing stripper whose life is upended when she impulsively marries Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the lackadaisical son of a Russian billionaire. When Vanya’s parents uncover the union, they dispatch their henchmen (led by Karren Karagulian’s Toros) to annull the marriage, resulting in chaotic displays across the streets of New York.
Timing and details of the giveaways are determined by each bookstore, which can be gleaned by contacting each retailer directly or perusing their social media accounts.