Anora ending explained: Do Anora and Ivan end up together? Details explored

Sean Baker's award-winning comedy drama, Anora, has been loved by the audience and lauded by critics. The film's ending has left the viewers intrigued. Let us analyse what happens in the end of Anora, exploring the relationship between Anora and Ivan, and divulging details of the ending.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers of the movie 'Anora'.

Anora follows a 23-year-old exotic dancer named Anora "Ani" Mikheeva, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, and accepts a marriage proposal from the 21 year old Ivan "Vanya" Zakharov, the son of a highly affluent Russian oligarchical family. The story follows the events that take place post their marriage, ending up with Anora being compelled to annul her marriage with Ivan due to pressures and mistreatment from his family.

Anora explores themes surrounding the influence and impact of economic and social power structures in relation to women and the politics of love, especially from the perspective of an exotic dancer.

As per the official website of Anora, the synopsis reads:

Sean Baker's Palme d'Or winner ANORA is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison (ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD) captivates as Ani, a young s*x worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya, the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire. However, when Vanya's parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York.

Sean Baker's Anora was theatrically released last year on October 18, 2024, after marking its premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Anora has been a commercial success, and has bagged multiple awards and nominations including the Palme d'Or, and garnering multiple nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globe and BAFTA.

Anora and Ivan's relationship explored

Anora meets Ivan through her boss, and Ivan starts paying for their regular s*xual encounters. They soon develop a liking for each other after Ivan pays $15,000 to Anora to be with him for a week, as his girlfriend. Eventually, Ivan asks Anora to marry her, saying it would enable him to acquire a green card. That way, he could settle down in the US and not have to return to Russia.

They get married in Las Vegas despite Anora not being completely sure of the decision. However, she keeps her faith in Ivan upon his assurance about his love for her. Anora leaves her job after marriage. However, after hearing about this alliance, Ivan's family is enraged and send their henchmen, which includes Igor, in an attempt to coerce the couple to annul their marriage.

Anora, believing that Ivan genuinely loves her, Thinks he will take a stand for her against the brute force of his family, but he does not. Rather he absconds, and the thugs along with Anora find Ivan drunk at Anora's last workplace with another stripper.

The harsh truth hits Anora that the seemingly loving Ivan is actually an immature, opportunistic and an exploitative man-child who lacks the guts to stand by her. She realises that the marriage was merely one of convenience for him, as he gives in to the pressures of his family. Clearly, Ivan does not want to let go of all the luxuries and privileges he gets from his influential family. He is dismissive of Anora's appeals and feelings, and lets Anora be mistreated by his family. Anora is offered a sum of $10,000 by Ivan's Godfather Toros to agree for an annulment. Her wedding ring is confiscated, too.

By the end of the story, Anora is coerced into signing the annulments papers as a result of the threats from Ivan's mother Galina. However, she stands up for herself and takes a satisfying jibe at Galina and Ivan before leaving.

What happens in the end between Anora and Igor?

A still from Anora (Image via @Youtube/RottenTomatoesTrailers)

In the end, we witness an interesting dynamic between Igor and Anora. After Galina makes everyone fly to Las Vegas for the annulment post Anora signing the papers, Igor takes the responsibility of bringing back Anora to collect her belongings. They spend the night at the residence of Ivan's family, where Anora and Igor start a conversation. Anora detests Igor as he is one of the henchmen of Ivan's family. and she says he'd r*pe her earlier if he had the chance. Igor, however, refutes.

The next day, as Igor and Anora leave the place to head to her home, he hands her the money that was pledged to Anora by Toros. In the car, Igor also gives her back her wedding ring, which showcases his empathy for her. Soon, Anora gets physically intimate with Igor. However, when Igor tries kissing her, she breaks down. Igor then comforts Anora.

Igor is a person whom one may not usually expect to show empathy to Anora, as he is technically one of the henchmen who works for Ivan's family. Naturally, he is expected to be against Anora. However, we see glimpses of Igor's empathy in earlier scenes of the film as well, especially when he asks Ivan to own accountability for his actions by apologising to Anora about everything that has happened. Ivan's mother refuses.

In the end, when Anora surrenders and cries before Igor, the moment seems like a cathartic one. It is also a moment of truth for Anora, as she finally has an emotional outlet to her agony, by being herself without giving in to the pressure to appear 'strong' anymore.

Whether or not Igor and Anora will develop a meaningful and deeper bond later is left for the viewer's imagination by the film's open ending. The scene, however, hints at a possibility of a brewing proximity between the two.

Anora has a brilliant cast, including: