Sean Baker broke some news to IndieWire at the red carpet of the Gotham Awards in New York City December 2. The “Anora” director shared that several of his earlier films are getting Criterion Collection releases — and that he hopes to get his next film off the ground “ASAP.”
The Palme d’Or winner has made no secret of his love for Criterion in the past, being one of the first directors to visit the Criterion Closet back in 2015 and sharing his Top 10 titles from the Collection around the same time for Criterion’s website. He also spoke at length to IndieWire about his belief that a love of older movies informs his own skillset as a filmmaker.
But to date, Baker only has one title that’s received a physical Criterion Collection release, his 2004 breakout film “Take Out,” which he co-directed with Shih Ching-Tsou. More, however, are on the way.
When asked if he plans to capitalize on the success of “Anora” and make a new film soon, Baker told IndieWire, “We’re actually trying to get something up and running ASAP. We’ve been busy on some other projects, some of my earlier films are getting a Criterion release, so we’re working hard on getting those delivered and all that. But then we want to get on the road and get back to at least the development, figuring out what’s next.”
The most likely titles from Baker’s earlier career that could get the Criterion treatment are 2008’s “Prince of Broadway,” about a hustler of knockoff luxury merchandise on the streets of New York, 2012’s “Starlet,” about the unexpected bond between a 21-year-old and an 85-year-old, and 2015’s “Tangerine,” the Magnolia Pictures comedy-drama he shot on an iPhone about the lives of trans sex workers in L.A. Then there is also his first film, from 2000, called “Four Letter Words,” a hangout movie about young aimless men that’s sort of the indie version of a bro comedy.
Criterion hasn’t made a formal announcement of what Baker titles could be in the offing — and has only announced its next releases through February.
As for Baker’s next film, the director has a simple emphatic answer to whether his style might change following the smash success of “Anora.”
“Not really, no. If anything we double down on our indie guerrilla filmmaking style I think,” Baker said.
His “Anora” producer Alex Coco then weighed in and said, “It’ll be surprising in a way. Sean likes to break the mold, and kinda zig when everybody else is zagging. So I’m sure it’ll be not expected. Not the typical track from a film like this.”
