Anora‘s sound team admitted they initially thought the film was a romantic comedy. Written and directed by Sean Baker, the 2024 film follows Anora “Ani” (Mikey Madison), a young escort in Brooklyn who seizes her chance at a Cinderella story by marrying the son of a Russian oligarch, Ivan (Mark Eidelstein), but her fairytale unravels when his parents travel to New York to annul their union. Since its release, Anora has been praised for its riveting narrative and atmospheric sound design, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%. This awards season, the film earned multiple nominations, including Best Sound Mixing at the Film Critics Guild Awards.

In an interview with Screen Rant‘s Owen Danoff, sound editing supervisor Andy Hay discussed how his unique editing process involved handing over incomplete reels during production. The opening scenes of Anora, which were vibrant and energetic, led the team to the false ᴀssumption that this film would be lighthearted. That is, until the movie’s darker, suspense-driven direction became much clearer as editing persisted. Check out Hay’s comments below:

“Anora was slightly different. He was like, ‘You’re my guys. Come on back,’ and the reins were a little looser. I think we established that level of trust through the prior films. He was also very much deep in the editing process when he turned over the first four reels to us—he hadn’t actually finished cutting the back half of the movie. That’s just the way he works. He works in a linear fashion from beginning to end and doesn’t do a lot of round-tripping and re-editing. Because of the timeline, we had to get started before the movie was even really finished. So, we started a movie that we thought was a romantic comedy, and it’s like, ‘Oh s***. No, it’s not. It’s actually something else.'”

What This Means For Hay’s Creative Process For Anora

His Confusion Ultimately Emphasized His Creativity

Hay’s linear editing approach reflects his trust in his creative teams, particularly working with John Warrin and his preference for a collaborative process. By providing only partial reels during production, he relied on the sound team to adjust as the film evolved. This method required significant flexibility, especially as the project shifted from his preconceived notion that Anora was a romantic comedy and not a suspenseful drama. Hay’s previous work with Baker on The Florida Project (2017), which also lacked a traditional score and relied on pre-recorded tracks, natural sound, and sound effects, prepared the team for this unique challenge.

Additionally, sound design in Anora plays a necessary role in its storytelling. Early on, carefree cues, against a backdrop of technicolor lighting, help build a sense of comfort, only to slip away to unnerving soundscapes that amplify the film’s themes of ethics. Hay’s creative evolution mirrors the film’s unexpected tonal shift, which ultimately surprised both the crew and audiences. The sound team’s ability to pivot and deliver an immersive auditory experience was critical to Anora’s success, which grossed $32.5M worldwide against a budget of $6M.

Our Take On The Sound Team’s Behind-the-Scenes Confusion For Anora

Hay’s Misconception Fits With The Flow Of Anora

Hay’s behind-the-scenes revelation makes Anora even more fascinating. Very rarely does a film’s creative process mirror the audience’s emotional journey, starting with one expectation and ending with something entirely different. The film’s sound design, particularly in its ability to support such a dramatic tonal shift, is a triumph. Knowing that the sound team worked under such unique circumstances only adds to Anora’s fitting allure.