April 8-17

44th annual Worldfest line-up showcases international and local filmmakers

A scene from Chris Page's sequel, "Into the Wind II: The Adventure Continues,"will be shown at WorldFest.

Five features from Asian filmmakers, several compelling documentaries, suspense stories, romances and a good number of comedies are on the slate at the 44th edition of WorldFest, the annual Houston 10-day festival that showcases independent films from the U.S., with local filmmakers highlighted.

This year's dates are April 8-17, and film lovers should expect to take in some 50-plus features and 88 short films, all screening at the AMC Studio 30 Theatres.

WorldFest executive director Hunter Todd revealed the line-up during a reception at La Colombe d'Or Wednesday night, attended by film critics, programmers, actors, directors, festival devotees, and representatives of various Houston consulates, including Italy, Mexico, and Jamaica.

I've known Hunter for some 20 years, and he and I had to laugh as we wondered aloud how he has come to edition number 44 of the third-oldest film festival in the U.S. He was around to help give a boost to the early careers of a few directors you may have heard of: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, Ridley Scott, The Coen Brothers, John Lee Hancock (a former Houston lawyer), Randal Kleiser, David Lynch, Gavin Hood, Oliver Stone, and Atom Egoyan, to name a few.

Among this year's offerings, there's buzz on Radio Free Albemuth, a sci-fi thriller by American director John Alan Simon, with writer Philip K. Dick as a character in a plot about the overthrow of a corrupt government regime.

Other highlights: Indie stalwart Henry Jaglom is back with "Queen of the Lot," about an actress who'll stop at nothing to achieve fame and fortune. Look also for Polish director Jerzy Antczak's take on a favorite and oft-filmed story, The Lady of the Camellias, the stormy romance between courtesan Margaret Gautier and Armand Duval.

Hong Kong director Stanley J. Orzel's Far Away Eyes focuses on four skilled assassins as they reminisce and ponder the future. Taking Satan to the Mat, Tom Borden and Paul Aldridge's exploration of an unlikely marriage of fundamentalist Christianity and professional wrestling, promises not to be dull. From Slovakia, Bathory is a different tale about the Countess Bathory, allegedly the deadliest murderess of all time.

Some Houston productions will include Chris Page's sequel, Into the Wind II: The Adventure Continues, on powered paragliding, shot partially in Russia. Tom Vaughan's thriller, Playing House has a stunning temptress moving in with a newlywed couple. Trisha Ray's latest, SugarBaby, set partly in Calcutta, is the story of three street singers, two record producers, one assassin, and one baby. Shawn Welling's third film shown at WorldFest is Project Aether. Welling makes movies when not busy with his urban dance company, Planet Funk.

Besides screenings, there's the usual group of additional activities: six master classes in film/video production and distribution, an opening night champagne gala, the Remi Awards gala dinner, and a Regatta & Texas BBQ complete with Longhorn steers and a sailboat race at the Houston Yacht Club.

On hand for the announcement: Lindsay Oreschnigg and Elizabeth Shelby, publicists for Allied Integrated Marketing, which does publicity for 20th-Century Fox and other studios; Marian Luntz, film curator at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Nick Nicholson, president of the Houston Film Critics Society; and artist David Adickes.

Also spotted were Meghan Hendley, journalist for KUHF Radio's arts-magazine show "The Front Row;" Sally Hill, film critic for The Examiner newspapers; Wayne Childers, AMC Studio 30 manager; Nina Garza, actress and artist; and Gary Schoonover, longtime friend of WorldFest. Festival staffers Kathleen Haney, Dustin Jesudason, and Vincci Chan were also on hand to help spread the word about WorldFest. Hors d'oeuvres from La Colombe d'Or's Cinq restaurant and Texas wines were sampled.

Festival headquarters have moved to the Marriott Westchase, so look for the master classes, seminars, and the Awards gala, all open to the public, at the new location. More information, ticketing, trailers and updates at www.worldfest.org.

unspecified

Movie Review

Bold drama Anora takes an unconventional look at romance and rebellion

Photo courtesy of Neon

Mikey Madison in Anora.

Writer/director Sean Baker’s filmography is full of films that aim to show stories not typically seen in mainstream movies, ones that often feel so true to life that they can be tough to watch. His latest film, Anora, is similar to his previous content in some ways, but much different in others.

Anora (Mikey Madison), aka Ani, is a stripper/sex worker who works at a club in Brooklyn. Because she can speak Russian, she is assigned to dance for Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), who she discovers is the son of a Russian oligarch. With an unlimited supply of money, he pays Ani for sex and, enjoying spending time with her, for her to pretend to be his girlfriend for a week.

That week sees them do a lot of wild stuff, most notably an impulsive trip to Las Vegas where they — almost as hastily — decide to get married. Their elopement doesn’t stay secret for long, though, with Ivan’s parents especially upset. A trio of henchmen track them down, enlisted by Ivan’s parents to force them to get the marriage annulled at all costs.

Baker is not your typical storyteller, and so even though the film has three distinct acts, they don’t play out in ways that will be familiar or comfortable for many filmgoers. Much of the first act involves Ani in states of undress, either dancing for customers or having sex with Ivan. Although the “rich guy paying for the company of a sex worker” echoes a film like Pretty Woman, the comparison doesn’t really fit, especially because the immature, video game-playing Ivan is about as far from romance as you can get.

Whatever appeal he might have had disappears in the second half of the film when he’s confronted with his parents’ displeasure. It’s here that Baker seems to play with moviegoer expectations the most. With three goons sent to get Ani and Ivan to take back what they’ve done, it feels like Baker is going to go down the typical mob movie road. Instead, what transpires can only be described as an intense farce, with Ani resisting the trio’s efforts with all her might, causing lots of comedic chaos.

What plays out throughout the film, and especially in the final act, is a disparity of wealth. While Ani being willing to have sex with a rich guy who comes into the club could be viewed in multiple ways, it does hint at her need to make money however she can. Conversely, Ivan spends money with abandon and acts accordingly, like someone who will never have a care in the world. After much frivolity, this imbalance hits like a ton of bricks in the film’s final minutes.

Madison, who’s had small but showy roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the reboot of Scream, proves herself to be a star in this role. She owns every part of the performance, from the New York accent to the pole dancing, and she is the fire that keeps the film humming. She is especially important because Russian actor Eydelshteyn is only intermittently effective. Special note goes to Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Yura Borisov, the three men who come for Ani and Ivan. Each walks the line between drama and comedy especially well.

Taken at face value, Anora could be viewed as a merely titillating and somewhat shallow film. But Baker doesn’t do anything without a purpose, which is why the subtext of the story gives the film its power, with a bravura performance by Madison to put it over the top.

---

Anora is now playing in theaters.

movies film

April 8-17

44th annual Worldfest line-up showcases international and local filmmakers

New Mexican eatery sweetens Houston with 150 spirits and bold flavors

Houston has the third best culinary school in the country for 2025

Texas vineyard makes World’s Best list for third year in a row

Movie Review

Bold drama Anora takes an unconventional look at romance and rebellion