Sean Baker has won best director at the Oscars for “Anora,” the story of a Brooklyn exotic dancer who marries the impetuous son of a Russian oligarch

Anora,” a strip-club Cinderalla story without the fairy tale ending, was crowned best picture at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, handing Sean Baker’s gritty, Brooklyn-set screwball farce Hollywood’s top prize.

"Anora,” a strip-club Cinderalla story without the fairy tale ending, was crowned best picture at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, handing Sean Baker’s gritty, Brooklyn-set screwball farce Hollywood

Anora” was crowned best picture at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, handing Sean Baker’s gritty, Brooklyn-set screwball farce Hollywood’s top prize.

Baker’s four Oscars for “Anora” are validation of his sensitive portrayals of people on the margins who always seem to come up short.

Baker conceived of the film as being rooted in a home invasion scene. Madison gets her screams in — and some punches — when Garnik and Igor come calling. The goal is to round up Ani and Vanya so they can get the marriage annulled, but Vanya legs it out the front door, leaving his new bride to deal with the fallout.

With wins for best picture, directing, writing and editing on 'Anora,' Baker has set a new bar for Oscars success.

Baker, born in Summit and grew up in Short Hills and Branchburg, made history by becoming the first person to win 4 Oscars for 1 film.

An exhuberant Sean Baker urged filmmakers to keep movie theaters alive and “Keep making movies for the big screen,” in his acceptance speech after winning the Oscar for best directing for Anora. This was Baker’s fourth nomination and second win tonight.