“I saw him in ‘Compartment No. 6’ at Cannes in 2021 and immediately fell in love — I could just see what an amazing actor he was,” says the director, who cites Spike Lee as his influence for his constant use of “fresh faces” in films like “Tangerine,” “Florida Project” and “Red Rocket.”

Yura Borisov has just made history in Russian cinema. The actor, who starred in the acclaimed film *Anora*, has received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, becoming the first Russian actor to achieve this honor since 1977.