A Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur Fellowship winner before she decided to move behind the camera, after Kelly Reichardt and Eliza Hittman, we add American playwright turned filmmaker Annie Baker to the list of filmmakers find hidden drama in ordinary life. Only one film into her filmography, Janet Planet premiered at Telluride Film Festival ands NYFF and showcased that she has a penchant for connection, observation and loneliness. A New York Film Critics Circle’s award winner for Best First Film, the debut also received noms for Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, and Best Cinematography at the Indie Spirit Awards. We look forward to her sophomore feature. Here is everything we know so far (American Indie Edition) for… Annie Baker‘s Ancient History.
Shrouded in secrecy, we first caught wind of the project when it was announced in the trades back in June of 2025 tht A24 was back in the Baker business with production finally having taken place around the month of October in New York City.
Based on her own script – we are without plot details.
Sophia Lillis and Daniel Zolghadri topline.
Annie Baker re-teams with cinematographer Maria von Hausswolff, editor Lucian Johnston and production designer Teresa Mastropierro. Baker produces with Johnny Holland, and Present Company’s Andrew Goldman.
Given that her feature debut launched at Telluride before heading to the New York Film Festival, a similar festival trajectory wouldn’t come as a surprise. With NYFF expected to unveil its lineup soon and Telluride traditionally kicking off over Labor Day weekend on September 4, those two festivals seem like natural landing spots—though this also feels like the kind of project likely to attract close attention from Sundance and Berlinale programmers. A24 folks will be weighing those options.
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