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Anna (2014) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 99 min · English
JustWatch #25,595 2
Directed by
Jorge Dorado
Starring
Brian Cox, Mark Strong, Taissa Farmiga

A detective with a unique ability investigates the case of a troubled teenager, Anna, accused of a serious crime. Through his efforts, he attempts to uncover the truth behind her past, navigating a fractured timeline of memories. As he delves deeper, he must confront unsettling truths about Anna and himself, questioning whether she is a dangerous killer or an innocent caught in a web of circumstance. The investigation reveals a complex and shocking reality.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Anna
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Anna (2014)

Where can you watch Anna? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, FlixFling and Hoopla: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Anna Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Anna (2014) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Stiva's Infidelity Revealed

    In 1874, Prince Stepan 'Stiva' Oblonsky is caught in a compromising situation with the governess of his children. This revelation devastates his wife, Princess Daria 'Dolly', leading to a severe family crisis.

    Where
    Imperial Russia
  2. Dolly Confronts Stiva

    Heartbroken and angry, Dolly confronts Stiva about his betrayal. She forces him to leave their home, barring him from seeing her or their five children, which leaves a profound impact on the family's dynamics.

    Where
    Oblonsky Home
  3. Anna Travels to Moscow

    In an attempt to mend the rift between her brother and his wife, Anna Karenina travels from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Her arrival marks the beginning of her entanglement in the lives of Stiva and Dolly.

    Where
    St. Petersburg to Moscow
  4. Anna's Obligation

    Upon reaching Moscow, Anna feels compelled to persuade Dolly to forgive Stiva. Despite her husband's warnings against meddling in others' affairs, she remains determined to help her brother's family.

    Where
    Moscow
  5. Meeting Konstantin Levin

    While in Moscow, Anna encounters Konstantin Levin, an old friend of Stiva. Levin is deeply in love with Katerina 'Kitty' Shcherbatsky but struggles to express his feelings, setting the stage for their intertwined fates.

    Where
    Moscow
  6. Kitty's Rejection

    Despite Stiva encouraging Levin to propose to Kitty, she ultimately declines his advances. Kitty is enamored with the dashing Count Alexi Vronsky, leaving Levin heartbroken and conflicted.

    Where
    Moscow
  7. The Grand Ball

    At a lavish ball in Moscow, Anna experiences a magnetic connection with Vronsky. Their encounter ignites a romantic tension that sends ripples through both their lives, changing everything.

    Where
    Moscow
  8. Anna's Departure from the Ball

    Overwhelmed by the attention Vronsky pays her, Anna chooses to leave the ball, wishing to spare Kitty from feeling overshadowed. However, Vronsky's pursuit of Anna intensifies despite the scandal that looms.

    Where
    Moscow
  9. The Affair Begins

    As Anna and Vronsky's affair intensifies, they become acutely aware of the societal implications of their love. Anna grapples with her marriage to Karenin and the emotional stakes that reveal themselves.

    Where
    Moscow
  10. Societal Pressure Mounts

    Anna's love for Vronsky presents significant challenges as societal norms begin to weigh heavily on them. The couple's passion faces constant external scrutiny, dramatically affecting their lives.

    Where
    Moscow
  11. Anna's Pregnancy

    As Anna falls pregnant with Vronsky's child, dreams of a liberated life together emerge, yet societal constraints loom ominously over their relationship. Each moment is fraught with tension and risk.

    Where
    Moscow
  12. Levin's Transformation

    Amidst the turmoil surrounding Anna, Levin finds solace in his own romantic pursuit of Kitty. As he reconciles his feelings, he gradually discovers joy in their union, illustrating a contrast to Anna's heartbreak.

    Where
    Pastoral Life
  13. Anna's Identity Crisis

    Anna's struggles with her identity and her societal role reach a critical point. The weight of societal expectations pushes her toward a tragic crossroads, affecting her every decision.

    Where
    Moscow
  14. Tragic Choices

    Ultimately, Anna's story culminates in tragic choices that reflect the relentless pressures of love and duty. Her journey leaves audiences contemplating the personal sacrifices that love demands.

    Where
    Moscow
  15. Cycles of Love and Despair

    The narrative concludes by highlighting the cycles of romance and despair faced by its characters. Themes of fidelity, societal oppression, and the quest for personal truth resonate throughout this timeless tale.

    Where
    Imperial Russia

Last updated: October 31, 2024 at 14:49

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Timeline questions answered

Anna Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Anna (2014): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Dolly force Stiva to leave after discovering his affair?

Dolly discovers Stiva in a compromising position with their children's governess, which devastates her emotionally. Heartbroken and furious, she confronts him and bans him from the home, refusing to allow him to see her or their five children ever again. This severe reaction reflects the profound breach of trust and the strict moral expectations of 19th-century Russian aristocracy.

Foreshadowing: The family's public shame from this scandal sets the stage for Anna's own impending scandal later in the story.

  • dolly
  • stiva
  • affair
  • governess
  • family
  • exile
Q2

Why does Anna travel to Moscow to help Stiva?

Anna travels from St. Petersburg to Moscow at her brother's request to help heal the rift between Stiva and Dolly. Despite her husband Karenin's warnings against meddling in others' affairs, Anna feels compelled to persuade Dolly to forgive Stiva and restore the family unity.

Foreshadowing: Anna's willingness to meddle in family matters foreshadows her own later defiance of societal norms.

  • anna
  • stiva
  • moscow
  • dolly
  • forgiveness
  • family
Q3

Why does Anna leave the ball early despite Vronsky's attention?

At the grand ball, Anna becomes the center of attention when Vronsky devotes himself to her, overshadowing Kitty who was hoping to capture his affection. Feeling guilty about outshining Kitty and recognizing the inappropriate attention from a young man not her husband, Anna chooses to leave early to spare Kitty further embarrassment.

Foreshadowing: Anna's departure only intensifies Vronsky's pursuit, setting the affair in motion.

  • anna
  • vronsky
  • ball
  • kitty
  • leave
  • attention
Q4

Why does Vronsky continue pursuing Anna despite the approaching scandal?

Vronsky is completely captivated by Anna at the ball and cannot resist pursuing her, even though he knows his attention is inappropriate and will inevitably cause a scandal in Russian high society. His devotion overrides practical concerns about reputation and social standing.

Foreshadowing: Vronsky's reckless pursuit demonstrates his inability to anticipate the devastating consequences that unfold.

  • vronsky
  • anna
  • pursuit
  • scandal
  • society
  • romance
Q5

Why does Anna confess her feelings for Vronsky to her husband?

Anna's connection with Vronsky becomes overwhelming, and she can no longer maintain the facade of her marriage. She confesses her feelings for Vronsky to Karenin, shattering the stability of her marriage and inviting the social scandal she had been trying to avoid.

Foreshadowing: This confession marks the point of no return for Anna, exposing her to societal contempt and personal desperation.

  • anna
  • vronsky
  • confession
  • karenin
  • affair
  • marriage
Q6

What complications arise from Anna's pregnancy with Vronsky's child?

Anna becomes pregnant with Vronsky's child, which deepens her desire to escape her marriage and build a new life with him. However, this pregnancy also intensifies the societal scandal, as bearing another man's child while still married to Karenin brings unprecedented shame upon her.

Foreshadowing: The pregnancy raises the stakes dramatically, making Anna's situation increasingly untenable.

  • anna
  • pregnancy
  • vronsky
  • child
  • scandal
  • society
Q7

Why does Anna's story end so tragically?

Anna cannot escape the crushing weight of societal expectations and her own guilt over betraying Karenin and abandoning her son. As her affair with Vronsky faces relentless scrutiny and his attention wanes, Anna experiences a complete emotional collapse, leading her to make tragic choices that reflect the devastating consequences of defying rigid social norms.

Foreshadowing: The narrative foreshadows this outcome from the moment Anna chooses passion over propriety.

  • anna
  • tragedy
  • suicide
  • society
  • guilt
  • consequences
Q8

Why do Levin and Kitty end up together happily while Anna's story is tragic?

Unlike Anna's forbidden affair, Levin's pursuit of Kitty follows a more conventional path. After Kitty initially rejects Levin for Vronsky, she eventually recognizes his genuine love and values his honest, grounded character. Their relationship develops naturally, leading to marriage and joy, providing a stark contrast to Anna's disastrous romance.

Foreshadowing: Levin's steadfast authenticity versus Vronsky's reckless passion sets up this dichotomy throughout the narrative.

  • levin
  • kitty
  • marriage
  • happiness
  • contrast
  • anna
Q9

Why does Karenin warn Anna about meddling in Stiva's affairs?

Karenin warns Anna to avoid meddling in Stiva and Dolly's marital problems because he understands the delicate nature of family scandals in their social circle. His warning reflects his desire to maintain propriety and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to their own household.

Foreshadowing: This warning highlights Karenin's awareness of societal dangers, though he ultimately cannot prevent his own wife's downfall.

  • karenin
  • anna
  • warning
  • stiva
  • dolly
  • society
Q10

Why does Kitty reject Levin's proposal initially?

Kitty rejects Levin because she is captivated by the charming and wealthy Count Vronsky, who represents the exciting romantic ideal she desires. Despite Stiva's encouragement for Levin to propose, Kitty believes Vronsky offers her a more glamorous future.

Foreshadowing: Kitty's rejection sets Levin on his own journey of self-discovery, eventually leading him back to her after she learns about Vronsky's true nature.

  • kitty
  • levin
  • rejection
  • vronsky
  • proposal
  • love
Q11

Why does Russian high society condemn Anna so severely for her affair?

19th-century Russian aristocracy maintains rigid moral standards, particularly regarding marital fidelity. A married woman having a public affair with a younger man is considered scandalous and shameful. Anna's defiance of these expectations invites universal ostracism, as society views her as a threat to the moral order.

Foreshadowing: The severity of society's reaction makes Anna's eventual downfall inevitable rather than merely probable.

  • society
  • anna
  • affair
  • scandal
  • condemnation
  • russian aristocracy

Movie threads

More Movies Like Anna, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Anna tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Slow burn psychological character studies like Anna

Intimate and deliberate explorations of a troubled mind under pressure. If you liked Anna's deep dive into a troubled psyche, you'll find similar films here. These movies share a slow, deliberate pacing that builds intense psychological tension, focusing on complex characters in emotionally heavy narratives. They are similar dramas and thrillers with a dark tone and tragic outcomes.

  • somber
  • claustrophobic
  • psychological
  • melancholic
  • deliberate
  • oppressive
  • Tone: dark, melancholic, oppressive
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, immersive
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a single, complex protagonist through a psychologically taxing journey. The narrative unfolds slowly, often through fractured timelines or deep introspection, revealing the character's past and motivations as they confront a defining crisis. The central conflict is as much internal as external.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared commitment to a slow, character-centric pace, a dark and intense emotional weight, and a focus on psychological depth over fast-paced action. They create a claustrophobic, somber mood that draws viewers into the protagonist's troubled world.

Tragic dramas of forbidden love like Anna

Passionate affairs collide with rigid social norms, leading to devastating consequences. Viewers who appreciated Anna's focus on forbidden love and its tragic costs will find more movies like it here. This collection features heavy dramas where passionate romances defy social rules, leading to intense emotional turmoil, moral dilemmas, and often bleak or sad endings. These are similar tragic love stories.

  • tragic
  • passionate
  • yearning
  • melancholic
  • oppressive
  • somber
  • Tone: dark, passionate, tragic
  • Pacing: slow to steady, emotionally driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a central, often illicit, romantic relationship that flourishes in secret but is eventually discovered or challenged by external forces. The story explores the immense societal pressure and personal shame that follows, leading to a downward spiral for the characters and an ending that reinforces the destructive power of the transgression.

Why they belong together: These films share a core thematic focus on a passionate, forbidden romance that leads to ruin. They are united by a high romance score paired with an equally high sadness score, a dark tone, and heavy emotional weight stemming from the consequences of defying social taboos.

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Every angle

Anna (2014) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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