Adam Driver was clearly aware of the extreme reaction surrounding his rendition of “Being Alive” in Marriage Story, as the budding vocalist continues to pick projects that showcase his abilities. His latest feature, Annette, has just released the first trailer of the musical drama co-starring Marion Cotillard. The movie will open the 74th Cannes Film Festival in July, as Annette was originally supposed to have its world premiere at last year’s festival before its cancellation.
Directed by Leos Carax, Annette is his first film in nine years after the incredibly well-received Holy Motors in 2012. Carax’s delay between pictures is not unfamiliar, as Holy Motors premiered 13 years after his previous movie Pola X in 1999. (It’s quite an impressive feat to beat Terrence Malick at his own game.) Annette is only the director’s sixth feature, and will also mark his English language debut.
The first trailer for Annette proves that Carax has not lost his sense of style and story. The clear pull for audiences unfamiliar with Carax’s work is the promise of a singing Driver, who certainly can hold a tune well. Cotillard is also no stranger to singing work either, as she starred in the 2009 adaptation of the musical Nine. The first trailer, unfortunately, did not spotlight their singing, but it was confirmed in an interview with Indiewire that the film is indeed a “full-blown musical,” in which “Adam Driver is singing more often than he’s not singing.”
Carax enlisted the help of the band Sparks for the film’s soundtrack, an American pop-rock duo composed of brothers Ron and Russell Mael. Not only did they compose the original music, but also served as screenwriters in their writing debut. The music in the film will certainly be a highlight, and it will be interesting to see if Sparks’ musical talent translates well on screen. Carax is also not the only filmmaker who noticed their talent, as earlier this year Edgar Wright released his documentary on the band called The Sparks Brothers at the Sundance Film Festival.
Set in contemporary Los Angeles, Henry (Driver) is a stand-up comedian who falls for Ann (Cotillard), an internationally famous opera soprano. Their seemingly perfect lives are forever changed with their titular daughter Annette is born with a mysterious gift. The sheer talent combination in this film is outstanding, as well as the intriguingly vague plot synopsis that suggests Annette may be more than just a straightforward drama.
In an official statement, Cannes Film Festival President Pierre Lescure said, “Every Leos Carax film is an event. And this one delivers on its promises! Annette is the gift that lovers of cinema, music and culture were hoping for, one that we have been yearning for during the past year.” This is indeed some great news, as many films we were looking forward to were delayed. Here’s hoping that Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch will also return to Cannes this year (and theaters afterward).
Annette will have its world premiere on July 6 and debut in French theaters on the same day. There is no news on its current U.S. release date, but Amazon Studios did pick up its distribution rights. Check out the first trailer below: