The first image from director Brian De Palma’s Passion has gone online, and stars Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace look to be getting quite close.  The film is a remake of the French thriller Love Crime and “tells the story of a deadly power struggle between two women in the dog-eat-dog world of international business.”  As is evident in this first image, the dog-eat-dog world of international business often includes making out with your colleagues/enemies.  The story centers on the relationship between a woman and her “innocent, lovely and easily exploited” protégé.  It’s not clear which roles the actresses play, but judging by the unease on display in this image, I’m inclined to believe that Rapace assumes the protégé role.

Needless to say, it certainly sounds like De Palma has crafted a sexually charged thriller with a pair of gutsy performances, so I’m eager to check it out.  Hit the jump to see the image along with a more detailed synopsis.  Passion will be shopped for distribution at the Cannes Film Festival later this month.

Image and synopsis via The Playlist.

Here’s the synopsis for Passion:

An erotic thriller in the tradition of "Dressed To Kill" and "Basic Instinct", Brian de Palma's PASSION tells the story of a deadly power struggle between two women in the dog-eat-dog world of international business. Christine possesses the natural elegance and casual ease associated with one who has a healthy relationship with money and power. Innocent, lovely and easily exploited, her admiring protégé Isabelle is full of cutting-edge ideas that Christine has no qualms about stealing. They're on the same team, after all... Christine takes pleasure in exercising control over the younger woman, leading her one step at a time ever deeper into a game of seduction and manipulation, dominance and humiliation. But when Isabelle falls into bed with one of Christine's lovers, war breaks out. On the night of the murder, Isabelle is at the ballet, while Christine receives an invitation to seduction. From whom? Christine loves surprises. Naked she goes to meet the mystery lover waiting in her bedroom...