Take A Star Is Born, mix in a little avant-garde French cinéma, and you have the trailer for Annette, a musical romance starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. The movie, featuring an original soundtrack by Sparks and helmed by Holy Motors’ Leos Carax, will open the 2021 Cannes Film Festival on July 6.
In his English-language debut, Carax centres on Henry (Driver), a broody stand-up comedian, and Ann (Cotillard), a world-famous opera singer, who fall in love and have a daughter named Annette. Lovely, right? But this is when things start to get trippy. Their baby is described as “a mysterious little girl with an exceptional destiny,” and from there, the trailer introduces surreal imagery: a coyote, Driver dancing around in a bathrobe onstage, funky lighting, and maybe even a puppet-like Annette are in store. Oh, and remember, it's a musical.
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Carax has been trying to make the film since 2016, and initially cast Rooney Mara and Rihanna. Judging by the trailer and the director's fondness for the bizarre, the combination of Driver's intensity and Cotillard's, well, utter frenchness will make this an impactful (and interesting) watch. It might go a bit off the deep end, but in the words of another star-crossed musical pair, “Watch as I dive in.”
Check out the trailer for Annette, which will make its public debut on July 6.