The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing in France this week after opening ceremonies, and the first wave of screenings made a bit of a splash yesterday. Today, there is some news about Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz, who is premiering his latest pic at the festival, “Mariner of the Mountain,” in the Special Screenings section.
According to Variety, Aïnouz (the critically acclaimed animated film “The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão” which won the top Un Certain Regard prize at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival) is now set to make his English-language debut with the new feature film “Firebrand,” a historical drama that will see four-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams (“Shutter Island,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Manchester By The Sea,” “My Week With Marilyn“) playing Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry The VIII.
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“I could not be more excited to be bringing the undiscovered story of Katherine Parr to the screen, a ferociously brilliant woman who I am inspired by deeply and has been largely invisible, or certainly under-represented in English history,” Karim Aïnouz said in an official statement.
The script comes from writers Henrietta Ashworth and Jessica Ashworth from the hit series “Killing Eve.”
READ MORE: ‘Killing Eve’ To End With Upcoming Season 4 But Studio Is “Exploring” Potential Spinoffs
Things are so far along that production begins in 2022, and “Firebrand”s talented production team has already been assembled. The director will reunite with French cinematographer Hélène Louvart (“The Invisible Life“) and has added Oscar-nominated production designer Maria Djurkovic (“The Imitation Game,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” “The Little Drummer Girl,” “Red Sparrow“).
Michelle Williams has been busy recently as she’s co-starring with Seth Rogen and Paul Dano in Steven Spielberg‘s family drama, “The Fabelmans,” inspired by Spielberg’s childhood. Other films in the works include Kelly Reichardt‘s art scene film “Showing Up” and the Peggy Lee biopic “Fever” from director Todd Haynes. Her latest release will be the Tom Hardy-led Marvel Comics flick “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” hitting theaters on September 24.
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