Robert Pattinson set to star in French art house director Claire Denis' first English-language film 'High Life', a genre-bending sci-fi drama about a death row inmate sent on an isolated, no-return mission to explore a black hole

The art house helmer tells THR of making 'High Life,' researching astrophysics and facing her fear of special effects.

A fascinating interview with writer-director Claire Denis courtesy of THR. She's about to shoot "High Life" with Robert Pattinson, fresh off his "Good Time" triumph, the drama will also star, Juliette Binoche, Mia Goth and musician-actor Andre Benjamin. Denis is 71, and has been working on this story for "years" according to THR, which has "a crew of convicts sent on a no-return mission to explore a black hole." Claire Denis is an art-house critical darling, I highly recommend "35 Shots of Rum," "White Material" and "Beau Travail" if you're a newbie. Shre actually started off as an assistant director on many films - including Wim Wenders' legendary "Wings of Desire" and "Paris, Texas". So, basically, Claire Denis, is a badass. 
But for me, this is less a science-fiction film than a drama, a Claire Denis film, set outside the solar system. The story of the film is about this crew, who are prisoners and are offered the chance to take part in this trip into space, knowing that there is no return.