Last December, Albert Serra’s next film was announced, it’s called “Out of This World” and will begin production this summer, with a 2025 premiere being eyed. This is set to be his English-language debut.
The project, which finds Serra tackling the Russia/U.S. rivalry, has added Kristen Stewart in the lead role. Here’s the synopsis we received via Les Films du Losanges:
“An American delegation travels to Russia in the midst of the Ukrainian war to try to find a solution to an economic dispute linked to sanctions. Out of This World explores the eternal rivalry between Russia and the USA.”
Stewart, who recently claimed she wouldn’t act in any films until she got funding for her directorial debut, keeps amassing auteurs to her impressive filmography. Yesterday, it was announced that she’d star in the next film by Panos Cosmatos. She’s so far worked with David Fincher, Walter Salles, Olivier Assayas, Kelly Reichardt, Woody Allen, Ang Lee, Pablo Larrain and David Cronenberg.
In the September 2022 issue of Fotogramas, Serra admitted that Stewart was the actress he most wanted to work with. Not just that, he added “it’s a possibility that is being studied.” His wish has just been realized.
After incredible critical acclaim at Cannes 2022, Serra’s “Pacifiction” was released in the U.S. last year. Did the masses love “Pacification”? Of course not. It was a slow-as-molasses 165-minute statement from Serra who wasn’t tackling uncharted territory either. After all, this is the director behind “The Death of Louis XI,” and “Liberté,” two impenetrable, but painterly statements. “Pacifiction” is the first of his films that fully worked for me, from beginning to end.
There were tons of walkouts at the Lumiere screening of “Pacifiction” at Cannes. It’s just that kind of film, either you go along with its peculiar vibes or you don’t. That’s Serra for you. Mind you, there are some truly surreal, Lynchian moments in the film, especially in the last quarter, which reminded me of an extended version of the club scene in Lynch’s own “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.” Hypnotic stuff.