Last month, I had mentioned, even before its lineup was revaled, that Cannes rejected Audrey Diwan’s “Emmanuelle”– –her follow-up to her Golden Lion-winning “Happening”––and it now turns out that it won’t even be at Venice or Telluride either.
This morning, the 72nd San Sebastian Festival announced it will world premiere “Emmanuelle” as their opening night film, on September 20. Starring Noémie Merlant, Naomi Watts, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Will Sharpe, the film has had a shaky journey these last few months.
The film is an adaptation of Emmanuelle Arsan's erotic novel — which was originally made into a series of popular softcore porn movies in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Noémie Merlant will play the titular character. “Emmanuelle” does come with some hefty expectations as it’s been a little over two years since Diwan won the Golden Lion at Venice for her last film, “Happening.”