Key Points
Emmanuelle premieres on Lionsgate Play on April 11
Noemie Merlant stars alongside Naomi Watts and Will Sharpe
Audrey Diwan directs the intimate character exploration
Film explores woman's journey of self-discovery and desire
The film, which stars Noemie Merlant, Naomi Watts and Will Sharpe, will premiere on April 11 exclusively on Lionsgate Play.
Ahead of the digital premiere, Noemie took a stroll down memory lane and recalled working in the film.
"I didn't know Emmanuelle at all, neither the book nor the film. All I knew was the buzz that had surrounded the film when it was released. I only learned two days before meeting Audrey that she was looking for her Emmanuelle and that she had thought of me. I was very flattered. When I read the script, I was caught up in this intimate journey," she said, as per a press note.
"I had the feeling of going on an inner journey since it resembled my own somewhat, that's to say the journey of a woman who tries to connect to her body, to reconnect, period, as if ultimately she'd never really been able to connect to herself, to her pleasure. When I met Audrey, it was actually the first thing she told me, that this was about a woman trying to reconnect with her desire. And for me, that's kind of the subject. It touches me very personally, like many women," Noemie recalled.
Emmanuelle is directed, co-written and produced by Audrey Diwan.
Comments:
Noemie's performance in Portrait of a Lady on Fire was incredible, so I'm really excited to see her take on this role! The way she talks about connecting with the character's journey is so thoughtful. Can't wait for April 11! ✨
Interesting to hear how actors sometimes come into projects knowing very little about the source material. Makes me wonder how different the performance might be compared to someone who grew up with the original Emmanuelle films.
The original Emmanuelle was groundbreaking for its time but definitely problematic by today's standards. I'm curious to see how Audrey Diwan approaches this reimagining. Noemie's comments about female pleasure and reconnection sound promising!
While I appreciate the artistic approach, I'm not sure we needed another Emmanuelle adaptation. The original was very much a product of its time. That said, I'll reserve judgment until I see how this team handles the material.
Noemie's emotional intelligence about her characters always shines through in interviews. The way she describes this as an "inner journey" makes me think this will be much more than just a sensual drama. Count me in! 🎬
