| Annette | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Leos Carax |
| Story by | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Caroline Champetier |
| Edited by | Nelly Quettier |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates | |
Running time | 140 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English[5] |
| Budget | $15.5 million[6] |
| Box office | $3.7 million[7] |
Annette is a 2021musicalromanticdrama film directed byLeos Carax in his English-language directorial debut. The film's story and music were written byRon Mael,Russell Mael, with lyrics co-written by Carax. The film, which has been described as arock opera, follows a stand-up comedian (Adam Driver) and his opera singer wife (Marion Cotillard), and how their lives are changed when they have their first child.Simon Helberg and Devyn McDowell also appear.
Aninternational co-production betweenFrance,Germany,Switzerland,Belgium, theUnited States,Mexico andJapan,Annette was premiered on 6 July 2021 as the opening film at the2021 Cannes Film Festival,[8] where Carax received theBest Director award. It was released in France the next day byUGC Distribution and in the United States on 20 August byAmazon Studios. The film received positive reviews from critics.
After a swift courtship, provocative stand-up comedian Henry McHenry publicly declares his engagement to world-famous soprano Ann Desfranoux. Shortly afterwards, Ann gives birth to their daughter Annette, portrayed by a woodenmarionette puppet. The marriage becomes rocky when Henry begins to take care of Annette while Ann's career flourishes and takes her overseas.
Later, Ann has dreams about six women who come forward with allegations of past abuse at the hands of Henry and nightmares about Henry almost killing her. Back home, Henry's career begins to spiral, exacerbated by an onstage meltdown, and he comes to resent Ann's continued success. The two schedule a private cruise with the goal of mending their relationship. However, the cruise ends in disaster when Ann falls overboard during a stormy night after Henry drunkenly forces her to waltz with him. After realizing that his wife is dead, Henry and Annette get to an island using a lifeboat. There, both fall asleep, when Ann's ghost suddenly appears and gives her voice to infant Annette as a form of revenge, so she can haunt Henry.
Though cleared of legal suspicion for Ann's death, Henry finds himself at a financial dead-end without her income. He contacts Ann's former accompanist, revealing Annette's singing voice and suggesting they use her gift for a musical act. The accompanist reluctantly agrees, having been in love with Ann, and as they tour, Baby Annette becomes a worldwide hit. Henry continues to drink heavily and stay out late, haunted by memories of Ann. One night, when returning home, Henry overhears Annette singing a rendition of “We Love Each Other So Much”, which was Ann and Henry's song. He confronts the accompanist, who implies that he is Annette's real father. In retaliation, Henry drowns him in the backyard pool, witnessed by Annette from her bedroom window. Henry plans one final performance at the "Hyperbowl" halftime show, but Annette refuses to sing, instead declaring, "Daddy kills people," to the packed stadium. Henry is tried and convicted.
A few years later, Annette visits her father in prison. Annette, suddenly portrayed by a living human girl, denies his attempts of reconciliation and even blames her mother for using her to get revenge. She tells him that he now has "nothing to love". After the living Annette leaves, the Annette puppet lies lifeless on the floor.
It was announced in November 2016 that Carax was set to make his first English language film, withAdam Driver,Rooney Mara andRihanna in talks to star in the film. Filming was scheduled to begin in spring 2017.[6] In March 2017,Amazon Studios acquired the film, but Mara and Rihanna were not involved in the project.[9] Carax originally envisionedJoaquin Phoenix for the role of Henry McHenry, he was scheduled to meet with Carax, but he was too shy.[10] In May,Michelle Williams was cast to replace Mara, with filming then due to begin in July.[11] Production on the film stalled, with the screenwritersRon andRussell Mael attributing the delay to Driver's commitments toStar Wars. Filming was moved to begin in summer 2019.[12]
Development resumed on the project in May 2019, withMarion Cotillard now cast to replace Williams.[13][14] In October 2019,Simon Helberg joined the cast.[15]
Filming began in August 2019, with shooting taking place inLos Angeles,Brussels andBruges[16] and at locations in Germany includingMünster,Cologne andBonn.[17] Production concluded in November 2019.[18] In January 2020, it was announced that the Belgian singerAngèle was cast in an undisclosed role.[19]
The first song from the score and soundtrack, "So May We Start", was released as a single on 28 May 2021.[20]
The film's stars, while not trained, do most of their own singing.[21] Cotillard has sung in previous film roles and has hada musical career outside film, and Driver has sung in previous film roles as well.[22][23]
A second single, "We Love Each Other So Much", was released via streaming on 25 June 2021. The soundtrackAnnette (Cannes Edition - Selections from the Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released on CD and vinyl on MasterWorks / Milan label bySony Music: it contains 15 tracks.[24] TheUnlimited Edition: The Original Movie Soundtrack was released digitally and as a double CD shortly after and contains virtually all of the music from the movie as well as demos.[25]
Annette debuted at theCannes Film Festival on 6 July 2021.[26] and was released in France the same day by UGC Distribution.[27]
The film was given alimited North American theatrical release on 6 August 2021 before digital streaming onAmazon Prime Video on 20 August 2021.[28]
In June 2021, the film's UK and Ireland distribution rights were acquired by the streaming serviceMUBI.[29] It was also selected in the 'Gala Presentation' section of26th Busan International Film Festival.[30]
Thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 71% based on 270 reviews, and an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Annette's experimental approach to its emotional extremes marks an ambitious, if not peculiar, return for director Leos Carax."[31] OnMetacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[32]Annette was aNYT Critics' Pick; reviewerA. O. Scott described it as a "highly cerebral, formally complex film about unbridled emotion" that "masters its own paradoxes. [...] A work of art propelled by a skepticism about where art comes from and why we value it the way we do. A fantastical film that attacks some of our culture’s most cherished fantasies. Utterly unreal and completely truthful."[33]
In June 2025,IndieWire ranked the film at number 81 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)," while filmmakerJohn Waters cited it as among his favorites of the 21st century.[34][35]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 17 July 2021 | Best Director | Leos Carax | Won | [36] [37] |
| Palme d'Or | Annette | Nominated | |||
| Florida Film Critics Circle | 21 December 2021 | Best Picture | Annette | Runner-up | [38] [39] |
| Best Director | Leos Carax | Runner-up | |||
| Best Actor | Adam Driver | Won | |||
| Best Original Screenplay | Leos Carax,Ron Mael andRussell Mael | Runner-up | |||
| Best Art Direction/Production Design | Annette | Nominated | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Annette | Runner-up | |||
| Best Score | Ron Mael and Russell Mael | Nominated | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | January 9, 2022 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical | Marion Cotillard | Nominated | [40] |
| Lumière Awards | January 17, 2022 | Best Film | Charles Gillibert, Paul-Dominique Win Vacharasinthu, Adam Driver, and Leos Carax | Nominated | [41] |
| Best Director | Leos Carax | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Caroline Champetier | Won | |||
| Best Music | Ron Mael and Russell Mael | Won | |||
| César Awards | February 25, 2022 | Best Film | Charles Gillibert, Paul-Dominique Win Vacharasinthu, and Leos Carax | Nominated | [42] |
| Best Director | Leos Carax | Won | |||
| Best Actor | Adam Driver | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Screenplay | Leos Carax, Ron Mael, and Russell Mael | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Caroline Champetier | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Nelly Quettier | Won | |||
| Best Sound | Erwan Kerzanet, Katia Boutin, Maxence Dussère, Paul Heymans, and Thomas Gauder | Won | |||
| Best Original Music | Ron Mael and Russell Mael | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | Pascaline Chavanne | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design | Florian Sanson | Nominated | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Guillaume Pondard | Won | |||
| Gaudí Awards | March 6, 2022 | Best European Film | Annette | Nominated | [43] |
"So May We Start" was shortlisted for theAcademy Award for Best Original Song,[44] but not nominated.
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