Nicole Kidman hopes her new thriller Baby Girl will be a “liberation story” for women, as she found it “very liberating” to make.
At the film's press conference at the Venice Film Festival, Kidman spoke about the film's bold themes, saying that “it's obviously about sex, it's about desire, it's about your inner thoughts, it's about secrets, it's about marriage, it's about truth, power, consent.”
“This is one woman’s story, and I hope it’s a very liberating story,” she continued. “Told by a woman through her eyes — Halina.” [Reijn] “I wrote it and directed it — that's what made it unique for me because suddenly I was going to be in the hands of a woman with this material. It was so dear to our shared instincts and so liberating.”
Nicole Kidman plays a high-powered executive who puts her career and family on the line when she begins an affair with a younger intern (played by Harris Dickinson). The film also stars Antonio Banderas, Banderas, Sophie Wilde, and Esther McGregor.
Kidman said working with a female director on “Reijn” (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies) was key to her feeling comfortable on set.
“I knew she wasn’t going to take advantage of me. No matter how anyone interpreted it, I didn’t feel taken advantage of. I felt very much a part of it,” she said. “We were all so cared for, and we were all so kind to each other and helped each other. It felt authentic and protected, and at the same time, real.”
Director Rein had worked alongside Paul Verhoeven on several films, and said she was “a huge fan of his work and wanted to do something in that area.” But unlike Verhoeven's films, she wanted her erotic film to focus on “the female gaze.”
“That doesn't mean the film doesn't also deal with masculinity, male power, control, sex, all of these things,” she added.
Ren later explained that one of the main reasons for making Baby Girl was to address what she called the “huge orgasm gap” between men and women, adding, “Men, watch out… but not you, Harris,” referring to Dickinson. The actor quickly responded, “Everyone deserves a good orgasm,” to laughter from the audience, before apologizing and putting his head in his hands in obvious embarrassment.
After Venice, Baby Girl is scheduled to have its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival before being released on December 25.
