The official synopsis for the film suggests the kind of female psychodrama that’s well within Haynes’ wheelhouse: “Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, Gracie Atherton-Yu and her husband Joe (twenty-three years her junior) brace themselves for their twins to graduate from high school. When Hollywood actress Elizabeth Berry comes to spend time with the family to better understand Gracie, who she will be playing in a film, family dynamics unravel under the pressure of the outside gaze. Joe, never having processed what happened in his youth, starts to confront the reality of life as an empty-nester at 36.”
The film, as the synopsis promises, emerges to be more about the two women. “And as Elizabeth and Gracie study each other, the similarities and differences between the two women begin to ebb and flow. Set in picturesque and comfortable Camden, Maine, ‘May December’ is an exploration of truth, storytelling, and the difficulties (or impossibility) of fully understanding another person.” “What so appealed to me about Samy Burch’s exceptional script was how it navigated potentially volatile subject matter with a kind of observational patience that allowed the characters in the story to be explored with uncommon subtlety,” said director Todd Haynes in a statement shared with press. Julianne Moore previously starred for Haynes in films including “Safe,” “Far From Heaven,” and “Wonderstruck.” Haynes won the Queer Palm in 2015 for “Carol,” with star Rooney Mara winning the festival’s Best Actress prize. Previously, he’s shown “Wonderstruck” (2017) and “Velvet Goldmine” (1998) in competition. Jessica Elbaum and Will Ferrell of Gloria Sanchez Productions and regular Haynes collaborators Christine Vachon (most recently on his last film “Dark Waters”) and Pam Koffler of Killer Films will produce alongside Portman and Sophie Mas under their MountainA banner. Rocket Science is handling international sales beginning at the Virtual Cannes Market. Haynes’ Velvet Underground doc went to Apple for distribution last fall. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
