Whenever Olivier Assayas ended up seeing David Cronenberg‘s Cosmopolis — as a publicly stated fan of the Canadian helmer, little doubt as to such a viewing really exits — a bright idea must have entered his mind. If the man who gave us eXistenZ can earn a swath of the tween spotlight simply for casting a Twilight star, why shouldn’t the same happen for his own production? It’s the simplest path to respectable notice.
Now the most commercial production of his entire career, Sils Maria has added to its ranks Kristen Stewart, a star of the aforementioned franchise who still needs a few strong post-vamp roles under her belt. (Snow White and the Huntsman scars still remain.) She made a fine choice: this meta-textual project is one of our most anticipated in development, aided in no small part by the unpredictable combination of Juliette Binoche, Chloe Moretz, Assayas, and this latest addition. As if allowing the world’s greatest actress (that would be the first listed in the previous sentence, natch) to play herself isn’t a strong-enough point. [TheWrap]
Although the position falling into Stewart‘s lap — i.e., an assistant to the aging performer — was once said to be Mia Wasikowska‘s, the Australian actress is noted to have never been formally attached. Thus, now, Sils Maria has undergone a notable switch of presence — a less-than-perfect one, at that, but doable nonetheless. If this move gets a wider berth of people experiencing Assayas‘ cinema without any compromises on his own part, a trade-off of sorts might as well be accepted.
Sils Maria will begin shooting this summer, followed by a presumptive 2014 release from IFC Films.
Also entering her schedule is yet another indie turn: Camp X-Ray, a military / political drama from feature debut writer-director Peter Sattler. Starring as a young woman who joins the army as some form of personal respite, Stewart will go in a darker direction when her character is sent for guard duty at Guantanamo Bay. During her stay at the controversial Cuba-based prison, the protagonist finds herself bonding with a man who’s been in custody for eight years, surely now pleased to have some friendly company in detainment.
Camp X-Ray will also start filming in the next couple of months, with Sophia Lin and Gina Kwon on producing duties; David Gordon Green will executive produce.
Do these roles appear to fit Stewart well?