VENICE, Italy (AP) 鈥� Nicole Kidman returns to the for the world premiere of 鈥淏abygirl鈥� on Friday.
The erotic drama is about a powerful CEO who jeopardizes her career and family life by having an affair with a younger intern.
鈥淏abygirl鈥� was made by 鈥淏odies Bodies Bodies鈥� filmmaker Halina Reijn, who was inspired by a love of erotic thrillers by filmmakers like Paul Verhoeven and Adrian Lyne. Antonio Banderas plays Kidman鈥檚 character鈥檚 husband and Harris Dickinson is the intern.
鈥淭he affair at the heart of 鈥楤abygirl鈥� allows Romy and Samuel to play out their confusion around power, gender, age, hierarchy, and primal instinct,鈥� Reijn wrote in her director's statement. 鈥淒espite its forbidden nature, the joy of that exploration is liberating, even healing.鈥�
鈥淏abygirl鈥� is playing in competition at Venice, alongside the and the yet to premiere 鈥淭he Room Next Door,鈥� 鈥淨ueer鈥� and 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux.鈥� Winners will be announced on Sept. 7.
Kidman came to Venice 25 years ago with another risqu茅 film: The Stanley Kubrick film 鈥淓yes Wide Shut.鈥� But even with a resume full of boundary-pushing, sexy and challenging works, she still has some nerves about this one.
As she told Vanity Fair recently: 鈥淚鈥檝e made some films that are pretty exposing, but not like this.鈥�
A24 will release 鈥淏abygirl鈥� in theaters on Dec. 25.
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For more coverage of the 2024 Venice Film Festival, visit .
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
