Prepare for a dose of cinematic enigma, because French filmmaker Claire Denis, known for making movies that feel less like explanations and more like fever dreams, is at the helm of Miu Miu's 32nd Women's Tales short film.
It’s called “Avec Kim,” and it’s set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 5th. Which, if you know anything about Denis, means it will likely be beautiful, unsettling, and leave you pondering its meaning for days.
This latest installment follows Mona Fastvold’s “Discipline,” which debuted in New York back in February. And if Denis’s quote about filmmaking being “a journey into the impossible” is any indication, we’re in for something truly unique.
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Start Your News DetoxThe World According to Denis
Born in Paris in 1946 but shaped by a childhood spent in French Africa, Claire Denis’s films don't just tell stories; they feel them. Her work is a masterclass in the sensual, dissecting desire, alienation, and race with a style that blends narrative with something almost abstract. She’s the kind of director who makes you realize how much you can convey without saying a word.
She first captivated critics with her 1988 film “Chocolat,” a poignant look at a French woman’s childhood in Cameroon and her complex relationship with the family’s African servant. It snagged a Palme d’Or nomination at Cannes, which is basically the cinematic equivalent of a mic drop.
Since then, she’s given us the near-dialogue-free “Beau Travail” (1999) and the quietly powerful “35 Shots of Rum” (2008). More recently, she ventured into English-language territory with the sci-fi flick “High Life” (2018), starring Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche. Then came 2022’s double feature: “Both Sides of the Blade” and “Stars at Noon,” the latter of which took home the Grand Prix at Cannes. Her most recent, “The Fence,” dropped last year.
Miu Miu's Cinematic Universe
Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales series isn’t just a fashion brand dabbling in film; it’s a serious commitment to unique female voices. Since 2011, it’s featured a who’s who of directorial talent, including Alice Diop, Joanna Hogg, Dakota Fanning (yes, that Dakota Fanning), and the legendary Agnès Varda. All thanks to Miuccia Prada’s enduring love affair with cinema.
In 2023, Miu Miu even formed a committee to champion new talent and boost the series' profile. It’s basically a supergroup of influential women, including Miuccia Prada herself, director Ava DuVernay (who’s directed a previous Women’s Tale), designer Catherine Martin, and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. Because apparently that’s where we are now: fashion houses not just dressing the stars, but helping create them, one beautifully bewildering short film at a time.
