Albert Serra’s much-delayed English-language debut, “Out of This World,” wrapped production in late summer and now appears poised to premiere at Cannes next year. We have our very first look at the film via Variety — a still of Riley Keough holding onto a rolling ladder. It looks like she’s in a circus, which seems far removed from what the official synopsis had hinted at.
“Out of This World,” which tackles U.S.–Russia tensions during the ongoing war in Ukraine, follows an American delegation sent to Russia to resolve an economic dispute tied to sanctions. Serra describes it as a film exploring “the eternal rivalry” between Russia and the USA.
Shot over four weeks this summer in Latvia with Forma Pro, Variety adds that Serra captured as much as 800 hours of footage — a Malickian move on his part.
Originally announced in December 2023, the film was initially set to star Kristen Stewart, but she was replaced by Riley Keough this summer. According to Serra, Stewart had signed on early but backed out after he made changes to the script. “She changed her mind,” Serra explained, adding that the new direction of the film didn’t sit well with the actress.
Keough, granddaughter of Elvis Presley, has carved out a distinct path in Hollywood with roles in films such as “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “American Honey,” “Zola,” and “Sasquatch Sunset.” She also won the Camera d’Or at Cannes 2022 for her directorial debut, “War Pony.”
Joining Keough in the ensemble cast are F. Murray Abraham, Liza Yankovskaya, Evgenyia Gromova, and Birte von Knoblauch. No other actors have been mentioned yet, but more announcements are expected soon.
Serra’s recent work has continued to gain momentum. After the Cannes breakout “Pacifiction” in 2022, the Spanish auteur returned with the extraordinary “Afternoons of Solitude,” a meditative bullfighting documentary that took the top prize at San Sebastián — easily one of the best films I’ve seen this year. Before that, his films “The Death of Louis XIV” and “Liberté” marked him as one of the most uncompromising voices in European cinema — arthouse to the core, yet impossible to ignore.
With “Out of This World,” Serra seems poised to finally break through to a wider international audience. Cannes is calling — but will he be able to assemble a coherent cut in time for the submission deadline from the 800 hours he has to work with? Stay tuned.
