Neon has revealed a new trailer for Ammonite. In a normal year, we would be gearing up for awards season and, given that Neon is coming off of Parasite winning Best Picture at the Oscars, having distributed Bong Joon-ho's widely acclaimed drama, this could be viewed as a contender for some accolades later in the year. 2020 is anything but normal. Be that as it may, we still have what looks to be a powerful drama from Francis Lee (God's Own Country). Kate Winslet (Titanic) and Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) lead the way who are looking for fossils, but end up finding love.
The trailer opens with Kate Winslet's character recounting a fossil she dug up in her youth, which now resides in a museum. Saoirse Ronan is then brought to her because she has been suffering from low spirits. Ronan's husband requests that she learns from Winslet, which is when things get interesting. Though reluctant at first, the two begin to bond and it unexpectedly becomes romantically charged.
Gemma Jones, James McArdle, Alec Secareanu and Fiona Shaw also star. The movie had been set to play at Cannes and the Telluride Film Festival before the events were canceled. Though it is still on the books for the Toronto International Film Festival in September, which could help build some bizz. Francis Lee had this to say about it.
"I wanted to tell a heartfelt but stark love story. I wanted to capture those feelings of both trepidation and joy that come from something beginning. I wanted to see how difficult it can be to be open and vulnerable enough to love and be loved, particularly if you've been badly scarred by a past relationship. I wanted to explore what this relationship might mean to someone who has not only been socially and geographically isolated but who has had to close off to any emotional life, where you replace affection and intimacy with work and duty. Where you've been overlooked and ignored your whole life because of your gender and social class."
Ammonite takes place in 1800s England. It centers on an acclaimed but unrecognized fossil hunter, Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) who works by herself on the rugged Southern coastline. With the days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now looks for common fossils to sell to tourists as a means of supporting herself and her sick mother. A wealthy visitor then entrusts Mary to care for his wife Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), which she cannot afford to turn his offer down. Proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, Mary clashes with her guest at first. However, despite the distance between their social class and personalities, they form an intense bond, compelling the two women to determine the true nature of their relationship.
Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly are on board as producers. Kate Winslet is an executive producer alongside Simon Gillis, Mary Burke, Rose Garnett and Zygi Kamasa. Ammonite does not yet have a release date but is expected to arrive later this year from Neon. Be sure to check out the new trailer for yourself.
