By the Sea follows an American writer named Roland (Brad Pitt) and his wife, Vanessa (Angelina Jolie), who arrive in a tranquil and picturesque seaside resort in 1970s France, their marriage in apparent crisis. As they spend time with fellow travelers, including young newlyweds Lea (Mélanie Laurent) and François (Melvil Poupaud) and village locals Michel (Niels Arestrup) and Patrice (Richard Bohringer), the couple begins to come to terms with unresolved issues in their own lives. The supporting cast includes Sarah Naudi, George Camilleri, Anna Cachia and Frédéric Dessains. EW has our look at the new trailer.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt share the big screen for the first time since 2005's Mr. and Mrs. Smith in By the Sea. Angelina Jolie says she had an easier time writing and and directing the movie thanks to her husband. Universal Pictures has set a November 13 release date for By the Sea. This is what Angelina Jolie had to say about collaborating with Brad Pitt on their second project together, the first as husband and wife.
"It was comforting in that he's a great actor and we produced it together. So we were creating together and we were partners in making it. We were there to lean on each other. But, of course, it comes with wanting to make sure I do right by him. The pressure of making sure that I was doing a good enough job because I care about this actor more than other actors! It was an emotionally charged set - even though the characters are very different from us, when you act you still express real emotion."
Via email, Angelina Jolie wrote to EW. She explains her intent behind this new trailer. It offers a lot of footage we didn't get to see in the first preview released this past summer.
"I wanted to suggest and guide and give hints to the audience but not bore them or reveal all before the film itself. I like trailers that don't explain the whole film; that tell you exactly what to expect. It isn't my intention to hide anything from the audience, but the film is a complicated adult drama where things are often not what they seem. The voyeurism for example, most people will assume only that it is titillating. But it has deeper resonance to the story. I like films that leave questions and cause discussion. This trailer hints at one of the bolder aspects in the narrative. But what will they take away? I'm not sure. I hope they are curious and that when they see the film they find it interesting. That's all I can hope for."
By the Sea will go up against Warner Bros.' true story drama The 33 and Paramount's horror movie prequel Rings on November 13. The project marks Angelina Jolie's third directorial effort, following 2011's In the Land of Blood and Honey and last year's Unbroken. The November 13 release date could make it a prime contender for awards season consideration, but we'll have to wait and see how critics and audiences alike respond to the drama.
Angelina Jolie is joined behind the scenes by cinematographer Christian Berger (The White Ribbon), who used his Cine Reflect Lighting System to shoot the film. The crew also includes production designer Jon Hutman (Unbroken), editor Patricia Rommel (The Lives of Others) and costume designer Ellen Mirojnick (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps). Brad Pitt also serves as a producer alongside Angelina Jolie, with Chris Brigham (Inception), Holly Goline (Unbroken) and Michael Vieira (Unbroken) serving as executive producers. Do you think By the Sea has a shot at picking up any Academy Award nominations after its theatrical release in November?