Annual Top Films Lists

Through the Looking-Glass…Top 200 Most Anticipated Films of 2017: #8. Claire Denis’ High Life

Published on January 15, 2016

High Life

Director: Claire Denis
Writers: Claire Denis, Zadie Smith, Nick Laird

French auteur Claire Denis is back with sci-fi tale High Life, co-written by novelists Zadie Smith and Nick Laird. Notably, this is Denis’ twelfth feature and her English language debut, which concerns ‘a galactic journey beyond our solar system.’ Intriguingly, French philosopher and physicist Aurelien Barrau was consulted on the project while Danish-Icelandic sculptor Olafur Eliasson is involved. Most headlines about the project concern Robert Pattinson and Patricia Arquette among the main cast members, which will certainly heighten Denis’ reputation abroad.

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Patricia Arquette, Mia Goth.

Production Co.: Alcatraz Films, Apocalypse, Pandora

U.S. Distributor: Rights available. TBD (domestic) Wild Bunch (international).

Release Date: Denis’ has played twice at Cannes, in the main competition with her stellar 1988 debut Chocolat and in UCR with 2013’s Bastards. She’s won Locarno’s top prize for Nenette et Boni (1996), and competed three times in Venice (No Fear, No Die; The Intruder; White Material), while Berlin awarded Beau Travail (1999) a special mention. Considering Cannes has begun to favor major auteurs working in English, we’re wondering if this might (finally) find Denis returning to the main competition there.

Nicholas Bell

Los Angeles based Nicholas Bell is IONCINEMA.com's Chief Film Critic and covers film festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Cannes and TIFF. He is part of the critic groups on Rotten Tomatoes, The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and GALECA. His top 3 for 2021: France (Bruno Dumont), Passing (Rebecca Hall) and Nightmare Alley (Guillermo Del Toro). He was a jury member at the 2019 Cleveland International Film Festival.