While Jessica Chastain and director Michel Franco walked carpets and conducted press conferences at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where they were feted for their movie "Memory", the duo were holding a little secret close to their vests.
Prior to the Venice premiere, Chastain and Franco completed shooting a feature this summer in San Francisco.
"Dreams" stars Chastain along with Mexican ballet dancer and actor Isaac Hernandez and Rupert Friend, the British actor who has become a Wes Anderson featured player of late.
Details are scarce but the story involves a possible forbidden romance between a woman, who works for an arts foundation, and a ballet dancer. Franco wrote the script and is directing.
The movie was shot in San Francisco with a budget of around $3 million, according to sources. It did have a SAG-AFTRA waiver allowing it to shoot during the actors' strike.
Franco is producing the movie, now in post-production, along with Eréndira Núñez Larios.
"Memory" earned a rousing eight-minute standing ovation when it premiered at Venice last week, where its plaudits included a Best Actor award for Peter Sarsgaard. Chastain also earned rave reviews for her work in the drama about trauma and connection.
Chastain has also publicly spoken about how interim agreements and independent productions can be a tool during the actors' strike.
Writing on Twitter/X, she said on Sunday, “If a majority of independent producers, come forward and sign the Interim Agreement deal it will show the AMPTP how wrong they are when they say our contract terms are unrealistic or unreasonable. These agreements also provide employment opportunities for our crew members who are really struggling during the strike. By doing this, we advance our strike agenda as we keep the pressure on the struck companies in a way that nothing else will.”
Chastain is currently with Franco at the Toronto International Film Festival for "Memory."
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