Carmen

Notable French choreographer Benjamin Millepied makes his directing debut with this gritty modern-day “re-imagining” of the classic text and opera, combining a majestic score by Nicholas Britell (Succession) with his dream-like, magic-realist dance sequences. The film stars Melissa Barrera (In The Heights) as Carmen and Paul Mescal (Normal People, Aftersun).

The story follows a young and fiercely independent woman who is forced to flee her home in the Mexican desert following the brutal murder of her mother, another strong and mysterious woman. Carmen survives a terrifying and dangerous illegal border crossing into the US, only to be confronted by a lawless volunteer border guard who cold-bloodedly murders two other immigrants in her group. When the border guard and his patrol partner, Aidan—a Marine with PTSD—become embroiled in a deadly standoff, Carmen and Aidan are forced to escape together. They make their way north toward Los Angeles in search of Carmen’s mother’s best friend, the mercurial Masilda and owner of La Sombra nightclub - a sanctuary of music and dance. Carmen and Aidan find both solace and their unwavering love for each other in the safety of Masilda’s magical refuge, but time is running out as the police hunt closes in.

“A largely enjoyable outing, fueled by a fresh take on the narrative and two leads with great expressiveness and a lot of on-screen chemistry. Barrera’s dancing is truly beautiful, the choreography is inspired, and the gorgeous score pulls it all together.” ~Jeff Ewing, Slashfilm

“Capturing the pulse-pounding emotional whirlwind of its source material (and its characters), it’s a florid reimagining that’s at once bold, beautiful, and, at its peak, brilliant.” ~Nick Schager, The Daily Beast