Three Thousand Years of Longing
George Miller, an Australian filmmaker, has premiered his latest work Three Thousand Years of Longing at France’s star-studded Cannes Film Festival. It has been reported by several news sources that the two-hander film was not only well received, but in fact earned a standing ovation. One news source, Collider, claims the ovation lasted for six minutes. This reaction to the Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton-led fantasy drama at the festival bodes well for the film’s success in the U.S.
While Three Thousand Years of Longing will not premiere in the U.S. until August 31, the trailer might satiate some anxious viewers’ desires to catch the flick. Miller’s film is reportedly based on a short story by A.S. Byatt titled The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye.
Does Anyone Know What It’s About?
The trailer begins with Swinton’s character. She identifies herself as Alithea and describes her story as true. Soon after, amidst surreal visuals and a thumping bass, Elba’s character appears from a magic lamp. His character offers the tell-tale three wishes. Elba’s character cries out, “Make a wish! Save yourself!” and the world of the trailer spins out and crashes down. It’s safe to assume this film won’t remind us of the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin.
Three Thousand Years… Worth the Wait?
Rory O’Connor of The Film Stage says this of Miller’s film: “It’s far from perfect, but it does try new things. There is much to be said for that.” O’Connor continues, “Applying some of the breakneck editing that gave Fury Road its unique verve, Miller adapts Byatt’s text for the screen with a kind of hyper creativity that becomes a bit much after a while…and, as you might have guessed, [there are] words of caution about the sustainability of modern life.”
Three Thousand Years of Longing is, nevertheless, highly anticipated by U.S. moviegoers. And with A-Listers like Elba and Swinton, viewers can trust that regardless of how they perceive the script, at least the acting will be stellar.
