“Miral,” Julian Schnabel’s follow-up to his 2007 award-winning “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” has a number of readers excited, so thanks to Matt for trackking down the French trailer to the film. For some time the perception has been that Hiam Abbas would be someone to watch in the film, but it turns out Freida Pinto in the title role was our best bet all along. She looks great here, but I’m unsure if this will play out as an Academy thing. The Weinstein Company secured domestic distribution last month. Click the image below to have a look or watch the embed after the jump.
Comments
46 responses to “‘Miral’ French trailer”
Looks good. Perhaps the American trailer will be different, but I like how they aren’t focusing on the Hollywood actors involved in the film in the trailer.
Something about the fact that it is in English seems strange to me, but the trailer definitely does a good job sucking me into the story. And holy shit, I can’t believe Freida Pinto can actually ACT! Even though this is just the trailer, she showed more skills here than in her role in Slumdog Millionaire (imho). Not only is she extremely good looking, but she has found a director that has actually brought something out of her worth watching. I can’t wait for this.
I find it funny that people were quick to judge Pinto as a mediocre actress after just one movie.
It does appear to be The Freida Pinto Show, so strange that Abbass still gets first billing.
I’m happy to follow Julian Schnabel most places, but the approach here looks a little speechy and conventional to me. Hope that’s not the case.
@tony rock – I agree with what you are saying, but it is just a fact of life. If certain sections of the media are calling her the next big thing and demanding that she be the next Bond girl and shit like that after her one mediocre performance in slumdog, then I can’t help but judge her as a pretty looking piece of cardboard. I really didn’t like much about Slumdog Millionaire, but the scenes I liked the least were the ones where Freida Pinto was on the screen. I don’t know how she did it, but somehow she convinced someone in Hollywood to send her scripts for projects that were worth doing. And I am glad that someone saw something in her to get her to do a role like this which looks good enough to convince even a naysayer like me to give her another chance.
Is this the same girl who gave one of the worst performance in 2008?.wow i can’t believe my eyes.Her acting is very good here.
I never knew being considered for a bond film is such a big thing.Most of the bond girls have faded away after one film.freida is very intelligent and talented girl.
I disagree with the Freida praise. I’m seeing the same deadened expression in every scene, even the interrogation one.
This a major improvement from her first film
Is pinto indian or latina?..she look like latin girl
I am interested in the story and Pinto looks better in this film. However, I am a bit surprised that it is entirely in English. Also, it does look more conventional than Schnabel’s other films. But I will definitely see this one.
Freida does a very convincing Palestinian accent too. Wow, movie looks really good. Love Hiam Abbass too.
I think freida is half portuguese.
Thanks for the report, Matthew. Prepare to be ravaged for more information.
What u think about freida pinto’s performance in the film?..did she acted well?
Freida is unbelievably gorgeous.I wish she was cast in transformers 3.
Matthew, just from the trailer I could tell that it is not as good as Diving Bell and Before Night Falls. But I will still see it.
I was there at the test screening as well. The film did not live up to my expectations, either. It doesn’t really resonate emotionally, try as it might—the only relationship in the film that works is the one between Pinto and her father (played by Alexander Siddiq). Abbass was really unremarkable, in my opinion, a disappointment after her great work in The Visitor.
Pinto was good (and yes, clearly the lead in the film). But really the star of the film, once again, is Schnabel’s directing. Some truly breathtaking shots here. But I suspect this will not be a major Oscar contender, besides some technical categories. Schnabel tries to put his signature directorial flourishes on the story, but the simple fact is that this is a pretty conventional story that seems best told in its original form: a novel.
This will help Pinto going forward though, surely.
Do u think freida will be able to get oscar nomination for her performance in the film?
What’s the screen time of pinto in film?..
I don’t like the trailer much.Its ok.
This looks awesome!:D
Im looking forward to watch this film just to see how freida performs.I really hope she succeeds in hollywood
This film has been high on my radar for a while now, but the trailer was a bit muted. Perhaps that apathetic response I had will quell any excessive expectations, and I might still enjoy it.
I don’t see how Pinto will be one to watch solely from what this trailer delivered. I’m someone who was not bothered by her in Slumdog Millionaire, but as in the aforementioned interrogation scene, several of her line deliveries fell flat and she had a blank expression. There were other nice moments that seemed more promising–Pinto as a schoolgirl, or w/ that man in the field. The lighter moments. She does have potential.
This is good news for Abbass though, as she will likely campaign in supporting and since that category is a mine field at this point, if word from Venice is good, she could stake a claim on one of those spots early on, perhaps. It seems conventional, but sometimes, that’s exactly what the Academy wants….
Why is hiam abbass getting first billing?.Even in france freida is more popular than her.
Freida looks very pretty
How can ppl judge Ms.pinto’s acting from this 3 mins trailer?
It looks good
The music that kicks in at 43 seconds is from the symphonic interlude in Rahman’s glorious Bombay Theme, a score lightyear’s ahead of the one he actually won for.
Here is the gorgeous theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiqAYRUi4vo
Wow this looks amazing.I loved pinto’s acting here.
I didn’t find Pinto’s acting very convincing even in a short L’Oreal commercial which made me wonder how she could carry a longer movie role. For some reason it reminds me a little of when Cindy Crawford tried her hand at acting…what I find interesting is that critics that reviewed the Woody Allen movie either commented on Pinto’s looks or not at all. Nothing about her acting good or bad.
By the way @Andrew, Freida is not half portuguese or latina – she is fully east indian, but catholic. I believe her last name is Portuguese because the part of India she is from was once colonized by Portugal (like Brazil and Macao were).
Pinto doesn’t look like indian at all.I think this is the main reason why is getting lead roles in big budget films like immortals and planet of apes prequel where she is playing the role of latin girl.
It looks promising
I think oscar nomination for pinto. congrats!! you dont need great looks or great acting to win oscar..its all about getting right opportunity at right time
Ur blind if u think freida is not gud looking
Nice
Im on the fence about freida’s acting.she is neither good nor bad.
It looks amazing
@ “@sam said”
The only reason you think Freida doesn’t look Indian at all is because your concept of what Indians look like is way too narrow. You could walk down a street in India and there would literally be scores of women who could pass as Latina. Run a Google image search for Urvashi Sharma or Udita Goswami. The first could easily pass as white European or Latina and Udita looks Eurasian. Freida looks much more typically Indian than they do. In Northern India, it’s not uncommon to see people with light eyes and/or hair.
http://c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000Hp.VP8lYHcA/s
http://www.worldofstock.com/closeups/PCH10128.php
http://beautyfuleyes.ibibo.com/gallery/album/60420/7560/68711
What u mean by typical indian?..if she looked like indian why would hollywood directors cast her for the role of latina?.The actresses u mentioned all look indian/arab.I think in india anyone who look fair would be considered as western.freida is successful in holly only because of ambiguous(latin) looks
Im dying to see this film
She is an Indian from Mangalore (South India) and settled in the metro. She is not from Goa (occupied by Portugal pre Indian Independance). She is a Manglorean Catholic.
Slumdog was what it was coz of the kids in the movie that made it interesting with their exceptional performance. Whenever Pinto stepped into the movie scenes it seemed a drag to me.
It’s her good luck that Hollywood finds her latino looking.
Her acting seems poor in this video. Look wise she is just below average too. She is just plain lucky to land in Hollywood.
I guess she is the one who dumped her fiance with whom she was engaged once the movie was a hit and got hooked to the actor of the same film Dev Patel.
I’ve read that her exfiance helped her during her struggling days and got her assignments till she became a celebrity. Poor guy.
Im so sick of backward indians like u who can’t be happy for the success of there very own country girl.Im sure ppl in west have better taste than white wannabe indians/south asians like u who try hard to look white.Pinto is no way avg looking.As an indian myself i could tell u tat there even a pig would be considered as beautiful if it looks fair.No wonder u don’t find her pretty.
lol if she is below avg looking why would she be considered for bond film?..u sound like a dumb retard
Comment 54, I completely agree with you.