When the director of Oscar favorites including The King’s Speech and 2012’s riveting Les Misérables collaborates with Eddie Redmayne, star of last year’s award-winning The Theory of Everything, it’d be foolish to not stand up and take notice. As the festival season begins to heat up once again, we have our first trailer for the pair’s new creative venture: a bold transgender biopic called The Danish Girl.
Coming by way of Focus Features, the poignant clip finally showcases Redmayne as Einar, a brilliant artist who harbors a deep, mutual love with his fellow creator, Gerda Wegener (Ex Machina and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.‘s Alicia Vikander). Situated in 1920s Copenhagen, the happily married couple soon find their bond put to the test when Redmayne’s protagonist reveals his desire to become the world’s first transgender woman, despite the social stigma that it would entail during that particular time period.
Even in the brief clip above, Redmayne portrays a palpable vulnerability as Einar, who will go on to become Lili Elbe across the course of The Danish Girl. Set in a time when medical technology was still rudimentary at best, Einar’s procedure is riddled with life-threatening risks, though his innate, burning desire to become the person he believes himself to be transcends the physical pain for emotional resolution.
From the cast to the fact that Tom Hooper is directing, The Danish Girl is arguably the dark horse among the early Oscar candidates. Not only does it assemble an enviable creative team, but Focus Features’ picture also holds a story that is as timely as it is powerful.
Set to have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival later this week, The Danish Girl will have its theatrical release on November 27.
The remarkable love story inspired by the lives of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener (portrayed by Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne [“The Theory of Everything”] and Alicia Vikander [“Ex Machina”]), directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech,” “Les Misérables”). Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.