含羞草研究社淏abygirl,含羞草研究社� an erotic thriller about a female CEO who begins an affair with a younger, male intern, is about sex, certainly. But that含羞草研究社檚 just part of the story.

It含羞草研究社檚 also about desire, secrets, marriage, truth, power and consent, star Nicole Kidman said Friday at the . And it含羞草研究社檚 bound to inspire conversations for months to come.

From filmmaker Halina Reijn, 含羞草研究社淏abygirl含羞草研究社� is having its world premiere Friday evening on the Lido, where it含羞草研究社檚 playing in competition before A24 releases it in theaters in December.

Antonio Banderas plays the husband of Kidman含羞草研究社檚 character and Harris Dickinson is the intern. Both her personal life and career are jeopardized through the ripples of the affair.

含羞草研究社淚 hope it含羞草研究社檚 a very liberating story,含羞草研究社� Kidman said. 含羞草研究社淚t was told by a woman through her gaze 含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 what to me what made it so unique.含羞草研究社�

Arriving at the festival by water taxi, Kidman posed for photographers on the dock in the blazing sun before making her way to a news conference. She wore a black Bottega Veneta midi dress with short sleeves and a deep V-neck.

Kidman came to Venice 25 years ago with another risqu茅 film: Stanley Kubrick含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淓yes Wide Shut.含羞草研究社� But even with a resume full of boundary-pushing, sexy and challenging work, she still has some anxiety about this one. During a news conference, she said she was nervous.

含羞草研究社淚 hope my hands aren含羞草研究社檛 shaking,含羞草研究社� Kidman said.

She said that as an actor she含羞草研究社檚 always interested in examining human beings 含羞草研究社� especially women 含羞草研究社� on screen and exploring questions about what it means to be human and the 含羞草研究社渓abyrinth of that.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭his definitely leaves me exposed and frightened and vulnerable when it含羞草研究社檚 given to the world,含羞草研究社� she said.

Reijn, who previously made the youthful, anarchic slasher 含羞草研究社� ,含羞草研究社� was excited to explore the idea of female desire, but also about a woman in an existential crisis. With that in mind, she said it was important for the husband, who does not satisfy Kidman含羞草研究社檚 character, to be both handsome and masculine. This, she said, is why she wanted Banderas.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a cautionary tale about what happens when you suppress your own desires,含羞草研究社� Reijn said.

The director was inspired to make 含羞草研究社淏abygirl含羞草研究社� out of a love for the erotic thrillers of the 1980s and 90s from the likes of Paul Verhoeven and Adrian Lyne, but unlike in some of those stories, she didn含羞草研究社檛 want to 含羞草研究社減unish含羞草研究社� the woman.

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 want any of my characters to be punished,含羞草研究社� Reijn said. 含羞草研究社淚 just want them to be.含羞草研究社�

Kidman and Dickinson got to know one another prior to filming through rehearsals in New York, knowing that the shoot would be quick. They also utilized an intimacy coordinator to help guide them through the steamier scenes.

含羞草研究社淏abygirl含羞草研究社� also looks at generational differences when it comes to topics like sex and intimacy, juxtaposing Kidman and Banderas with Dickinson and actor Sophie Wilde.

含羞草研究社淚t was four of us together on a journey and it was really, really intimate,含羞草研究社� Kidman said. 含羞草研究社淓normous care taken by all of us, we were all very gentle with each other and helped each other.含羞草研究社�

Dickinson liked the specificity in which the story and script addressed the 含羞草研究社渃onfusion within a young man of now.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淎 confusion about how to conduct yourself and how to conduct yourself in sex,含羞草研究社� Dickinson said. 含羞草研究社淗alina was always ready to dissect and challenge that and challenge the nuance of the behavior. That opened up a whole new world of the film.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淏abygirl含羞草研究社� is competing for the festival含羞草研究社檚 top prizes alongside the and the yet-to-premiere 含羞草研究社淭he Room Next Door,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淨ueer含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux.含羞草研究社� Winners will be announced on Sept. 7.