Directed by Leos Carax, the film centers around Henry , a stand-up comedian with a fierce sense of humor, who falls in love with Ann , a world-renowned opera singer. At the center of the film is its music, a rock opera of sorts. Sparks not only wrote the music for the film — with lyrics by the Maels and Carax — but also the original screenplay.
Mael says the music for the film had been written over nine years ago with plans to make it into an album and a live presentation, but while at Cannes pitching another project, they met Carax, who became interested in the film. From glam-rock to disco, electro to opera, the film is peppered with music from Sparks. Stylistically, it’s varied and “it’s unpredictable. It can weave in and out with songs from the pop world; other songs are orchestrated and some are ensemble songs,” and that unpredictability becomes the film’s aesthetic.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Mael says of attending the premiere with an audience and hearing the buzz. Admittedly, he was nervous about the initial reaction from the 2,000 people in the audience. “It was the first time we were ever able to see it and being a part of Cannes, but it’s nerve-wracking because you don’t know what the reaction will be.” He adds, “We were happy and relieved.”
I need you to understand that the Oscars are not the barometer for a movie’s importance or impact
sparksofficial 'Potential Oscar buzz' 😳😮