Strange and dazzling trailer for The Congress starring Robin Wright

May 28th 2014, 9:39pm

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

I’ve watched this trailer a handful of times now, and it’s still giving me chills. WALTZ WITH BASHIR director Ari Folman returns with THE CONGRESS, a trippy and wonderful looking movie that looks to go full meta in all the right ways. It’s a fascinating blend of live action and animation adapted from SOLARIS author Stanislaw Lem's novel "The Futurological Congress". Not to mention what looks like a career defining performance by Robin Wright; and that's saying something.

Here is the full synopsis:

More than two decades after catapulting to stardom with The Princess Bride, an aging actress (Robin Wright, playing a version of herself) decides to take her final job: preserving her digital likeness for a future Hollywood. Through a deal brokered by her loyal, longtime agent (Harvey Keitel) and the head of Miramount Studios (Danny Huston), her alias will be controlled by the studio, and will star in any film they want with no restrictions. In return, she receives healthy compensation so she can care for her ailing son and her digitized character will stay forever young. Twenty years later, under the creative vision of the studio’s head animator (Jon Hamm), Wright’s digital double rises to immortal stardom. With her contract expiring, she is invited to take part in “The Congress” convention as she makes her comeback straight into the world of future fantasy cinema.

Now the trailer, keep an eye out for animated Tom Cruise (not voiced by Tom Cruise):

Is it a comment on technology? Art? How about ageism? You can have them all in this partially animated wonder. The trailer does a great job cutting between the real world and the crazy animated world presented to us; a story this complex and full of turns isn’t an easy one to get across – Charlie Kaufman would be proud.

The film's official website is another must see; it's full of gorgeous animation and behind-the-scenes goodies. The movie also stars Jon Hamm, Paul Gimatti, Danny Huston, and Harvey Keitel.

THE CONGRESS opens on August 29th 2014.