The Trailer For “Moss & Freud”, First Biopic Has Arrived

“At the height of the supermodel era, Kate Moss, already a global icon, but at a crossroads in her life and career, agrees to pose for the famous painter Lucian Freud for an intense nine-month period in his Holland Park studio.” This is the synopsis of Moss & Freud, the first biopic of the star model, which promises a snapshot, or more precisely, a painting by the famous artist and descendant of the father of psychoanalysis.

After months of speculation, the film produced by the New Zealand company GFC Film has finally unveiled its first images. On April 16, a trailer revealed an epic, sometimes surprisingly breathless, fictional narrative, starring, as announced, Ellie Bamber and Derek Jacobi. It shows the intimate interactions between the artist and the model, interspersed with evocations of iconic images from Kate Moss’s career, such as the one of her in a micro-skirt, Magnum ice cream in hand, on the Vivienne Westwood runway. The episodes intertwine and come together as the narrative unfolds, confirming the film’s biographical ambitions.

It’s worth noting that director James Lucas, who already has an Oscar to his name for his 2015 short film *The Phone Call *, was supported by the star herself throughout the process. “Because it’s such a personal story, it was essential that I be involved with James in all aspects of the project as it developed,” she told Variety . The co-producer also expressed her delight with the cast, in which Ellie Bamber (seen in Tom Ford’s *Nocturnal Animals *) portrays her.

The story of a work of art

2002. In an issue of Dazed and Confused magazine, edited by her then-partner Jefferson Hack, with whom she was pregnant, Kate Moss hinted at her secret ambition to be painted by the British artist. Although reluctant to paint celebrities, Lucian Freud was intrigued by the idea and seized the opportunity. Nine months of regular meetings ensued in the nonagenarian artist’s London studio.

This interlude gave rise to a very special relationship between the model and the painter. It crystallized in a portrait, Naked 2002 , in the tradition of Freud’s great canvases. It was auctioned in 2005 by Christie’s for the equivalent of 5.8 million euros, a record for the painter at the time. A second, far more intimate work also emerged during this period: two swallows , hand-tattooed by the artist on Kate Moss’s lower back , a reminder of his years in the navy where he learned the technique. A priceless drawing, whose narrative power can be (re)discovered in theaters on May 29 in the United Kingdom.

About The Author

Sophie Rosemont

Independent journalist, writes culture section for Vogue since 2015. She studied at the Sorbonne where teaches literature, the history of music and cinema. Based in Paris, France.

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