During the Civil War, at a Southern girls’ boarding school, young women take in an injured enemy soldier. As they provide refuge and tend to his wounds, the house is taken over with sexual tension and dangerous rivalries, and taboos are broken in an unexpected turn of events.
Direction
Coppola's dreamy, suffocating atmosphere—every frame drips with humidity and restraint.
Cinematography
Sun-dappled moss and candlelit interiors that feel like a fever dream.
Acting
Kidman's ice-queen control vs. Farrell's unraveling masculinity—chef's kiss.
Director
Sofia Coppola
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Coppola controversially removed the Black slave character from the 1971 original, claiming she didn't want to tell that story—a decision that sparked intense debate about whose narratives white directors should tell.
The film won Coppola Best Director at Cannes, making her only the second woman ever to receive that honor—fitting for a movie about women seizing control.
US
