Emerald Fennell Spills Details on Anticipated Film 'Saltburn' at Academy Q&A

Emerald Fennell caught the attention of the audience at a Q&A session held at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, wheeling out details on her highly-anticipated new film 'Saltburn'. Fennell, fresh off an Oscar-best picture nomination and victory for Best Screenplay with her breakout movie 'Promising Young Woman', compared the intricate narrative of Saltburn to the familiar terrain of Hollywood, albeit its physical setting being far removed.

In her sophomore spiel, Fennell takes viewers through the eccentric world of British upper classes through the eyes of Oliver (portrayed by Barry Keoghan), an Oxford University student who crosses paths with Felix (Jacob Elordi), the son of an aristocrat. The story moves to Felix’s family estate, setting the stage for engaging encounters with varied characters including Felix's parents (Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant), his acerbic cousin (Archie Madekwe), and restless sister (Alison Oliver). In a nostalgic recall, Fennell re-engages her Promising Young Woman star, Carey Mulligan, roping her in for a brisk guest appearance.

Diving into the crux of 'Saltburn', Fennell elaborated on Oliver's enduring quest to fit into an alien world. Having painstakingly made it to Oxford University, Oliver finds himself an outsider amidst the poised charm of his wealthy peers. His achievements and presumptions about the worth of his life seem a cruel trick, as Oliver's earnest efforts to integrate come to naught.

The film, set in the 2000s, also put considerable weight into the wardrobe department. Fennell, and costume designer Sophie Canale, endeavored to capture the quintessence of the fashion among wealthy British youth of the time, going as far as having Elordi’s character sport two polo shirts simultaneously, epitomizing the era's trending style.

Fennell added a unique perspective to the narrative, likening the film's undertone to a 'vampire film'. She expounded this analogy by portraying Oliver as an outsider attempting to suck the marrow from a life he yearns for, a feeling reciprocated by Felix's privileged family. Visual inspiration for the film, according to Fennell, drew heavily from the iconic works of Caravaggio, aiming to create something stylized and beautiful. Saltburn is set to hit U.S. theaters on November 24th.

Now, strap yourself in as we transition from the facts to dissecting what this all means.

Emerald Fennell seems to have taken a page out of Shakespeare’s book, effectively narrating 'all the world's a stage' with 'Saltburn'. It's like seeing a 21st-century existential crisis through the lens of a Jane Austen novel.

Fennell's way of portraying the world of privileged British youth while revealing a complex character searching for his place lands a good one on the nose. It's a relevant narrative for an era where who you are is as crucial as or more substantial than what you do.

Her vibrant combination of garish British elegance with the existential dread feels like a quirky, cross-cultural remake of The Great Gatsby. Yes, please! While she might shy away from the script-writing plaudits, her adept knack of stitching up the narrative stitches us to the heart too.

The 2000s wardrobe element, I'm sure, will make all us millennials squirm awkwardly in our seats. Two polo shirts? Indeed, a fashion choice we'd all like to forget! Yet, it brims with a nostalgic charm, reminiscent of a time when sartorial oddities were a unique way of fitting into the crowd. Double the polo shirts, double the awkwardness, double the fun.

Overall, anticipation for 'Saltburn' looks promising, like seeing a truffle in a chestnut forest. Rather than galloping ahead, Fennell controls the tempo well in a thoroughbred way. Down from the starting gates of 'Promising Young Woman', let's hope 'Saltburn' finishes strong, maybe even finds an Oscar-sprinkled finish line. Here's wishing her cinematic vision in 'Saltburn' leaves a salt-burn on our hearts.