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‘The Lost Daughter’ Trailer: Olivia Colman Is Captivating in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Directorial Debut

Olivia Colman is captivating in the first trailer for Maggie Gyllenhaals directorial debut, “The Lost Daughter.”

The upcoming drama, based on Elena Ferrante’s novel of the same name, stars Colman as Leda, a middle-aged woman vacationing alone and having flashbacks to her days as a young wife and mother (with her younger self played by Jessie Buckley). Gyllenhaal wrote, directed and produced the movie.

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In the trailer, Colman, whose character is on a “working holiday,” meets Dakota Johnsons Nina, telling her she has two daughters of her own. She soon tells the young mother that “children are a crushing responsibility.”

The trailer also gives audiences a glimpse at Buckley, but if anything, it teases the captivating performance Colman delivers that will surely land her in the awards conversation as the race for best actress heats up.

The cast also includes Dagmara Domińczyk as Callie, Peter Sarsgaard as Professor Hardy, Paul Mescal as Will, Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Toni, Ed Harris as Lyle and Jack Farthing as Joe.

This is the first film written or directed by Gyllenhaal, who is the daughter of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal. As an actress, she first came to prominence in the 2002 black comedy “Secretary,” where she played Lee Holloway. She is also well known for starring as Eileen “Candy” Merrell in HBO’s “The Deuce,” which she produced as well. Gyllenhaal produces “The Lost Daughter” with Charles Dorfman, Osnat Handelsman-Keren and Talia Kleinhendler. Dimitris Birbilis is line producer, and David Gilbery and Marlon Vogelgesang executive produce.

“The Lost Daughter” premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Variety called the casting of Colman “subversive” and of Buckley “inspired,” while noting that Gyllenhaal “assumes an unfussy, practically invisible non-style that conveys the essential while privileging the performances.” The film will open in theaters on Dec. 17 and begins streaming on Netflix on Dec. 31.

Watch the trailer below.

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