Flesh Impact
| Flesh Impact | |
|---|---|
 Promotional teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Maggie Gyllenhaal |
| Written by | Maggie Gyllenhaal |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Lawrence Sher |
| Edited by | Affonso Gonçalves |
| Music by | Dickon Hinchliffe |
Production companies |
|
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Flesh Impact is a 2026 American short drama film written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It stars Ellen Burstyn and Dakota Johnson respectively as older and younger fictional versions of Marilyn Monroe.
The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 7, 2026.
Plot
[edit] | This article needs a plot summary. (September 2026) |
Cast
[edit]- Ellen Burstyn as Marilyn Monroe
- Dakota Johnson as Marilyn Monroe
- Peter Sarsgaard as the director
- Sepideh Moafi as the casting director
Production
[edit]While Gyllenhaal was working on the post-production of The Bride!,[1] she was approached by Genesis to make a short film for Marilyn Monroe's centennial, and she took a weekend to conceive a plot, eventually imagining her at 100 finally able to express herself as an artist.[2]
The title is a citation of a Billy Wilder's description of Monroe's screen presence.[2][3]
Release
[edit]The film had its world premiere out competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 7, 2026.[2][4]
Reception
[edit]Steve Pond from TheWrap compared the film to the director's previous work The Bride!, noting "Flesh Impact gives Gyllenhaal another complex heroine to consider, but the film itself is gentler, imbued with more sorrow than anger" and "it’s a lovely reverie delivered by a ghost, but it also has bite".[5] Hayley Croke from Loud And Clear Reviews described it as "both a clear love letter to those who dedicate their lives to the craft and an apology to those who waded the waters of the entertainment industry unprotected by the powers that be".[6] Nicholas Barber from BBC Online called the film a "warm-hearted 17-minute charmer".[7]
British Vogue's Radhika Seth criticized the film, calling it "elusive" and noting it is "admirable in wanting to move beyond the legend of Marilyn. But, with its own fairytale-like structure, it can’t help but flatten her, too, creating its own kind of myth."[8]
References
[edit]- ↑ Simanton, Keith (September 8, 2026). "How Maggie Gyllenhaal revives Marilyn Monroe for Venice-premiering short film 'Flesh Impact'". Gold Derby. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Davis, Clayton (September 5, 2026). "How Maggie Gyllenhaal Used Dakota Johnson and Ellen Burstyn to Reimagine Marilyn Monroe at 100 in Venice Short 'Flesh Impact'". Variety. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Ford, Rebecca (July 27, 2026). "Exclusive Photos of Dakota Johnson and Ellen Burstyn as Marilyn Monroe". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Bahr, Lindsey (September 7, 2026). "At Venice, Ellen Burstyn reflects on playing Marilyn Monroe and a lifetime in movies". The Independent. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Pond, Steve (September 7, 2026). "'Flesh Impact' Review: Maggie Gyllenhaal Adds Marilyn Monroe to Her Roster of Complex Heroines". TheWrap. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Croke, Hayley (September 10, 2026). "Flesh Impact Review: Marilyn, The Artist". Loud And Clear Reviews. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Barber, Nicholas (September 12, 2026). "Primetime to Flesh Impact: Six of the best Oscar contenders from the 2026 Venice film festival". BBC Online. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Seth, Radhika (September 7, 2026). "The Verdict On Dakota Johnson's Marilyn Monroe Movie". British Vogue. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Flesh Impact at IMDb
