A major cinematic tribute to the “Bronze Venus” is officially on the horizon as FKA Twigs signs on to portray the incomparable Josephine Baker.
Directed by Maïmouna Doucouré, the filmmaker behind the award-winning “Cuties,” this untitled project is set to begin filming this fall. The film will explore Baker’s rapid rise from her roots in St. Louis to becoming the toast of the Jazz Age in Paris, while also honoring her deep commitment to activism and her work as a secret agent for the French Resistance.
The production is a high-profile collaboration between Studiocanal and Bien Ou Bien Productions, with a global sales launch timed for the Cannes Film Festival. The project has earned the crucial backing of Baker’s family, including her sons Jean-Claude and Brian Bouillon Baker, as well as the support of her “Rainbow Tribe,” the twelve children she famously adopted to prove that different backgrounds could coexist as one family. This family involvement ensures the film will move beyond the headlines to capture the more personal and intimate moments of Baker’s journey.
FKA Twigs, a multi-hyphenate artist who recently appeared in A24’s “Mother Mary,” spoke about the weight of taking on such a transformative figure.
“I am honored to collaborate with the immensely talented Maïmouna Doucouré on this incredible project,” Twigs said in a statement.
“Josephine Baker’s extraordinary legacy is such an inspiration to me and to so many people around the world. She lives on in our hearts as a visionary, groundbreaking woman whose story is as powerful as it is relevant today. I cannot wait to embody Josephine Baker bringing her fight, her love, her losses, her talent and her heroism to the big screen.”
For director Maïmouna Doucouré, the film represents the culmination of a career-long fascination with Baker’s impact on French and global culture. She intends to show the world a version of Baker that is as vulnerable as she was brave. “Josephine Baker has lived with me for years. Working on this film, I realize how modern, fearless and complex she was,” Doucouré explained. “Beyond the legend, I want to explore her contradictions, her wounds and her immense courage, as well as her relentless fight for dignity.” She praised Twigs for bringing the “artistry, intelligence and emotional depth” needed to portray a woman who spent her life reinventing herself.
As the production gears up for its autumn start, Studiocanal plans to bring the story to audiences across the UK, France, Germany, and beyond. Anna Marsh, CEO of Studiocanal, highlighted the significance of the project, stating that the blend of Doucouré’s vision and Twigs’ talent will result in a film that is “both ambitious and profoundly authentic.”
