Cotillard and Phoenix in ‘The Immigrant’

A new and promising trailer has just been released for the 2013 Palm d’Or candidate The Immigrant, directed by James Gray (We Own the Night, The Yards). The film, set in early 1920s New York City, stars Gray’s go-to actor Joaquin Phoenix (The Master, Gladiator) as well as Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception) and Jeremy Renner (The Avengers, The Hurt Locker). The plot follows Cotillard’s character, Ewa, an initially optimistic young Polish immigrant who, after being separated from her suddenly ill and deported sister, is manipulated into prostitution by Bruno, a slimy and cunning opportunist played by Phoenix.

Though the Huffington Post writes, “The trailer smacks of period-piece trappings, melded together by a score that sounds most attuned for a 16^th-century British monarchy drama,” it seems a star-studded cast, evidently daring and polished cinematography, and favorable audience reception at Cannes, combine to give the movie the appearance of having all the essential characteristics of an Oscar-contender. And as Huff Post concedes, “Cotillard did memorize 20 pages of Polish dialogue for the role, which could put her in the good graces of Oscar voters who’ve already proven their liking toward her.”

Still, competing with the likes of now-pushed-back films such as Grace of Monaco and The Monuments Men, not to mention all the other sure-to-be Oscar worthy films released next year, will be no easy task for The Immigrant, especially with the creative limitations that the film’s period genre inherently impose.

The film is set to release in France and Belgium on November 27, but will not show in the U.S. until 2014 thanks to a crowded schedule from distributor The Weinstein Company.

See the trailer below: