Aman Goyal
Guy Nattiv will build a cult in the City of Angels for his next feature! The filming of ‘Harmonia,’ starring Naomi Watts, will start in Los Angeles, California, in September. Watts will star alongside Vicky Krieps, Bella Ramsey, and Odessa Young. Nattiv, along with Noa Berman-Herzberg, wrote the movie based on the real-life experiences of his grandfather, who became involved in a cult during the 1980s.
Set in the 1980s, the film explores the dramatic story of a woman’s entanglement with a cult and the lengths her daughters go to rescue her from the psychological manipulation all of them face within the commune. Watts will appear as Rita, who becomes enchanted by the charismatic cult leader (Krieps). As Rita renounces her family to join the Harmonia commune, her daughters, Ella (Ramsey) and Jo (Young), infiltrate the group to bring her back. Yet, once immersed in the commune, they find themselves inexorably drawn into the leader’s labyrinthine web of psycho-spiritual manipulation,” reads the logline.
The two-time Academy Award nominee Watts is well known for her roles in similar psychological drama films, thanks to her various collaborations with David Lynch (‘Mulholland Drive’ and ‘Twin Peaks: The Return’) and Alejandro G. Iñárritu (‘21 Grams’ and ‘Birdman’). The actress recently headlined FX’s ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans’ and will also be appearing in the upcoming dramas ‘The Friend’ and ‘Emmanuelle.’
Krieps, who gained acclaim for her performance in ‘Phantom Thread,’ was recently seen in the Eva Green-led ‘The Three Musketeers’ films. The actress will also share the screen with Cate Blanchett in the upcoming Jim Jarmusch anthology ‘Father, Mother, Sister, Brother.’ Ramsey, who came to prominence for their role as Lyanna Mormont in ‘Game of Thrones,’ currently stars as Ellie in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us.’ Young, recognized for her performances in ‘Shirley’ and ‘The Daughter,’ awaits the releases of her projects ‘My First Film,’ ‘The Damned,’ ‘The Order,’ and ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North,’ all of which have wrapped filming.
Nattiv, who won an Academy Award for his live-action short ‘Skin’ in 2019, recently helmed the films ‘Golda’ and ‘Tatami,’ both of which echoed messages of feminism and empowerment. His collaborations with co-writer Berman-Herzberg date back to the 2002 short ‘Mabul,’ which they later adapted into the 2010 feature film, ‘The Flood.’
Nattiv aims to shed light on the coercive power of cults through his narrative. The filmmaker expressed his emotional connection to the project in a statement, referring to ‘Harmonia’ as his “most personal film.” “I have been waiting decades until I was emotionally ready to confront my beloved grandmother’s story, which has haunted my family since I was a child,” he added.
The thought-provoking themes of the movie will undoubtedly benefit from the vibrant filmmaking landscape of Los Angeles. The entertainment capital of the world continues to be a sought-after location for filmmakers’ most diverse crafts, with Lily James’ ‘Swiped’ and Anderson .Paak’s ‘K-Pops’ utilizing the city’s locales in recent times.
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