Nicole Kidman returns to Venice Film Festival with erotic drama ‘Babygirl’

Babygirl, an erotic thriller about a female CEO who begins an affair with a younger, male intern, is about sex, certainly. But that’s just part of the story. It’s also about desire, secrets, marriage, truth, power and consent, star Nicole Kidman said Friday at the Venice Film Festival. And it's bound to inspire conversations for months to come.

Directed by Halina Reijn, Babygirl is having its world premiere Friday evening on the Lido, where it’s playing in competition before A24 releases it in theaters in December. Antonio Banderas plays the husband of Nicole’s character and Harris Dickinson is the intern. Both her personal life and career are jeopardised through the ripples of the affair.

“I hope it's a very liberating story,” Nicole said. “It was told by a woman through her gaze… that’s what to me what made it so unique.”

Arriving at the festival by water taxi, Nicole posed for photographers on the dock in the blazing sun before making her way to a news conference. She wore a black Bottega Veneta midi dress with short sleeves and a deep V-neck.

Nicole had come to Venice 25 years ago with another risqué film: Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. But even with a resume full of boundary-pushing, sexy and challenging work, she still has some anxiety about this one. During a news conference, she said she was nervous. “I hope my hands aren’t shaking,” Nicole said.

On the red carpet before the premiere, Antonio Banderas signed autographs for fans, while Nicole Kidman stopped to talk to a man on a hospital bed. In the theater, the crowd gave her as standing ovation as the lights went down.

Babygirl is competing for the festival's top prizes alongside the likes of Maria and the yet-to-premiere The Room Next Door, Queer and Joker: Folie à Deux. Winners will be announced on September 7.