A relationship in crisis takes an increasingly surreal turn in the first trailer for The Fox, a supernatural dark comedy from Australian filmmaker Dario Russo. Starring Olivia Colman, Jai Courtney and Emily Browning, the film will arrive in theaters on December 4 through Aura.
Courtney plays Nick, the amiable heir to a wealthy rural landowner whose engagement to Kori (Browning) is thrown into disarray when he discovers she is having an affair. Rather than accept the situation, Nick becomes preoccupied with finding a way to put things right. His fortunes take an unexpected turn when he captures a rogue fox (Colman), which offers him an unusual bargain: spare its life and it will help him transform his relationship. The solution involves pushing Kori into a mysterious hole capable of changing her into the perfect partner. The woman who emerges, however, brings a few unexpected complications of her own.
The supporting cast includes Claudia Doumit (The Boys), Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) and Damon Herriman (Neagley). Russo wrote, directed and edited the film, which marks his feature debut following his work on the television series Danger 5.
Drawing on Japanese, Chinese and Korean folklore, The Fox reimagines traditional tales of shape-shifting animals within a contemporary Australian setting. Russo has cited the Japanese Kitsune, supernatural foxes known for their ability to assume human form, as a particular influence. The filmmaker also drew on Australia’s own history with the animal: introduced from England during the 1860s for hunting, foxes subsequently established themselves across the country.
In his director’s statement, Russo describes the film as a modern fable about the contradictions of human relationships, particularly the impulse to reshape a partner according to one’s own expectations. Its central premise also touches on the complex relationship between domesticity and freedom, commitment and desire, with the filmmaker bringing together folklore, surreal fantasy and relationship satire.
Produced by Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings and Carly Maple, The Fox opens in cinemas on December 4.
