Sony Pictures has released the official trailer for Prima Facie, starring Oscar nominated Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo in the lead role. The film follows Tessa, a talented young barrister who has built her career defending men accused of sexual assault. Her professional life changes completely after she is sexually assaulted by someone from her own legal circle.
The incident forces Tessa to experience the justice system from a very different position. Until then, the courtroom had been at the centre of her identity and career. She understood how cases involving sexual assault were argued and had spent years representing men accused of such crimes. However, becoming an accuser herself makes her question the system she once believed in.
The trailer focuses on Tessa’s personal and professional struggle as she tries to seek justice while dealing with the emotional impact of what happened to her. Her experience also creates a difficult conflict between the lawyer she has always been and the woman now trying to be heard within the same system.
Directed by Susanna White, whose credits include The Buccaneer and Andor, Prima Facie recently had its world premiere at TIFF. The film is scheduled to release theatrically in the UK and Ireland on November 13. A US release date or distributor has not yet been announced. UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance are representing the film for sales.
The movie is adapted from Suzie Miller’s one woman play Prima Facie, which became a major success in theatre. The stage production starred Jodie Comer and earned Olivier Awards for its West End run, including Best Actress for Comer. She later took the role to Broadway and won a Tony Award for her performance.
With Erivo now taking on the role for the film, Prima Facie brings the story to a wider screen audience while keeping its focus on the difficult questions surrounding sexual assault, justice and the legal system. The trailer gives viewers a first look at Erivo’s performance as Tessa and the personal crisis that changes her understanding of the profession she built her life around.
