“Once people learn about Charlotte they get hungry to explore what she went through”: Eric Warin, Tahir Rana and Julia Rosenberg on Charlotte

Not many people are familiar with the name Charlotte Salomon – surprising, indeed, once they learn she produced what could be considered the first graphic novel, Life? or Theatre?, a fact that has slowly earned her a cult following. Now new film Charlotte is here to bring Salomon’s story out of the shadows and into the mainstream.

The biographical drama chronicles the life and struggles of the Jewish German artist as she came of age in the run-up to the second world war, from the growing hostility and violence toward Jewish communities to family drama and issues of mental illness, depicted through animation that reflects the visual medium the painter used in her book. An astonishing all-star cast take on the voice acting, with Keira Knightley as the eponymous Charlotte, Jim Broadbent as her cantankerous grandfather and Brenda Blethyn as her grandmother, also featuring Sam Claflin, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Sophie Okonedo and the late Helen McCrory in her final appearance. In a French language version, Marion Cotillard takes on the lead role.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking with writer and director Eric Warin, director Tahir Rana and producer Julia Rosenberg about why they were compelled to make an animated film about Solomon, bringing together their A-list voice cast and their approach to bringing her story to life.

Sarah Bradbury

Charlotte is released in select cinemas on 9^th December 2022. Read our review here.

Watch the trailer for Charlotte here: