Ethan Hawke’s ‘Wildcat’ trailer is a haunting, human glimpse of Flannery O’Connor biopic

Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor, a canonical literary figure, was transfixed by distinctive obsessions: religion, race, redemption, and life in the American South. In Wildcat, directed by Ethan Hawke and starring his daughter Maya Hawke, the life of O’Connor and her way of observing the world is unfurled.

“Dear God, please,” says Maya in her role as O’Connor. “I can never seem to escape myself unless I am writing.”

The newly-released trailer is a glimpse at the biopic which made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Not only does the film probe into O’Connor’s tortured writing process, but it examines facets of her religious core, strained familial relationships, and Lupus diagnosis at the age of 24. Muted blue tones and the sound of a typewriter serve as the backdrop for it all.

Wildcat, written by Ethan Hawke and Shelby Gaines, also stars Laura Linney, Philip Ettinger, Rafael Casal, and Steve Zahn. The film is coming soon, though no dates have been announced.