In a compelling new artistic collaboration, Scarlett Johansson takes center stage in Prada's latest campaign film, titled 'Ritual Identities,' under the visionary direction of Yorgos Lanthimos. This short film, unveiled recently, showcases Johansson in various intriguing personas, each engaging in mysterious rituals and unconventional actions set against the backdrop of New York City's urban landscape. The central motif tying these disparate scenes together is the iconic Prada Galleria bag, serving as a vessel for both everyday necessities and the peculiar objects Johansson's characters collect throughout their journeys. Lanthimos's signature surreal and eccentric style is palpable throughout, creating a narrative that delves into themes of duality and fractured identities, making the film a thought-provoking exploration of self and material culture.
The film, 'Ritual Identities,' presents Scarlett Johansson embodying an array of distinct characters, each navigating a series of enigmatic tasks. One character, for instance, is depicted gathering seemingly arbitrary elements such as the 'morning breeze' and 'three drops of blood drawn at nighttime.' These curious components are meticulously placed within her chosen Prada Galleria bag, underscoring the bag's role as a repository of both the ordinary and the extraordinary. The juxtaposition of these odd ingredients with the everyday utility of a luxury handbag adds a layer of Lanthimos's characteristic surrealism, transforming mundane actions into a sequence of stylized rituals.
Johansson herself commented on her involvement, explaining that she played 'a version of myself' in the campaign, interpreting the concept as portraying 'many people at the same time.' She further elaborated that this approach aimed to capture 'the duality that exists inside all of us.' This aligns perfectly with Lanthimos's previous works, which often explore fractured identities and the multifaceted nature of the human psyche. For the acclaimed director, this project offered a continuation of his ongoing artistic inquiry into these profound ideas, utilizing the visual medium of a fashion campaign to delve deeper into his thematic interests.
The annual campaigns for Prada's Galleria bag have become a notable platform for creative expression, consistently drawing in high-caliber talent. Following Jonathan Glazer's direction of last year's campaign, which also featured Johansson, the 2025 installment sees the torch passed to Yorgos Lanthimos, a director celebrated for his distinctive cinematic vision, most recently lauded for his 2023 film 'Poor Things.' This marks the first collaboration between Johansson and Lanthimos, a pairing that has yielded a remarkable and impactful result, bridging the worlds of high fashion and art-house cinema with compelling narrative and visual flair.
The profound nature of the film's narrative is further highlighted by Johansson's comments on the monologue, which Lanthimos personally penned. She noted the myriad ways one could interpret the script, suggesting that the repetition of the monologue across different takes and setups revealed new layers of meaning. This iterative process allowed the abstract narrative to evolve into something 'changing and effervescent,' reinforcing the film's exploration of identity and perception.
Throughout this visually rich and conceptually complex short film, the Prada Galleria bag remains a steadfast presence. Introduced in 2007, this handbag has maintained its relevance and popularity for nearly two decades, undergoing seasonal adaptations while solidifying its status as a signature item for the Italian luxury brand. The current campaign serves to emphasize the bag's remarkable versatility, portraying it not merely as an accessory but as 'a totem, a talisman, an amulet central to the ritual and the everyday performance of life itself, a vessel for magical change,' as articulated in Prada's press statement. Whether it is used to carry essential personal items like a wallet and keys, or to contain metaphorical elements such as 'rainwater that drips from a non-blooming cherry tree,' the Prada Galleria bag is depicted as an unwavering companion in the various facets of existence.