waiting for the drop

Will Stovall.

There is, for me, a weird pleasure in taking a night to wait for an idea to drop by touring the mental terrain I’d like it to drop in. It’s somewhere between setting intentions and going for a walk in a space where I hope to see something wonderful – and if I don’t, then I’ve still had a nice walk.

TELEMETRY:

Alice Rohrwacher, one of the best filmmakers working today, has started production on her adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger’s bestselling novel “Three Incestuous Sisters,” with Ottessa Moshfegh co-writing the script with her.

The cast includes Dakota Johnson, Saoirse Ronan, Jessie Buckley, Josh O’Connor, Mick Jagger, and Isabella Rossellini.

We were wondering if this was, in fact, the black-and-white silent film Rohrwacher has been teasing for well over a year. Now, The Film Stage has confirmed that it is indeed that movie. Hélène Louvart is the cinematographer.

Yes, in an era when blockbuster cinema gets louder and more chaotic, Rohrwacher is moving in the opposite direction — toward muteness. A silent film in 2026 sounds like a provocation.

Recent trend pieces I’ve read on the return of grunge style mostly highlight the source of influence as the 90s because it’s the closest available shorthand. But what’s happening now feels more specific than nostalgia alone. The aesthetic gaining ground is less Kurt Cobain and more a compound of faded Japanese denim, cracked leather, oxidized silver, washed-black everything, oversized knits with visible wear, military and workwear references, and old band-shirt textures.

Think: Archival vintage crossed with distressed luxury crossed with a deliberate refusal of perfection.

READING: THE REVOLUTIONISTS, Jason Burke (UK) (US+)
LAST WATCHED: Started NOUVELLE VAGUE but got too distracted by work thoughts to follow the subtitles haha
DRINK:

This subtle hint about cocktail delivery schedules was placed in the kitchen yesterday:

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