In honor of Marilyn Monroe’s centennial, Academy Award®-nominated writer and director Maggie Gyllenhaal announces her new film, a short entitled “Flesh Impact” starring Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn and Dakota Johnson as two versions of Monroe, alongside Emmy® nominees Peter Sarsgaard and Sepideh Moafi (“The Pitt”). Currently in post-production, the project is produced by Michelle Ross for Superprime Films, William Green for The Cut, Nicolette Spencer and Melissa Moore for INNOCEAN, and is presented by Genesis. Rebecca Skinner, Maddi Carlton, Brandon Boerner, David Webb and Courtney Kivowitz serve as executive producers. The film will premiere at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival. 

A love letter to one of cinema’s most enduring icons, the film honors Marilyn Monroe’s singular power to challenge convention and captivate the world across generations. Dakota Johnson portrays Monroe at the height of her fame, while Ellen Burstyn stars as a version of Marilyn the world never got the chance to see. The film takes its title from a phrase used to describe Marilyn Monroe’s aura – that she looked so real and luminous on camera that viewers felt they could touch her through the screen. The film presents Marilyn as audiences know her best: defying boundaries.