Karla Sofía Gascón to Star as Psychiatrist Who ‘Embodies God and the Devil’ in ‘The Life Lift’ With Vincent Gallo (EXCLUSIVE)

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Actress Karla Sofía Gascón, known for her role on “Emilia Pérez,” has announced her first project following January’s controversy surrounding her past questionable tweets. The Academy Award nominee has shared that she will take on the lead role in “The Life Lift,” a psychological thriller. This film also stars Vincent Gallo and is directed by Stefania Rossella Grassi, who is making her directorial debut. In this movie, Gascón will portray a psychiatrist character who represents both good and evil.

The well-known and contentious filmmaker and actor, Gallo, famed for movies like “The Brown Bunny” and “Buffalo ’66,” is slated to play a troubled character named Gabriel in the upcoming film “The Life Lift.” Gabriel inhabits a modest New York apartment and encounters harassment from Post-it notes left in the elevator of his building. According to promotional materials, obtained exclusively by EbMaster, these messages demand that Gabriel carry out heinous murders of three other tenants, who in turn seek to eliminate their nearest relatives.

Last week, Gascón revealed her upcoming role in “The Life Lift” alongside Gallo to the media during her visit to Italy. She is currently being honored at Turin’s Lovers Film Festival, which is Europe‘s oldest film festival dedicated to LGBTQ+ cinema. However, we couldn’t get a hold of Gallo for confirmation at the time.

Rossella Grassi, a versatile professional, has helmed numerous short films, one of them being “Preludio,” an anti-femicide piece starring Isabella Rossellini and Franco Nero. In an email to EbMaster, she shared her intentions to film “The Life Lift” towards the end of this year up until February 2026. This project, currently in its advanced stages with a budget of approximately $3 million, is a collaboration with Tommaso Scutari on the screenplay. Rossella Grassi, along with Carmela Arena, will produce the thriller, described as “disturbing, angry, and hypnotic,” through their production company, Dizy Production, which previously produced one of her shorts titled “La Fune.

Gascón’s Oscar campaign for her film “Emilia Pérez” faced a setback when she was criticized for comments she made on the platform previously known as Twitter about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars. Her controversial statements caused a scandal, especially since Jacques Audiard’s movie about a drug cartel was leading in the best picture race, having received 13 nominations and winning two awards. Despite this, Gascón was nominated for best actress alongside Demi Moore and winner Mikey Madison. She apologized for her tweets but chose not to participate in the red carpet event during the ceremony.

Gallo’s professional life has often been embroiled in disputes, a recent example being the scrutiny faced by his upcoming film “The Policeman” last year. This was due to an investigation launched by SAG-AFTRA following accusations from three actresses who auditioned for the movie. They claimed that Gallo displayed inappropriate behavior towards them during the process.

Last year, it was revealed that Emilia Pérez was succeeded by Gascón in the lead role of the Spanish-language retelling of a fairytale titled “The Wicked Ones,” directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Armando Bó, known for his work on Alejandro González Iñárritu’s 2014 movie “Birdman.

It’s expected that Gascón, known for his strong connection with Italy, will appear in the upcoming Italian comedy titled “Men and Other Inconveniences.” This film, made before “Emilia Pérez,” was helmed by Giorgio Serafini, an Italo-Belgian director based in Los Angeles who has previously directed “Senior Moment.

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2025-04-17 17:17