An actor is ceaselessly reinventing, and reinvented, transcending their own selves to embody the myriad of characters they can become. This is one notion that has connected cinema to Prada throughout its history – both a medium for expression, and an inspiration. Here, the magnetic draw of the movie star is harnessed as a means of connecting to character, to personality, and to that constant shifting of identity that emblematizes both film and fashion.

To showcase the Prada Galleria handbag, Prada continues its partnership with world-renowned actor Scarlett Johansson, in an exploration of the depth of the craft of performing. The campaign is a celebration of technique, an ode to the mechanism of acting as the true motor of cinema – and to the talent of the actor. Acclaimed for her skill, Johansson has gained Tony and BAFTA awards as well as two Academy Award nominations during her career.

Captured in New York City by director Jonathan Glazer, the still and motion images showcase Johansson as an actor, honing her art – repeating phrases with different feeling and meaning, she showcases the infinite self-transformation that define an actor’s skill. Abstracted, unreal, it is film at its most cinematic. Yet, as Johansson exits the studio, we then leap from screen to reality – albeit a reality fictionalized, idealized for us. In a quintessentially Prada dichotomy, the intimacy the act of performing is able to generate contrasts with a panoramic normality of everyday life. Cinéma vérité – Johansson, seemingly undirected, as her true self.

The instrument of Johansson’s everyday is the Prada Galleria, seen here as a tool of life rather than a product, a part of an everyday wardrobe. As with Johansson its persona can transform; as with acting, it is a symbol of excellence in craft. Here, the Prada Galleria is showcased, in motion, as a fundamental facet of a woman’s reality.