Kalki Koechlin’s Her Song has entered the eligibility race for the 2027 Academy Awards, putting a small independent film with French roots in the international spotlight. Directed by John M. Keller, the film follows Olivia, a Franco-American writer who returns to her grandmother’s village in southern France to write about her life. The film is executive produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker James Ivory, and its journey to this stage is almost as interesting as the story it tells.
Her Song began as a very hands-on independent project. Kalki Koechlin was involved beyond acting and helped Six and Midnight Films raise money through crowdfunding. The production ultimately raised $248,649 from 91 investors. That background matters now that the film has moved into the Oscar conversation: this is a film that was built with a small team rather than a major studio behind it.
The film also marks a first for Koechlin. Although she has French heritage and speaks the language, Her Song is her first lead role in French. She had to speak French naturally while also maintaining an American accent for Olivia. Koechlin has spoken about practising her lines repeatedly before shooting, even putting a pen in her mouth while rehearsing to make sure she could deliver every French word clearly.
The setting is another part of what makes the film distinctive. Her Song was shot in Antichan de Frontignes, a remote village in the French Pyrenees with only about 80 residents. The crew was small too, at around 20 people. Almost every member of the village ended up appearing in the film in some way, turning the local community into part of the production rather than simply providing its backdrop.
The story gives that location an added connection to the past. Olivia discovers that her grandmother fled Paris during the Nazi occupation in World War II. Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people again left Paris for the countryside, creating a strange parallel between two very different periods. That link between family history and recent events is central to the film’s idea of how the past can unexpectedly surface in the present.
The shoot itself was not without its lighter moments. The team had to deal with sheep disappearing into the forest, while a playful crew revolt reportedly broke out over tiramisu at lunch. Koechlin also lost all her luggage on the way to France and borrowed co-star Eléa Clair’s clothes for her first three days, with temperatures around 10°C.
Then there is James Ivory. The 98-year-old filmmaker, who won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Call Me by Your Name, came on board as executive producer after seeing Keller’s earlier work. His involvement gives this modest production a connection to one of the most respected names in independent cinema.
Her Song’s Oscar qualification is an important step, but it should not be confused with an Oscar nomination. The film has scheduled qualifying theatrical runs in Los Angeles from October 16 to 22 and New York City from November 6 to 12. Meeting the Academy’s eligibility requirements means the film can be considered during Oscar voting; the final nominations will come later.
A film that began with crowdfunding, a small crew and a village of 80 people has now reached a significant stage in its journey. Her Song has the chance to introduce its story, its unusual making and Kalki Koechlin’s French-language performance to a much wider audience. Whatever happens during the Oscar season, the journey of this French indie has already become part of its story. It is a notable milestone for a film of this scale, giving the project a place in the awards conversation before the final nominations are announced later.
