Demi Moore Stars in Spike Jonze, Halina Reijn’s Gucci Film ‘The Tiger’

Demi Moore‘s first film role since her Oscar-nominated turn in “The Substance” is playing the matriarch of an alternative-reality Gucci family in Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn‘s trippy short “The Tiger.”

In the 30-minute film — which premiered in Milan on Tuesday night to kick off fashion week — Moore portrays Barbara Gucci, the fictional head of Gucci International who also owns the state of California. To celebrate her birthday, Barbara throws a dinner party for her children (Edward Norton, Elliot Page and Keke Palmer) and a Vanity Fair journalist (Ed Harris) who is eager to see behind Barbara’s facade. But when psychedelics get involved, Barbara’s pristine reputation is threatened and the family is forced to confront their own imperfections. The cast of “The Tiger” also includes Alia Shawkat, Julianne Nicholson, Heather Lawless, Ronny Chieng, Kendall Jenner and Alex Consani.

Oscar winner Jonze and breakout “Babygirl” director Reijn meld their respective styles seamlessly in the short, balancing tongue-in-cheek satire with moments of high tension amid mind-boggling visuals. Similarly to her “The Substance” role, Moore excels at playing a woman on the brink — and if not for the Gucci-centric storyline and wardrobe, one could easily forget that the film is meant to be promotional.

“The Tiger” features clothes from Demna’s first collection as Gucci artistic director — titled “La Famiglia” — and the premiere at the Milan Stock Exchange served as a de facto fashion show, with models from the line’s campaign and a slew of celebs all strutting the brown carpet in new designs (Moore wore a particularly stunning gold-beaded gown that appeared to be very heavy). In addition to the short’s stars and directors, the glitzy premiere was also attended by Gwyneth Paltrow — who chatted with Moore before and after the screening — Jin of BTS fame, Serena Williams, Anna Wintour, David Jonsson and Alia Bhatt.

Speaking to Variety on the brown carpet, Page called working with Moore “incredible.”

“Definitely trippy, pardon the pun — you’ll know what I mean based on the short,” he continued. “But it was just a phenomenal experience and she’s such a wonderful person, so sweet and kind to everyone. And obviously a tremendous actor, so getting to have my days working with Demi was the best.”

Nicholson, fresh off an Emmy guest actress win for “Hacks,” wore a dramatic high-collared black velvet gown to the premiere — the same one she wears in the short. She and Lawless play a pair of eerie, “Shining”-esque cousins who contribute to the dinner party’s downfall, and walked down the carpet together holding hands.

“It felt like walking onto the set of a Fellini movie or some sort of trippy dream,” Nicholson said of working with Jonze and Reign. “It remains, up until this moment, something I’ve never experienced before and a fantastic ride.”

Watch “The Tiger” below.