By Design Official Trailer

Juliette Lewis Swaps Bodies with a Chair in the New Surrealist Vision from Writer/Director Amanda Kramer
(PLEASE BABY PLEASE)
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Directed by: Amanda Kramer
Written by: Amanda Kramer
Starring: Juliette Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Melanie Griffith, Samantha Mathis, Robin Tunney, Udo Kier

Run Time: 1h 32m
Genres: Psychological Drama, Drama, Comedy

Produced by: Miranda Bailey, Sarah Winshall, Jacob Agger, Natalie Whalen

Distributed by: Music Box Films
Production companies: Cold Iron Pictures, Smudge Films

Opens in Theaters Nationwide February 13, 2026

Synopsis

Upon seeing a gorgeous chair in a showroom, Camille (Juliette Lewis) realizes that she truly envies the life of this perfect piece of furniture. If only she could be someone’s favorite thing.

When she and the chair swap forms, Camille learns that she is better liked as an inanimate object than she was as a person: her mother (Betty Buckley) finds her to be a better listener, and her best friends (Samantha Mathis and Robin Tunney) enjoy a newfound, friction-free rapport.

As the chair, Camille is unable to speak or move and winds up in the hands of Olivier (Mamoudou Athie), a minimalist bachelor who gradually becomes romantically fixated on his elegant new possession.

Narrated by Melanie Griffith, this modern fable celebrates the messiness of female interiority with deadpan humor, surrealist flourishes, and interpretative dance numbers. An absurdist spin on the body-swap comedy, BY DESIGN is a bold new work from singular filmmaker Amanda Kramer.

tmc.io contributor: ShariK.Green tmc

I'm the Sr. Film Writer and Community Manager for tmc.io. I write, direct and produce short films with my production company, Good Stew Productions. Though it's difficult to answer this question when asked, I'd say my favorite movie is “The Big Chill.” I enjoy photography, poetry, and hiking and I adore animals, especially elephants. I live in Arizona and feel it's an outstanding and inspirational place to live.

Critics Group: Phoenix Critics Society

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