Movies
Explicit Sexual Gore Causes ‘Antichrist’ Controversy at Cannes
At the top of my list as “most anticipated” for 2009 is Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, which just had its world premiere at the ongoing Cannes market/festival. I’ve been patiently awaiting the buzz, good or bad, and have instead found myself interested for all the wrong reasons – “explicit sexual gore”. Apparently it was so intense it caused an uproar during a press conference where reporters asked von Trier to explain himself. Read on for this breaking story.
From the Hollywood Reporter:
“Declaring himself “the world’s greatest director,” 53-year-old Dane Lars von Trier defended his enfant terrible title with aplomb at the Monday news conference for his Competition shocker “Antichrist.”
It started with a shouting match between Daily Mail columnist Baz Bamigboye and other members of the press corps, with Bamigboye demanding von Trier “explain and justify” the explicit sexual gore in his film and another journo in the audience yelling “He’s an artist, you’re not. He doesn’t have to explain anything!”
And he didn’t. On questions both abusive and toadying, von Trier maintained his autistic savant persona, deliberately avoiding any explanation of “Antichrist,” alternatively mocking or dismissing his interrogators.
“I don’t have to explain anything. You are all my guests here, not the other way round,” von Trier said. “Anyway, I don’t think about the audience when I make a film. I don’t care. I make films for myself.”
Von Trier did defend his use of nausea-inducing imagery — including a bloody masturbation scene and a leg-drilling sequence that could have been cribbed from the “Saw” franchise — as artistic “honesty,” saying to leave the shockers out would have been “like lying.”
He also insisted he was not playing a joke on the audience but meant everything, from the film’s talking fox to the closing dedication to Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, a dedication that drew howls of laughter at last night’s press screening, to be taken seriously.
But, as always, von Trier tried to have it both ways, joking that it was “a bit of a pity” one can’t actually kill people on screen and putting the blame for the most extreme scenes on lead actress Charlotte Gainsbourg.
“Charlotte took it too far. I tried to, but I just couldn’t stop her,” von Trier quipped.”
Exclusives
‘Humane’ Exclusive Clip Sees Emily Hampshire Weigh Killer Odds in Caitlin Cronenberg’s Feature Debut
The daughter of horror master David Cronenberg, Caitlin Cronenberg, is making her own mark in the genre filmmaking space with Humane, a dark horror satire set in an overpopulated world with grim government sanctions. We’ve got a new exclusive clip that highlights the intense stakes for a family torn apart by the government’s euthanasia program.
Humane will first be arriving in theaters courtesy of IFC Films on April 26, 2024. The film later comes home to Shudder July 26.
The film is described as “a dystopian satire taking place over a single day, months after a global ecological collapse has forced world leaders to take extreme measures to reduce the earth’s population.”
“In a wealthy enclave, a recently retired newsman has invited his grown children to dinner to announce his intentions to enlist in the nation’s new euthanasia program. But when the father’s plan goes horribly awry, tensions flare and chaos erupts among his children.”
Jay Baruchel (This Is The End), Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek), Peter Gallagher (Grace and Frankie), Sebastian Chacon (Emergency), Alanna Bale (Sort Of, Cardinal) and Sirena Gulamgaus (Transplant) will star in Caitlin Cronenberg’s Humane.
Watch the exclusive clip below, which sees ruthless older sibling Rachel York (Emily Hampshire) weighing her odds, both for survival and the family inheritance. With the family forced to make an unthinkable choice, the clip sets up the tense scenario and the film’s dark sense of humor.
“Caitlin has crafted a provocative directorial debut exuding a timeliness and evocative social critique that highlights one of the most assured and exciting new voices to contend with,” Scott Shooman, head of AMC Networks’ Film Group, said. “We are honored to distribute Caitlin’s first full-length feature for its theatrical release and presence on our streaming platform, Shudder.”
“With ‘Humane,’ Caitlin has delivered a wickedly smart, humorous and socially relevant thriller with exceptional performances from its outstanding cast,” added Emily Gotto, Shudder’s VP of global acquisitions & co-productions. “We can’t wait to share this chilling, prescient satire with Shudder members.”
Michael Sparaga wrote the script and also produces the movie.
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