Cannes: Antichrist
Speechless. That was what most of the critics who came out last night from the media screening of Danish master Lars von Trier’s Antichrist. What a shocker of a film this is. Forget Jane Campion’s Bright Star, Jacques Audiard’s Un Prophete, Park Chan-wook’s Thirst, Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock, Ken Loach’s Looking for Eric – all quite good films – and get ready to listen to a great debate on Trier and his cinema, once again.
And this time, Trier has pushed the cinematic boundaries like never before. It is even futile to try right now to write about the film. I am still reeling from its impact, even after more than 12 hours of watching it. Phew! I won’t write the storyline here, though I can tell you it is about a couple trying to overcome the grief of their young son’s death. It is a film that will require quite a few viewings to understand its multiple layers. And yes, before the shockers come on, you will have watched one of the most beautifully crafted opening sequence (called the Prologue; the film is divided into Grief, Pain, Despair and Three Beggars chapters before ending with an Epilogue) you will have ever seen.
But be sure of one fact – it will elicit extreme reactions from you, either positive or negative. From graphic and violent sex to scenes of genital mutilation, I am sure you have seen nothing like this before. At least I have not. And another thing: it will surely not get screened in India officially, at least till the Central Board of Film Certification exists in its current form. So, grab a DVD whenever it comes out.
Trier has described this film, which he wrote during a major bout of depression two years ago, as his “most important” film. He also has written in the production note that it does not follow any logic or particular storyline.
And here are a few quotable quotes from media interaction:
“I don’t have to justify why I made this film. It’s in the Cannes Film Festival and I have to explain why I made it! I make films for myself and not for audiences, and I don’t owe any explanation to anyone why I do so.” (to an American journalist who asked him to justify his making of such a film).
“I am the best film director in the world, and all the others are overrated… all filmmakers think so about themselves but say it out, but I do”.
“I am not trying to say anything through this film. I have earlier made films that were more methodical and with logic, but this one is more like a dream.”
Tags: 62nd Cannes Film Festival, Antichrist, Lars von Trier, World Cinema
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
I saw the AntiChrist trailer, looked like a horror story more than anything else…lets see…is it opening this year in US?
Great updates Utpal. Watched that interview and this was the first qn directed at LVT. ‘I consider you all as my guests here and not vice versa….I make films for myself….’.. Quite true, for him.
You seriously are having a great time there watching all these films…:)…
Here is the trailer
I love both the actors.
Utpal..thanks again… Park’s ‘Thirst’ would be another movie which I would love to know more about…
The rage this film has met in the past few days in the world media is seen to be believed. I have been following all the reviews closely as I follow Von Trier’s cinema quite closely.
Majority of the critics are appalled at the graphic violence and despair in the film.
To me, Von Trier is like Michaelengelo. He surely has cloaked many layers within that despair and violence. One must be receptive enough to peel away the violence from the setting and have a close look at the ways of the two humans.
I shall digress here and mention about the unspeakable acts of rape and pillage done by middle class Gujarati people in Ahmedabad during the Gujarat riots. When one is caught up in a emotion warp, the mind degenerates and then it can go to any depth.
I am sure most of the evil caused in this world is a product of this state of mind caused by an emotion warp. Von Trier has probably portrayed the process of this warp setting in. That too, in chapters!
I truly believe he is not a film maker alone, he is also a great thinker, ahead of his times, a revolutionary of sorts..
We at PFC shall do well to publicize his cinema and thoughts for what they represent. He is not only cinema.
WOW!!!
Thanks for the trailer Mainak..The last scene in the trailer is just out of the world!!
Please tell me he is William Defoe!!
Sounds incredible!! Utpal.Thanks a ton maan!!!Hope it releases in US!
BTW..it is awesome we are talking about the Q/A here..please keep updating with essential Q/A sessions.. Thank You :-)
BTW>..just watched Cabaret!!! What a Brilliant movie!! Maybe i am one of the very very few who just discovered this gem, but i am not gonna apologise for it…it isa beauty!
Has any1 one seen tetro by francis ford copoola at cannes ?
How was thirst ???
Hey, I just saw the movie (a week before) and yes… I too had extreme reactions! A Great opening sequence, which elevated my expectations to even higher levels. but as the movie progresses my “Logical Mind” denies the on screen drama. To be honest, I turned it off. But it surely left a Great Cinematic experience which lead to repeat view(s) to enjoy the beauty behind it… No matter you “like” the movie or no, Antichrist is the one you can not afford to miss..