Cronenberg Horror-Meditation on Grief ‘The Shrouds’ Premieres at Cannes Fest
Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger and Guy Pearce star in the horror film about a man overcome with grief at the loss of his wife.
Cronenberg joined cast members Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, Sandrine Holt and Elizabeth Saunders to hit the Croisette for the film’s premiere on Monday, May 20.
Cronenberg rocked the red carpet wearing a pair of white rimmed wrap-around 1990s-style plastic sunglasses.
Please read our interview with Cronenberg about his latest film:
The film was met with respectful but not enthusiastic applause, before Cronenberg took the mic, thanking the crowd. The director explained that it was the first time he had seen the movie with audience–“It is completely different.”
The connection to the director’s own experience was made clear: Cassel’s character bore a clipped, greying haircut modeled on Cronenberg’s own.
Cassel stars in The Shrouds as Karsh, a businessman overwhelmed with grief at the death of his wife who builds a device — a high-tech shroud — to watch her body decompose in real time.
Diane Kruger plays three roles — that of the late wife and her sister, as well as a virtual avatar that is a rendering in CG animation.
The German actress said of the film, “it made me think about my own mortality.”
The Shrouds is directly inspired by Cronenberg’s own grief at the loss of his wife, Carolyn, who died in 2017.
As with every new movie from director, who’s 81, there is speculation that The Shrouds could be Cronenberg’s last film.
This is Cronenberg’s seventh film in competition in Cannes, and the style of body horror he pioneered casts a long shadow on French and international cinema.
Julia Ducournau’s 2021 Palme d’Or winner Titane is directly inspired by Cronenberg. And so is Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, one of this year’s hottest competition titles, which stars Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley.
