A movie that made its debut at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2009 stirred quite a controversy, earning it an ‘anti-award’. It’s often said that any publicity, good or bad, is beneficial, and this particular film is a testament to that belief.
The film in question is a 2009 horror art movie, crafted by the creative mind of Lars von Trier.
It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and has since sparked extensive debate.
Featuring Willem Dafoe, known for his role in “Spider-Man”, and Charlotte Gainsbourg from “Alphonse”, the film narrates the story of a couple grieving their son’s accidental death.
Seeking solace, they retreat to a cabin in the woods, where their journey takes a dark turn, involving sexual and extremely violent experiences.
Credit: Zentropa Entertainments
A particularly shocking moment in the film is when the female character mutilates herself, cutting off her clitoris.
Despite the film’s moderate audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 55 percent audience score and 54 percent on the Tomatometer, its initial reception was marred by controversy.
The source of the controversy primarily stemmed from the film’s explicit content.
Titled “Antichrist”, the movie includes scenes of real sex, which the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) describes as ‘clearly adult in theme and tone from the outset’.
The film features stark images of real sex, bloody violence, intense gory visuals, and self-mutilation.
Credit: Zentropa Entertainments
The explicit nature of the sex scenes, including ‘unsimulated penetration’ and ‘images of genital contact’, led to its 18 rating.
The film’s premiere was so contentious that some viewers reportedly walked out during screenings, as noted by the BBFC.
Despite the uproar, “Antichrist” did not go unrecognized at the Cannes Film Festival.
Credit: Zentropa Entertainments
In 2009, it was bestowed with the ‘anti-award’, a dubious honor reflecting its controversial nature.
Radu Mihaileanu, a French filmmaker and head of an international jury at the festival, expressed his disapproval, saying:
“We cannot be silent after what that movie does. Antichrist is the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world.”
Credit: Zentropa Entertainments
Cannes festival director Thierry Fremaux, however, had a different take, criticizing the decision as nearly censorious.
He described the move as a ‘ridiculous decision that borders on a call for censorship,’ and found it particularly scandalous coming from an ‘ecumenical’ jury led by a filmmaker, according to his statement to AFP.
Interestingly, despite not receiving any overtly positive recognition, Charlotte Gainsbourg was honored as Best Actress at Cannes for her role in “Antichrist”.
