At its Cannes premiere on Monday night, David Cronenberg’s latest horror film, “The Shrouds,” which tells the story of a widow who creates technology to peer inside his late wife’s grave, garnered a 3.5-minute standing ovation.
After the titles played, the audience applauded the Cannes veteran, but the cheering was a little flat as they took in the film, which is different from Cronenberg’s typical unconventional body horror. Instead, “The Shrouds” is a contemplative examination of bereavement and technology; despite a few graphic scenes, the movie primarily focuses on emotion.
When the applause subsided, Cronenberg remarked, “This is the first time I’ve seen the movie with an audience, and it’s completely different.” “I am so glad you are all present.”
“The Shrouds,” which stars Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, and Sandrine Holt, is said to as an arthouse horror movie. It centres on a well-known businessman who lost his wife and is now grieving. As per the film’s summary, he develops a novel device named GraveTech that allows “the living to monitor their dear departed in their shrouds.” After several graves are vandalised one evening, the businessman goes in search of the culprits.
At the film’s premiere, Cassel, Kruger, Pearce, and Holt were all present, and after it was over, they all gave Cronenberg an embrace.
“The Shrouds” is a deeply personal picture for Cronenberg, who stated as much in an interview with Variety. The film was partially inspired by the death of his wife, Carolyn Cronenberg, in 2017.
“In my opinion, grief never goes away. It remains,” he remarked. “You can be a little detached from it, but while I was making the film, I didn’t feel any catharsis.”
Known for creating the body horror subgenre, Cronenberg has consistently performed well at Cannes for a long time. He has had six films screen in competition: “Spider” (2002), “A History of Violence” (2005), “Cosmopolis” (2012), “Maps to the Stars” (2014), and “Crimes of the Future” (2022). His 1996 film “Crash” got the jury prise at the festival. In 2006, he was also given the esteemed Golden Coach award by Directors’ Fortnight.
