Gillian Anderson's unconventional slasher film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma received a rapturous six-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. The 57-year-old X-Files star portrays a reclusive actress in the movie, with director Jane Schoenbrun lauding her performance as 'grotesque.'
Red Carpet and Reception
After the screening, footage captured the audience's enthusiastic reaction as Anderson embraced Schoenbrun. The actress arrived on the Cannes red carpet in an elegant pink satin dress, posing alongside co-star Hannah Einbinder. The film follows Einbinder's character, a filmmaker tasked with remaking a cult slasher film, who becomes obsessed with casting the original's 'final girl,' played by Anderson, sparking psychosexual mania.
Director's Challenges and Hopes
Schoenbrun, who came out as transgender in 2020, spoke about the difficulties in securing funding for the project, with indie studios Plan B and Mubi eventually backing it. They told The Hollywood Reporter: 'When I look around in our post-woke, post-Biden era, I don't see any other trans artists getting budgets, and that's a shame. I shouldn't be the only one making movies at this budget level.' They expressed confidence in the film's success, saying, 'I think this movie will be a hit.'
The film opens the Un Certain Regard programme at Cannes and is set for a theatrical release on August 7. Schoenbrun praised Anderson's performance, comparing it to Jim Carrey's work: 'It's so funny and strange, a little bit grotesque and sad, far from traditional notions of high-fem sexuality while still being incredibly sexy and weird.'
Cannes Jury
This year's Cannes jury includes Demi Moore, director Chloé Zhao, actor Stellan Skarsgård, and others, with South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook as president. Moore expressed her honour at being a juror, stating, 'I feel like a little kid getting to play a grown-up.' She also commented on AI in cinema, advocating for embracing the technology: 'What it can never replace is what true art comes from—the soul and spirit of each creator.'
