Cannes screening of Crimes of the Future prompts walk outs

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Several audience members walked out of the screening of Crimes of the Future during Cannes Film Festival on Monday night due to the film’s graphic scenes.

The David Cronenberg-directed movie – which stars Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux – showed ‘grotesque’ scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked. 

At the end however the film was given a seven-minute standing ovation from remaining audience members, suggesting it could be polarizing among viewers.

Cannes screening of Crimes of the Future prompts walk outs

Oh no: Several audience members walked out of the screening of Crimes of the Future – starring Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux (pictured at premiere) – during Cannes Film Festival on Monday night due to the film’s graphic scenes

Director David warned in a previous interview: ‘There are some very strong scenes. I mean, I’m sure that we will have walkouts within the first five minutes of the movie. I’m sure of that. 

‘Some people who have seen the film have said that they think the last 20 minutes will be very hard on people, and that there’ll be a lot of walkouts. Some guy said that he almost had a panic attack.’ 

New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan tweeted from the theatre that she counted 15 people who walked out of the cinema during the screening.

Odd: The David Cronenberg-directed movie showed 'grotesque' scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked

Odd: The David Cronenberg-directed movie showed ‘grotesque’ scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked

Stars: David Cronenberg, Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart are pictured at Monday night's premiere together

Stars: David Cronenberg, Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart are pictured at Monday night’s premiere together 

Set in the near future, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Léa as a performance artist couple who grow and remove new organs on stage in front of a live audience.

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Kristen Stewart plays an investigator with the National Organ Registry, who is looking into Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, the disease that allows them to carry out their performance. 

The film includes a gory child autopsy scene, shots of bloody intestines and characters who orgasm by licking each other’s open wounds.

Scary: Set in the near future, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Léa as a performance artist couple who grow and remove new organs on stage in front of a live audience

Scary: Set in the near future, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Léa as a performance artist couple who grow and remove new organs on stage in front of a live audience

Plot: Kristen Stewart plays an investigator with the National Organ Registry, who is looking into Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, the disease that allows them to carry out their performance

Plot: Kristen Stewart plays an investigator with the National Organ Registry, who is looking into Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, the disease that allows them to carry out their performance

The official synopsis reads: ‘As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations.

‘Accompanied by his partner, celebrity performance artist Saul Tenser showcases the metamorphosis of his organs. Meanwhile, a mysterious group tries to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.’

Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David’s long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. 

Bizarre: The film includes a gory child autopsy scene, shots of bloody intestines and characters who orgasm by licking each other's open wounds

Bizarre: The film includes a gory child autopsy scene, shots of bloody intestines and characters who orgasm by licking each other’s open wounds

Professional: Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David’s long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece

Professional: Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David’s long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece

It is competing for the Palme d’Or in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest.

The story is set in the ‘not-too-distant future’ where humankind is learning to adapt to their ‘synthetic surroundings.’

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The evolution moves humans behind their ‘natural state’ and into a new metamorphosis that alters their biological makeup, known as Accelerated Evolution Syndrome.

While some have embraced what is known as ‘trans-humanism’ and its limitless potential, others have tried to police it.

Interesting: The story is set in the 'not-too-distant future' where humankind is learning to adapt to their 'synthetic surroundings' (Lea and David pictured at the premiere)

Interesting: The story is set in the ‘not-too-distant future’ where humankind is learning to adapt to their ‘synthetic surroundings’ (Lea and David pictured at the premiere) 

The story centres on Saul Tenser (Viggo), a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body. 

Tenser and his partner Caprice (Lea) have used the removal of these organs to thrill their audiences, though they’re forced to re-consider their most shocking performance to date when the government and an emerging sub-culture taking notice. 

Reviews have flooded in for the film on Tuesday after the screening, with the movie dividing critics.

Different: The story centres on Saul Tenser (Viggo), a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body

Different: The story centres on Saul Tenser (Viggo), a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body

Crimes of the Future – what the critics are saying: 

The Guardian

Rating:

Peter Bradshaw writes: ‘As he did with 90s hit Crash, the director creates a bizarre new society of sicko sybarites where pain is the ultimate pleasure and ‘surgery is the new sex’ 

‘At all events, it’s an extraordinary planet that Cronenberg lands us down on, and insists we remove our helmets before we’re quite sure we can breathe the air.’

The Times

Rating:

Kevin Maher writes: ‘It is immediately one of the great mysteries of cinema that a film featuring mutant ballet dancers, open-air surgery and eroticised wound-licking could be punishingly dull, but the veteran director David Cronenberg has managed it. 

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‘This dystopian parable, one of the most anticipated titles in Cannes, has turned out to be one of the worst films of the festival.’

The BBC

Rating:

Nicholas Barber writes: ‘Crimes of The Future returns pleasingly to the obsessions of his earlier films, without reaching the heights of many of them. If only the story had been allowed to do some more mutating of its own before it was put on screen.’  

The Telegraph

Rating:

Robbie Collin writes: ‘Seydoux gives the film’s best performance: even wrenching moments are played at a glassy remove. But unlike Cronenberg’s Crash, which shook Cannes to the core in 1996, there’s no shock of the new in Crimes of the Future – a crucial requirement for every true festival coup de scandale. 

‘A provocation aimed at those who booked tickets the minute the trailer hit Twitter can’t help but feel a little passé.’

The Independent

Rating:

Geoffrey Macnab writes:  This is a film rich in ideas but with very little tension or passion. At times, it’s more like a cerebral art gallery installation piece than a full-blooded dramatic movie.’

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