In the mid 1990’s, 20 French urban dancers join together for a three-day rehearsal in a closed-down boarding school located at the heart of a forest to share one last dance. They then make one last party around a large sangria bowl.
Quickly, the atmosphere becomes charged and a strange madness will seize them the whole night. If it seems obvious to them that they have been drugged, they neither know by who nor why. And it’s soon impossible for them to resist to their neuroses and psychoses, numbed by the hypnotic and the increasing electric rhythm of the music. While some feel in paradise, most of them plunge into hell.
Climax is a 2018 psychological horror film directed, written and co-edited by Gaspar Noé. An international co-production between France and Belgium, the film takes place during Winter 1996 within a single building, and features a large ensemble cast of twenty-four (led by Sofia Boutella) portraying a French dance troupe throwing an after-party after a rehearsal; however, the celebrations take a darker turn when everyone becomes increasingly agitated and confused.
The film is notable for its unusual style and production, having been conceived and pre-produced in only four weeks and shot in chronological order in only 15 days: although Noé conceived the premise, the large majority of the film was unrehearsed on-the-spot improvisation by the cast, who were given no lines of dialogue beforehand and had almost complete liberty as to where to take the story and characters. Climax also features unusual editing and cinematography choices, and includes several lengthy long takes, including one lasting over 42 minutes. The cast of the film consists almost exclusively of dancers who, aside from Boutella and Souheila Yacoub, had no previous acting experience.
Climax premiered on 10 May 2018 in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Art Cinema Award. It was theatrically released in France on 19 September 2018 and in Belgium on 21 November 2018. The film received positive reviews, with many critics praising its direction, cinematography, soundtrack, choreography, and performances, although some criticized its violence and perceived lack of story.
Climax (2019)
Directed by: Gaspar Noé
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub, Kiddy Smile, Claude-Emmanuelle Gajan-Maull, Giselle Palmer, Thea Carla Schott, Taylor Kastle, Sharleen Temple, Lea Vlamos
Screenplay by: Gaspar Noé
Production Design by: Jean Rabasse
Cinematography by: Benoît Debie
Film Editing by: Denis Bedlow, Gaspar Noé
Costume Design by: Frédéric Cambier
MPAA Rating: R for disturbing content involving a combination of drug use, violent behavior and strong sexuality, and for language and some graphic nudity.
Distributed by: A24 Films
Release Date: March 1, 2019
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