In the psychological thriller that evolves into a horror film, Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg will play a couple who retreat to an isolated cabin in the woods following the death of their child. The film stars only two actors, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. Primarily a Danish production, the film was also co-produced with companies from five other countries.
Since premiering at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where Gainsbourg won the festival’s award for Best Actress, the film has come under attack for what some critics view as misogyny, as well as for featuring explicit sexual violence. At the same time many critics have also praised the film for its visuals and serious approach.
Antichrist was originally scheduled for production in 2005, but its executive producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen accidentally revealed the planned ending. Lars von Trier was furious and decided to delay the shoot so he could rewrite the script.
The title was the first thing that was written for the film. The post-depression version of the script was to some extent written as an exercise for Trier, to see if he had recovered enough to be able to work again. Trier has also made references to August Strindberg and his Inferno Crisis in the 1890s, comparing it to his own writing under difficult mental circumstances: “was Antichrist my Inferno Crisis?”
Antichrist is a Danish experimental art film written and directed by Lars von Trier, starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It tells the story of a couple who, after the death of their child, retreat to a cabin in the woods where the man experiences strange visions and the woman manifests increasingly violent sexual behaviour and sadism. The narrative is divided into a prologue, four chapters and an epilogue. The film was primarily a Danish production but co-produced by companies from six different European countries. It was filmed in Germany and Sweden.
Read the Full Production Notes
Antichrist
Starring by: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Directed by: Lars von Trier
Screenplay by: Anders Thomas Jensen
Release Date: October 16, 2009
MPAA Rating: None.
Studio: IFC Films
Box Office Totals
Domestic: $404,122 (51.0%)
Foreign: $387,745 (49.0%)
Total: $791,867 (Worldwide)