Cannes Festival 2018, an industry event that always features a dazzling collection of film screenings and premieres is getting enormous response with every passing hour. Hosted in Cannes, the charming French Riviera seaside town that gave it its name, the festival comes up with cinematographic masterworks each year which are more magnificent that the one before. The film festival serves as a significant event for film producers, seeking to launch their new movies. But the 71st Annual Cannes Film Festival witnessed something unusual! As Danish Film Director, Lars von Trier’s screened his latest movie, The House That Jack Built on Monday night, May 14, more than a hundred of people reportedly walked out.
“It’s disgusting,” slurred one woman, as she evacuated the Palais. Lars von Trier’s much- awaited return to Cannes 2018 (since getting temporarily banned for making Hitler jokes in 2011) landed himself in controversy with the special screening of his new film. Quoting media reports, The House That Jack Built follows a serious killer (starring American actor, Matt Dillon) as he mutilates and strangles his victims, who are mostly women.
More than hundred people walked out at the movie screening!
I’ve never seen anything like this at a film festival. More than 100 people have walked out of Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built,’ which depicts the mutilation of women and children. “It’s disgusting,” one woman said on her way out. #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/GsBGCoyHEG
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
Journalists who were present at the premiere (spoiler alert), reported that the scene which led dozens of walkouts involved a scene where Dillon’s character shooting a hunting rifle at two small children, as he blows their heads off.
By the end of the movie, the theatre was half empty!
This is how quickly the audience clearly out after Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built.’ #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/yxZJJww71w
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
Standing ovation to Lars von Trier..
Nevertheless, #Cannes2018 still gives Lars von Trier a standing ovation after ‘The House That Jack Built.’ As someone sitting near me put it: “They’ll clap for anything.” pic.twitter.com/xa6Hi0t23r
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
Despite the major walkouts at Cannes Festival 2018, the movie still received a prolonged standing ovation for von Trier. A Variety (American entertainment trade magazine & website) reporter, Ramin Setoodeh captured the moment when Trier was given a standing ovation at the end of the movie.
Watch the trailer of the movie The House That Jack Built.
Von Trier was making his first appearance at the 71st Cannes Film Festival after being declared “persona non grata” (person not appreciated) by the festival over a 2011 press conference in which he joked about sympathising with the Nazis. Amidst all the troubles, we hope that the film does well on the big screen as it is likely to hit the theatres on November 29, 2018. Again, 2018 Cannes Film Festival has proved that it has a lot more to offer.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2018 04:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).