Bleecker Street’s horror thriller Victorian Psycho provided an oasis of fun in a sea of serious pics during the wind-down at Cannes, earning a seven-minute standing ovation on Thursday afternoon.
The pic, which is playing in Un Certain Regard, is directed by Bronxville, NY born Zachary Wigon and follows an eccentric young governess in 1858, Winifred Notty (Maika Monroe), who arrives at the remote gothic manor Ensor House. As Winifred assimilates, staff begin to inexplicably disappear, and the owners wonder if something is amiss about this new governess. Jason Isaacs, Ruth Wilson, and Thomasin McKenzie also star.
“This was a film at times we were always pushing, always pushing to the limit of what we were capable of,” Wigon said at the end. “As you saw in the credit, we had a very beloved A.D. on this film, Jim Corr, who was a phenomenally lovely person to work with. This is the final film her worked on. He passed away far too young shortly after we wrapped on this film. I know a number of his family members are here today.”
Victorian Psycho opens on Sept. 25 in North America.
Starry English-lingo movies were rare this year at Cannes, and some of the edgiest found their ways into Un Certain Regard this year. In addition to Victorian Psycho, there was Mubi’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma as well as Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid which was scooped up by A24 after a fierce auction for $17M+.
