What’s David Cronenberg been up to? The famous filmmaker has been quiet as of late, but today, everyone got a detailed first look at his next project, The Shrouds, which will have its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
In a clip shared with Variety, the teaser introduces Vincent Cassel’s Karsh, a prominent businessman struggling to cope with the loss of his wife. Karsh invented GraveTech, a revolutionary and controversial technology that enables the living to monitor their dear departed in their shrouds. “One night, multiple graves, including that of Karsh’s wife, are desecrated,” the official synopsis reads. “Karsh sets out to track down the perpetrators.”
Written and directed by Cronenberg, The Shrouds stars Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, and Sandrine Holt. You can watch the teaser trailer below.
While speaking with Variety, Cronenberg explained how The Shrouds came at a time when he was grieving the loss of his wife.
“Most burial rituals are about avoiding the reality of death and the reality of what happens to a body,” Cronenberg said. “I would say that in our movie this is a reversal of the normal function of a shroud. Here, it is to reveal rather than to conceal. I was writing this film while experiencing the grief of the loss of my wife, who died seven years ago. It was an exploration for me because it was not just a technical exercise, it was an emotional exercise.”
WME has the U.S. rights for The Shrouds, while SBS Intl is handling international sales. Producers include Saïd Ben Saïd, Martin Katz, and Anthony Vaccarello.
The Shrouds is Cronenberg’s first film since 2022’s Crimes of the Future, which also premiered at Cannes. Known for his body horror films, Cronenberg is the visionary director behind Crash, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, and Maps to the Stars.
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