Cannes Film Festival went apeshit for the jaw-dropping, nauseating, defiant, hilarious “The Substance” — a body horror thriller from French director Coralie Forgeat starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley — on Sunday night with a 13-minute standing ovation.
Although the premiere screening started late by 20 minutes, there was thunderous applause for the movie by the time it wrapped around 1 a.m., with rhythmic clapping for this big comeback movie from Moore.
Moore, Qualley, and Fargeat all seemed giddy about the response, with Moore throwing a kiss to the screen saying “Thank you! Thank you!”.
“It’s been a ride,” Fargeat said once the audience had finished its rapturous applause, beating the record set by “Emilia Pérez’s” nine-minute ovation on Saturday night.
Added Moore, “This is my first time to have a film premiere in Cannes. I’m so happy to be here. I’m a little exhausted — that was intense.”
“The Substance” cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Phillip Schurer, and Joseph Balderrama.
The official synopsis reads: “It generates another you. A new, younger, more beautiful, more perfect you. And there’s only one rule: You share time. One week for you. One week for the new you. Seven days each. A perfect balance. Easy. Right? If you respect the balance… what could possibly go wrong?".
Mubi acquired global rights to the movie ahead of the festival; it was a big night for the company as it ramps up its own internal theatrical distribution arm under new distribution boss Mark Boxer.
The film marks Fargeat’s Cannes debut. Her first feature, 2017’s “Revenge,” premiered at Toronto and went on to play at festivals around the world to critical acclaim. Somewhat surprisingly, Moore is also making her first appearance in the festival’s official selection. For Qualley, “The Substance” is one of two films she has playing in competition — the 29-year-old actor also stars in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness,” which premiered at Cannes on Friday night.
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