David Cronenberg’s upcoming featureThe Shroudshas unveiled its first teaser ahead of its Cannes Film Festival debut. The horror film stars the likes ofVincent CasselandGuy Pearceand deals with the themes of death and the afterlife. The brief sneak peek sees Cassel as a grieving husband whose wife’s grave is desecrated and discovers that the perpetrator was spying on him through her.
While the brief video doesn’t give away much, it sets a thrilling tone for the film and gives a taste of compelling performances in store for us.The Shroudsseems like part science fiction and part horror thriller making it a gripping watch. The feature willopen in the Competition section at Cannesto woo the critics all around.
What Is ‘The Shrouds’ About?
The film follows 50-something Karsh, a prominent businessman, who has beeninconsolable since the death of his wife. To cope he invents GraveTech, a revolutionary and controversial technology that enables the living to monitor their dear departed in their shrouds. Things take a turn when one night Karsh’s wife’s grave, along with others, is desecrated. Karsh then sets out to track down the perpetrators.
Elaborating on the concept Cronenberg explained:
“Most burial rituals are about avoiding the reality of death and the reality of what happens to a body. 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.”
He also elaborated on the movie’s title, that while “to shroud” means to “cover up and hide,” in this film, the shrouds are digital cameras, and they allow one to see corpses rotting in the tomb, in a sense, keeping one’s connection with their departed in some sense, alive.
The director further revealed that he 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.” The movie cast some compelling performances from Cassel as Karsh,Diane Krugeras Becca, Pearce as Maury,Sandrine Holtas Soo-Min,Elizabeth Saundersas Gray Foner,Jennifer Daleas Myrna Slotnik,Eric Weinthalas Dr. Hofstra andSteve Switzmanas Dr. Jerry Eckler.
The Shroudswill make its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival before opening wide later this year. You can check out the new teaserhereand learn more about the film withour guide here.
