The Substance

Building on her preoccupation with the disposability of women in a jail society following Revenge (42nd), Coralie Fargeat delivers another hyper-stylised thriller – this time, an all-out feminist body-horror satire that shocked the Cannes audience. Unexpectedly ousted from the helm of her aerobics show, fading Hollywood star Elisabeth resorts to a grisly body-splitting programme to clone a young replacement. But as her new, immaculately beautiful self rises to stardom and begins to stretch her waking time, Elisabeth languishes in the shadow of her invisibility. Powered by Demi Moore’s fearless performance as a former celebrity, Fargeat makes a political statement against the dual forces of sexism and ageism in a patriarchal world.

Cannes Film Festival: Best Screenplay