Since premiering at theCannes Film Festivalearlier this year, Coralie FargeatsThe Substancehas ignited fervent discussions and reactions.
Fargeat wrote theprizewinningscript after turning 40, as she grappled with feelings of obsolescence and inadequacy.
And what better way to illustrate the challenges of societal pressure and self-worth than through a female actor?
Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat (center) with Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore, the stars ofThe Substance, out on Friday.
Your image defines you and your self-worth.
Here, Fargeat speaks toVogueabout her process.Note: This interview contains spoilers.
Coralie Fargeat:It was maybe five years ago.
Photo: MUBI / Courtesy Everett Collection
Ozempic wasnt around, but we had many other Ozempics in the past.
In France, we had other medical products used to suppress your appetite and make you lose weight.
Women took amphetamines to stay thin or drank powders that were supposed to be some magic diet replacement.
Photo: MUBI / Courtesy Everett Collection
Ozempic is just a new incarnation of something thats been around since the beginning.
I read that Demi Moore had never heard of body horror before signing onto this film.
How did you prepare her for the role, since the movie is not shy in that respect?
Photo: MUBI / Courtesy Everett Collection
Its super important to confirm actors know that so they can adapt.
And of course, we discussed the level of nudity that the movie required.
Speaking of Sue, how did you come up with that name?
It came during the writing.
Its something I preserved unconsciously with the name.
Like before, its also a link to cinema and how cinema has shaped these kinds of archetypes.
Can you talk about the films color palette?
Elisabeth wears a very striking yellow peacoat that makes her very conspicuous.
Was there any meaning behind that?
So all those images need to present themselves symbolically in a way that works for the movie.
I dont always know why certain elements resonate with me, but I feel strongly about them.
Yellow felt like it was right for her.
I wanted it to place her in a superhero-like space, representing her as Elisabeth Sparkle before her transformation.
The world the movie takes place in feels just one step removed from reality.
Was this how you envisioned it when writing the film?
From the start I knew I wasnt interested in depicting the real Hollywood but rather what its about.
I wanted the locations and set decorations to have a very strong symbolic meaning.
Each of the locations represents something.
For instance, the long orange corridor at the TV web link represents Elisabeths life.
She started at some point at one end and then is finished when she reaches the other.
We dont care about realism or realitywere in the world ofThe Substance.
I gave the same explanation to my crew when designing the apartment.
When Sue is reborn, the view becomes the future.
Its a mental space, and I wanted it to feel very abstract, stylized, and almost empty.
Why did you decide to take it all the way to the extremes that you do?
Think of the past when women had to wear clothes that tightened everything up.
I really wanted to [exhales] let it out.
We dont need tomovethiswe need to change the whole foundations of society.
When the final transformation arrives, it felt quite intuitive to bring the character ultimate relief.
Ironically, its when shes totally deformed and monstrous that she doesnt care what she looks like.
In fact, its the only time she looks in the mirror and kind of likes what she sees.
We hide behind our polished smiles, and I wanted the character to unleash those hidden anxieties.
What is it about body horror that stands out to you?
For a long time, body-horror movies were typically only made by male directors.
Body horror can be a really powerful weapon of expression for female directors.
From a young age I was drawn to universes.
I felt like I didnt fit in.
This really shaped my understanding of how I could occupy public spaces and express myself.
Its still very imbalanced.
When I was writing my script,Jennifer Kenthad a strong impact on me.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.The Substanceis in theaters everywhere on September 20.
