The harm of unrealistic beauty standards placed on women is nothing new, but one film that premiered in competition at Cannes Film Festival this year is shocking audiences with its grotesque depiction of just how horrific they can be for aging women.
French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat's second feature The Substance, a body horror film starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, premiered on May 19 and is one of the most divisive, conversation-starting films at this year's festival. According to Deadline, the film received a 13-minute standing ovation, the longest of the festival thus far, with praise largely geared toward Moore. It's also generated initial reactions ranging from "bad" and "misogynistic" to a "brilliant feminist Hollywood satire," with reviews noting how "magnificently tasteless" it is and calling it "the grossest movie at Cannes" in the best way.
