'Emilia Pérez' director to helm Netflix horror film
What's the story
After the success of Emilia Pérez, which received a Best Picture nomination at last year's Oscars, Netflix is collaborating with French filmmaker Jacques Audiard once again. The director will helm an elevated horror film based on Jean-Baptiste Del Amo's critically acclaimed novel La Nuit ravagee. This adaptation will be a French-language original, reported Variety.
Story details
Themes and plot of the original novel
La Nuit ravagee is set in the early 1990s in a fictional suburb of Toulouse, Saint-Auch.
The story revolves around a group of teenagers who are drawn to an abandoned house with a strange power over them.
After one of their friends dies under disturbing circumstances, they enter the house unaware that it is alive with something supernatural.
The novel reportedly explores themes such as racism, homophobia, domestic violence, and adolescent anxiety through fantasy and horror elements.
Director's background
Audiard's past work and approach to the film
Audiard, known for films like A Prophet and Rust and Bone, has never made a horror film before.
However, his past work with outsiders in brutal worlds makes him a good fit for La Nuit ravagee.
His other notable titles include Paris, 13th District, Dheepan, and A Self-Made Hero.
Release strategy
Impact on potential theatrical release in France
Since La Nuit ravagee will be a Netflix original, it may not get a theatrical release in France due to windowing rules that prevent the streamer from accessing theatrical movies for 15 months.
This project adds Audiard to the list of renowned international filmmakers working on original films for Netflix, which includes Guillermo del Toro and Fernando Meirelles, among others.