Vincent Must Die (Vincent doit mourir)
Directed by Stéphan Castang
Hosted by Director Stéphan Castang.
Official selection
Critics Week - Cannes 2023
Director
Stéphan Castang
Writer
Mathieu Naert
Cast
Karim Leklou, Vimala Pons, François Chattot, Karoline Rose Sun
contact
XYZ Films
“Joyfully absurdist”– Damon Wise, DEADLINE
“Pulls together a multitude of genres with great playfulness of spirit, all the while packing an almighty punch”– Fabien Lemercier, CINEUROPA
Embark on a man’s bizarre misadventure as his life gradually turns into a paranoia-driven nightmare in Stéphan Castang's VINCENT MUST DIE, starring Karim Leklou as the titular character, and Vimala Pons in the role of a potential romantic interest. The awkward Vincent is just an average guy working at a boring office job when he is violently assaulted by an intern out of the blue, which soon develops into continuing attacks by random strangers. In order to survive, he will have to observe behavioural patterns in others and figure out why he's the target of these sudden bursts of aggression, all while adapting to a very new lifestyle.
After creating quite the buzz at Cannes Critic Week in May, VINCENT MUST DIE now makes its way to Fantasia for its North American premiere, and what a fitting treat it is for our adrenaline-loving audience! Castang had a penchant for exploring attention-grabbing concepts and combining more than one genre in his shorts, and his first feature is no exception. This French thriller is an explosive genre-bending film that has been compared to SHAUN OF THE DEAD for its end-of-the-world atmosphere and dark humour. Right from the start, viewers will be pumped by the upbeat opening credits, then quickly sucked in to the energetic and anxiety-inducing plot, as they now await the impending attacks, which are cushioned by effective comedic relief. But besides the threat of violence at every turn, VINCENT MUST DIE has a tinge of sweet romance at its core, as our two main characters display great chemistry as a team, whether it be fighting or defending each other. Amidst the high-energy chaos, the film also brings forward themes of enforced loneliness and the universal importance of human connection. – Karen Wan
Showings
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