Vanessa Paradis stars as a lovesick porn producer in the 1970’s set slasher film, Knife+Heart.

This bold entry, which screened in the Midnight section of the AFI Film Festival, is fueled by burning sensations and taboo promiscuity, creating a very specific je ne sais quoi quality that, after watching, will be impossible to forget.

There is a killer madman on the loose in Paris and he is targeting men in the porn industry. Actors are brutally and mysteriously getting killed off one by one. Aware of the growing threat but determined to continue making movies, Anne (Paradis) throws herself into her work. She scours the streets for common folk to bring into the industry, finding one promising boy on a construction site and gets inspired all over again. With her film company in jeopardy due to the evolving porn industry and posed threat to the actor’s safety, Anne seeks comfort from her former lover and the company’s editor, Loïs (Kate Moran). When her pleas for love go unreturned, Anne faces the harsh truth that it is every man (and woman) for themselves in these trying times.

From here, Knife+Heart continues down the path of an erotic psychosexual thriller film. Abhorrently graphic and violent from start to finish, French director Yann Gonzalez is relentless in creating a palpable mood. This fantastical, unclassifiable film is not an easy watch by any means, but for those adventurous cinephiles looking for a film that “quenches all thirsts”, I cautiously welcome you to watch. The biggest driving force that attracted me to seek out Knife+Heart in the first place is the soundtrack, composed by the French electronic group M83. Their synth-pop score fuels the film’s heartbeat with an otherworldly sound that pays homage to the taboo films of the past. 

Knife+Heart is definitely not a family film and would be a really awkward first date movie as well, you’ve been warned. Knife+Heart is planning a theatrical release in early 2019.

‘Knife+Heart’ is not rated. 110 minutes.