The Coralie Fargeat horror centres around an older actor in Hollywood, who uses a mysterious drug to create a “younger, more beautiful” version of herself.
Following The Substance’s premiere on Sunday, a first-look clip of the film has now been released, depicting Demi’s character as she’s first introduced to the drug that can create her supposed younger “clone”.
The 44-second teaser may be unnerving, but it doesn’t contain any of the graphic content that has already made The Substance such a stand-out at Cannes.
However, a newly-released still from the film does hint more at what viewers should expect, depicting a nude woman with stitches up her back lying on a floor, while a cloaked figure stands over her.
Production company Mubi has confirmed that The Substance will be getting a cinema release here in the UK, although further information is yet to be released.
Natalie Portman is addressing the unspoken rules that women face in society — and at one event in particular.
On Saturday, the Oscar winner talked about her new film May December during the Cannes Film Festival, noting that the movie’s theme of “performing femininity” was relevant to the French event itself.
“Performing femininity is … something I’m definitely very curious about,” she said at a press conference for the film. “The different ways that we as women are expected to behave — at this festival, even — compared to men. How we’re supposed to look, how we’re supposed to carry ourselves.”
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She added: “The expectations are different on you all the time, and it affects how you behave. Whether you’re buying into it or whether you’re rejecting it or whether you’re doing something in between, you’re definitely defined by the social strictures upon you.”
According to Portman, the “different roles we play in different environments” are of special interest to director Todd Haynes, whose film Carol similarly touched on that idea in 2015.
Natalie Portman said the theme of her new film was relevant to the Cannes Film Festival and its expectations for women.
“I think everyone should wear flats, to be honest,” actor Emily Blunt said in response to the news at the time, calling it “very disappointing”.
In the years following the Carol premiere, some festival attendees began to push back on event’s apparent expectations for women. Julia Roberts famously walked Cannes’ red carpet barefoot in 2016, while Kristen Stewart publicly ditched her Christian Louboutin heels in 2018.
Leave it to Julia Fox to turn France’s Cannes Film Festival into a veritable runway for her bold ― and unconventional ― sense of style.
Amid the annual event, the “Uncut Gems” actor attended a party Sunday night in a flowing white skirt with a billowing train. Her structured bodice was made of a glasslike material that was completely see-through.
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Fox completed the daring look with diamond jewelry from the brand Marli New York. (NSFW images below.)
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This isn’t the first time that Fox has rocked a sheer look. In March, she wore a black mesh dress while sitting front row at Courrèges’ fall-winter 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week.
And earlier this month, she was photographed in Los Angeles wearing a white miniskirt with a see-through tube top covered in condoms.
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Of course, Fox is one of many celebrities who have brought their fashion A-game to Cannes this year. Natalie Portman and Viola Davis were among those who also rocked some impressive looks at the film festival in southern France.
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Speaking to People last year, Fox said she was providing fans and media outlets “a visual service” with her outréensembles.
“Sometimes the paparazzi get me, and I look like [shit]. … If they’re gonna get me, I might as well make the best of it,” she explained, adding that the point is “not caring about whether society thinks it’s normal”.
“If I think it’s cool, then it’s cool,” she added.
Jennifer Lawrence knows how to command Cannes ― in flip-flops, no less.
The actor appeared at the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Anatomy of a Fall on Sunday, dressed in a red, crepe silk gown by Dior Haute Couture, paired with an Archi Dior necklace made of white gold and diamonds.
Lawrence, who was dressed by stylist Jamie Mizrahi, didn’t walk the official red carpet in sandals.
But, as seen in photos of the event, the actor did wear black flip-flops by The Row at one point on the carpet, Mizrahi confirmed to HuffPost through her agent on Monday.
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Actor Jennifer Lawrence attends the “Anatomie D’une Chute (Anatomy Of A Fall)” red carpet during the 76th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 21.
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Who could blame Lawrence for wearing sandals on these steep-looking steps?
Stephane Cardinale – Corbis via Getty Images
It was a bold choice, since Cannes famously, and contentiously, encourages women to wear heels on its red carpet. In 2015, a number of women were reportedly turned away from attending a premiere of Carol because they were wearing flats.
HuffPost reached out to the Cannes Film Festival to clarify its current dress code policy.
Lawrence’s decision to wear sandals brings to mind Kristen Stewart’s 2018 appearance at the festival. The Spencer star posed for photographers on the red carpet in Christian Louboutin stilettos, which she then removed to walk the rest of the carpet barefoot.
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Two years earlier, Stewart had spoken out about the festival’s implied expectation that women wear heels.
Kristen Stewart removes her shoes on the Cannes red carpet as she arrives on May 14, 2018, for the screening of the film “BlacKkKlansman.”
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“If [a man and I] were walking the red carpet together and someone stopped me and said, ‘Excuse me, young lady, you’re not wearing heels. You cannot come in,’ then [I’m going to say], ‘Neither is my friend. Does he have to wear heels?’” Stewart said in 2016, according to Vanity Fair.
“It can work both ways,” she added. “It’s just like you simply cannot ask me to do something that you are not asking him. I get the black-tie thing but you should be able to do either version — flats or heels.”
Helen Mirren was the coolest thing on the red carpet on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival in France.
On Tuesday, the star of 2006′s The Queen turned heads with a striking hair transformation, arriving at the event with a wispy, ocean blue coif that perfectly matched her Del Core dress.
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Mirren’s gown fell off her shoulders into a deep V with long sleeves, a corseted bodice and long train. Diamonds, soft makeup and a pale blue manicure tied the look together.
As cameras flashed, she showed off one last accessory: a handheld fan with the text #WorthIt, a reference to her partnership with L’Oréal Paris. Altogether, the ensemble created an edgy yet elegant look that was perfect for the film festival.
Helen Mirren attends the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, May 16, in France.
Marc Piasecki via Getty Images
Mirren hasn’t shied away from showing off her tresses in the past. In March, she wore her long gray locks down at the Los Angeles premiere of Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
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Days before the California event, the 77-year-old star dismissed an all-too-common notion in society — that “you’re not supposed to have longer hair after a certain age”.
“During Covid, I started growing my hair, and I hadn’t actually had long hair since I was in my 20s,” she said during an appearance on the British morning show Lorraine.
“It grew and grew and grew, and I couldn’t be bothered to cut it, basically. And then I thought: You know what? It’s pretty cool. I think I’ll stick with it for a little while,” Mirren added. “It will come off eventually, but I’m kind of enjoying it. It’s quite radical.”
