Cannes 2017: Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ Polarizes on First Impression

Director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) – along with all-star duo Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman – are premiering the new mystery The Killing of Sacred Deer (a competition entry) to the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. And the first impression is…well, maybe not so great. While reviews for the film have yet to be published, a slew of festival-goers offered first takes of following the film’s premiere at critics on Croisette.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer – which also stars Raffey Cassidy (Tomorrowland) and Alicia Silverstone (King Cobra) – centers on “Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behaviour of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.” Here’s some early takes on the film (hint: they’re all over the map).


It’s notable that Lanthimos last premiered his strange-dystopian romance The Lobster to an admiring Cannes audience two years ago. That film – which also starred Farrell – earned glowing reviews, picked up  the Jury Prize from the Cannes jury that year and went to become a notable arthouse success when released in the states last summer. Lanthimos and writing partner Efthymis Filippou also earned an Oscar nomination for their offbeat original screenplay. Check out the first clip of the film below.

A24 Films is expected to release The Killing of a Sacred Deer sometime later this year. Farrell and Kidman will both stick around at the Cannes Film Festival as both also star in the competition entry The Beguiled, the latest film from Sophia Coppola.

James Tisch: Managing Editor, mxdwn Movies || Writer. Procrastinator. Film Lover. Sparked by the power of the movies (the films of Alfred Hitchcock served as a pivotal gateway drug during childhood), James began ruminating and essaying the cinema at a young age and forged forward as a young blogger, contributor and eventual editor for mxdwn Movies. Outside of mxdwn, James served as a film programmer for one of the busiest theaters in the greater Los Angeles area and frequently works on the local film festival circuit. He resides in Los Angeles. james@mxdwn.com
Related Post
Leave a Comment