Quentin Dupieux unveils the astonishing trailer for Vertigo, a UFO in the cinematic landscape

Quentin Dupieux doubles the stakes in Cannes. In addition to his comedy Full Phil presented on the 16th on the Croisette without convincing, the French filmmaker is preparing to present Vertigothe first animated film of his career. A first trailer has just been revealed just two days before its screening in Cannes, on May 21, to close the Filmmakers’ Fortnight.

The extract immediately immerses the viewer in the director’s characteristic absurdity. Jacques (Alain Chabat) tries to convince his friend Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) that all of humanity lives in a simulation. “He is a true author, who knows how to write ultra-precise scenarios with tasty dialogues which seem to be like in life but which in fact are not at all”, observes for AFP the actress Anaïs Demoustier, starring in the film, after having already appeared in several of her films. Visually, the film takes the opposite view of contemporary productions: modeled in 3D using the free Blender software, it adopts a minimalist and raw aesthetic reminiscent of video games from the PlayStation 1 era.

Skip the ad

The spicy lines and absurd gags hit the mark, like an express birth scene suffered by Anaïs Demoustier’s character or the baby’s bath sequence.

However, this trailer raises a question: if the concept and visual minimalism immediately make you smile in a short format, does this production not risk tiring over the duration of a feature film?

Closing film of the Filmmakers’ Fortnight

The verdict will be announced at the close of the Filmmakers’ Fortnight. Created in the wake of May 68 by the Society of Film Directors to highlight unique voices, this parallel section remains a bastion of avant-garde cinema. Being entrusted with closing the Fortnight is a major recognition. For Quentin Dupieux, accustomed to dividing as well as seducing, this is the assurance of the status of an essential author. After this Cannes baptism of fire, the public will only have a short time to wait. The theatrical release of Vertigo is set for June 10.