Interview with Coralie Fargeat

"The Social Perception of Women is Full of Prejudices"

Coralie Fargeat is the filmmaker of the moment. The creator of one of the year’s biggest sensations, the provocative yet playful The Substance, Fargeat returns to the Festival after triumphing in 2017 with the striking Revenge, which won Best Director and the Citizen Kane Award for Best New Director. At the press conference before the highly anticipated screening of her new film at Sitges, which won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, the French filmmaker spoke about her numerous influences, her creative process, and the role Demi Moore played in the film’s development - by Andreu Marves

The Substance is a very different film from Revenge, both in scale and ambition.

Although the idea for The Substance emerged after Revenge, I had been reflecting on its themes for a long time. In fact, despite their differences, both films address how women are perceived: while in Revenge, the perceptions come from external sources—men—in The Substance, it’s a matter of self-image. After my debut, I asked myself what I wanted my next step to be, and I set a goal to create a world that felt unique and specific. It was ambitious, and I never would have achieved it if it weren’t for the learning experience that directing my first feature provided.

The film contains clear references to the cinema of Cronenberg, Lynch, and Kubrick. How have these great masters influenced you?

I grew up watching their films, and they became part of my life. Cinema was the only place where I felt comfortable as a teenager. Since then, the work of these directors has lived within me and shaped my identity. That said, for my own films, I’ve had to digest their influence and make it my own. What interests me most about filmmakers like them is how they use cinematic language to tell a story without relying on dialogue. They create audiovisual experiences, not unlike a psychedelic trip. That’s how I felt the first time I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey—I saw it late, in my twenties, and I was struck by how it conveys meaning without needing words. There is so much in cinema that cannot be explained, almost like the subconscious life of a film. It’s something that appeals to the viewer’s imagination, much like reading a book—where the words are the same for everyone, but each reader visualizes them differently.

How did Demi Moore become involved in the project?

While writing the script, I realized I needed an iconic actress who could symbolize what it means to be under constant public scrutiny. That’s something all women experience, but especially actresses—once the spotlight is turned off, they disappear. This made casting particularly difficult, as it meant confronting candidates with their worst professional fears. It was a risk because it was an innovative approach, and I had no way of knowing how it would turn out in the end. During my initial meetings with the production team, Demi Moore’s name came up; she fit perfectly with what I had envisioned, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up because I wasn’t sure she would be willing to take such a bold risk with her image. When she said she was interested, I was surprised.

What was the preparation process like with her?

We worked extensively on the role to ensure everything fit together well since it was a very specific character. Additionally, I have a very visual directing style, which means actors have to adapt to be in sync with the staging. I was also concerned about the prosthetic makeup and the nude scenes, as well as the scale of the production—it’s an independent film shot in France, with much smaller crews than Demi is probably used to. However, she responded by delivering an honest and extraordinary performance.

How was the filming process?

It was a real challenge. I wanted to maintain creative freedom while also working with a larger budget. Above all, I wanted to use American actors so the story could reach a larger, more universal scale in a way. I started writing the script on my own, without partners or anyone advising me. I wanted a final product that was uninhibited and that I was fully satisfied with. I also wanted to co-produce so that I could work in France with my own team and create a sort of creative bubble with like-minded people. Among other things, we had to structure the filming schedule around the prosthetic makeup application process, which can take a long time. There were so many factors to consider and so much flexibility required from us that the whole thing was practically an experiment.

The theme of motherhood is also quite evident. How does that connect to the central theme of the film?

The social perception of women is full of prejudices, many of which revolve around whether or not one is a mother. In this sense, it’s crucial because the film precisely deals with this societal imposition. The character of Sue (Qualley) is literally born from Elizabeth (Moore), who inevitably fears death. One way to escape that mortality is through reproduction—having children is one of the few ways we have to perpetuate our existence.

What is your experience with the Festival?

When I presented Revenge here, the audience reaction was incredible. Sitges has a very honest audience, which I really appreciate. So I have great memories of this festival. That’s why I love being back here with The Substance.

[interview extracted from the Festival Diary of October 6th and 7th, 2024]