Antichrist (2009)

Antichrist (stylized as ANTICHRIS♀) is a 2009 art horror film written and directed by Lars von Trier. It stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a married couple who experience the accidental death of their infant son, after which they retreat to a cabin in the woods to grieve, where the man experiences strange visions and the woman manifests increasingly violent sexual behavior and sadomasochism. The narrative is divided into a prologue, four chapters, and an epilogue.

Written in 2006 while von Trier was hospitalized due to a significant episode of clinical depression, the film was largely influenced by his own struggles with depression and anxiety. Filming took place primarily in Germany during the late summer of 2008, and was a Danish production co-produced by companies from France, Germany, Poland, and Sweden.

After its premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where Gainsbourg won Best Actress, Antichrist immediately received polarizing feedback; critics generally praised its artistic execution, but remained strongly divided regarding its substantive merit. Other awards won by the film include the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film, Robert Award for Best Danish Film, Nordic Council Film Prize for Best Nordic Film, and the European Film Award for Best Cinematography. The film is dedicated to Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky.

Antichrist is the first film in von Trier's unofficially titled Depression Trilogy. It was followed in 2011 by Melancholia and then by Nymphomaniac in 2014.