The Substance

Following the waves caused by her first feature Revenge, Coralie Fargeat’s sensational body-horror satire of beauty standards indicates that the uncompromising director was just getting started. Television star Elisabeth Sparkle was once a worshipped pin-up, with her gorgeous looks and enviable figure. However, she starts to feel the reality of ageing in her business when a network executive attempts to push her out of her show for a younger model. She is approached by a mysterious company which offers her a unique procedure. Fargeat’s controversial Cannes prize-winner raises many painful truths about ageism, misogyny and body-objectification, and is not afraid to situate its audience in uncomfortable and complicit perspectives. Demi Moore delivers what she has described as the best performance of her career. Its dark humour and perceptive critique of societal norms notwithstanding, this is absolutely riotous, squelchy viewing, and perhaps only for the brave-hearted.

Please be aware this one off special will be on the largest screen in the UK and definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Contains scenes of self-harm, mutilation and strong gore and contains flickering or flashing lights that may affect those with photosensitive epilepsy.