Program Note
Teenager Romain, who goes looking for a drug dealer to enjoy a party, picks up an injured woman on his way back. When he asks if he should take her to the hospital, she doesn't respond and continues to act strangely before committing suicide. Shocked, Romain arrives home with her body, and what was supposed to be an exciting night quickly spirals into a series of shocks and horrors. MadS is a hybrid genre film that throws a mix of Birdman or (2014) and The Evil Dead (1981) into the chaos of a zombie apocalypse. David Moreau, who rose as a key figure of the New French Extremity with Them (2006), follows the collapse of daily life under the threat of infection in a seamless one-take shot. The result is an immersive experience reminiscent of found footage, pulling the audience into the psychological panic of its characters. Laurie Pavy, playing Anaïs, delivers a striking and visceral performance, worthy of being called the next-generation scream queen. (CHO Jaewhee)