Business Finance Media Technology Policy Wealth Insights Interviews

Art Art Fairs Art Market Art Reviews Auctions Galleries Museums Interviews

Lifestyle Nightlife & Dining Style Travel Interviews

Power Lists Nightlife & Dining Art A.I. PR

About About Observer Advertise With Us Reprints

Nicolas Winding Refn On the Genesis of ‘Her Private Hell’

"I started my career trying to capture authenticity. And I realized after three movies that I would never be able to do that, because it doesn't work. It doesn't exist in the same way. So I became interested in unreality."

It’s not often in Cannes that a filmmaker talks about his own resurrection—literally. “Three years ago, I died,” Nicolas Winding Refn told a black-tie audience after they cheered at the premiere of his latest film, Her Private Hell. “I was dead for 25 minutes. And that changes you.” The Danish director, who nabbed Cannes’ Best Director Prize in 2011 for his electrifying Ryan Gosling thriller Drive, was back at the festival for the first time since his 2016 fashion horror fantasy The Neon Demon. Just like his last movie, Her Private Hell (which opens July 24 in the U.S.) is stacked with sumptuous visions of gorgeous young people in peril—this time featuring heartthrobs like Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Havana Rose Liu, Kristine Froseth and Diego Calva.

Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter

Thank you for signing up!

By clicking submit, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime.

“You look great, Charles,” Refn cooed at Melton during the premiere. “You have a sexy body. I wish I had your body. Diego has a good body,” he continued. “Everyone has great bodies. The chicks have great bodies. Everyone is so beautiful.”

When he wasn’t ogling his cast, Refn was putting up his fists on the red carpet and inspiring his actors to join him in the........

© Observer