Antichrist (stylized as ANTICHRIS♀) is a 2009 horror art film[7] written and directed by Lars von Trier and starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It tells the story of a couple who, after the accidental death of their son, retreat to a cabin in the woods 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 had been hospitalized due to a significant depressive episode, the film was largely influenced by his own struggles with depression and anxiety. Filming began in the late summer of 2008, primarily in Germany, and was a Danish production co-produced by several other film production companies from six different European countries.
After its premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where von Trier won the Silver Lion and Gainsbourg won the festival’s award for Best Actress, the film immediately received polarizing feedback, with critics generally praising its artistic execution but remaining strongly divided regarding its substantive merit, while others the use of graphic sexual and violent content drew controversies. Other awards won by the film include the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film, the Robert Award for Best Danish Film, The Nordic Council Film Prize for best Nordic film and the European Film Award for best cinematography. The film is dedicated to the Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky (1932–86).
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 2013.[8]
