Antiviral
Antiviral is a 2012 Canadian sci fi thriller/horror film directed by Brandon Cronenberg – it competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival.
In a world consumed by obsession with those in the public eye, celebrity
diseases are a highly sought after commodity. Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones) is
an employee at a clinic
that sells injections of live viruses harvested from sick celebrities to
obsessed fans. Biological communion – for a price. Syd also supplies illegal
samples of these viruses to piracy groups, smuggling them from the clinic in his
own body.
When he becomes infected with the disease that kills super sensation Hannah Geist (Sarah Gadon), Syd becomes a target for collectors and rabid fans. He must unravel the mystery surrounding her death before he suffers the same fate.
Awards:
- Cannes Film Festival 2012 – Nominated Un Certain Regard Award
- Chicago International Film Festival 2012 – Won Gold Hugo After Dark Competition
- Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival 2012 – Won Carnet Jove Jury Award, Won Citizen Kane Award for Best Directorial Revelation, Nominated for Best Film
- Genie Awards 2013 – Nominated Canadian Screen Award, Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design
- Toronto International Film Festival 2012 – Won Best Canadian First Feature Film
Critic Reviews:
- " Antiviral is a none-too-subtle comment on tabloid-generated fandom. But it's undeniably intriguing and loaded with Cronenbergian atmosphere. " – Anna Smith
- " The cinematic equivalent of a museum piece – amazing to look at and exquisitely polished. " – Paul Freitag-Fey
- " As a writer and director, Brandon utilises the familiar themes and aesthetics with ambition and assurance, making body horror his own grotesque but galvanising cinematic playground. " – Sarah Ward