Vinyan is a 2008 drama film with horror themes directed and co-written by Fabrice du Welz. The movie stars Emmanuelle Béart, Rufus Sewell, Petch Osathanugrah and Julie Dreyfus.
Plot:
Jeanne and Paul are a wealthy couple who were in Thailand helping to establish an orphanage when the 2004 tsunami levelled the island. Jeanne and Paul had a young son who disappeared in the storm, and since his body has never been found,
Jeanne holds out hope that he might still be alive, a hope that becomes a desperate concern when she sees a video of children being held by kidnappers in Burma which shows a child who looks like her boy.
Eager to find out the truth, Paul pays a hefty fee to local outlaw Mr. Gao to escort him and Jeanne into a forbidden zone known only to Thailand’s criminal underclass near the Burmese border. Jeanne and Paul soon find themselves out of their depth in a strange land they do not understand where dangerous men commune with the spirits of the dead…
Reviews:
“If you’re one of the very rare people who loves both gruesome horror and arthouse fare, you could do worse than Vinyan in either genre. At its core is a fascinating study of grief, though its approach to the topic is more than misguided. It’s always interesting to look at, even at its most boring and pretentious. I’m not going to recommend it warmly to anyone, though I suspect this is a film that will develop a strong cult following.” DVD Verdict
“A sense of dread weighs heavy throughout, reinforced by a score so intense that at times it verges on abusive. Yet this is also one of the most gorgeous-looking films in recent memory, with brave, unabashed performances. Think Antichrist, but without the genital mutilation. 4 Stars.” Total Film
Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk
Cast and characters:
Emmanuelle Béart as Jeanne Bellmer
Rufus Sewell as “Paul Bellmer”
Petch Osathanugrah as Thaksin Gao
Julie Dreyfus as “Kim”
Release:
Vinyan premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 30 August 2008.
