Director: Pascal Laugier
2008 France
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The rare film with a reputation that speaks for itself, Martyrs is perhaps the defining film of the New French Extremity movement and director Pascal Laugier’s masterpiece. Horrifying and thought-provoking in equal measure, it is a deeply philosophical and challenging work of extreme cinema – and undoubtedly one of the finest horror films produced in the twenty-first century.
In 1971, a young Lucie Jurin (Jessie Pham) manages to escape from a slaughterhouse in which she has been subjected to unspeakable torture. Placed in an orphanage, she forms a strong bond with Anna (Erika Scott), who tries to help her to recover from her trauma. Fifteen years later and now in adulthood, Lucie (Mylène Jampanoï) breaks into the isolated home of the Belford family, believing that they were involved in the horrific abuse she suffered in childhood. When she receives a call from Lucie, Anna rushes to her aid – but soon comes to regret ever having set foot in the Belfond house, where she will experience things beyond human comprehension.
Featuring heartbreaking performances by its two female leads and truly shocking imagery that lingers long in the mind courtesy of special effects designer Benoît Lestang, Martyrs has risen above debates surrounding “torture porn” to emerge as one of the truly great works of extreme cinema. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the film on 4K UHD accompanied by a wealth of new and archival extras.
