Responding to the incident in a new interview, the Danish director insists the reaction made him feel 'very relaxed.'
- May 19, 2018
AceShowbiz - Lars Von Trier is laughing off a mass walk-out at the screening of his Cannes Film Festival comeback, insisting it's important to upset some film-goers.
The controversial Danish director's return to the festival was marred by controversy after a screening of his new movie The House That Jack Built, a bleak comic thriller starring Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman and Riley Keough, reportedly prompted a mass exit on Monday, May 14.
A reported 100 people exited the screening after taking exception to the film's graphic depiction of a serial killer's murders and mutilation of women and children.
One of those who walked out was entertainment reporter Roger Friedman, who described called the film "vile" and suggested it "should not have been made".
Responding to the walk-outs in an interview with website Cineuropa, von Trier insists the reaction made him feel "very relaxed".
"It's quite important not to be loved by everybody, because then you've failed," he told the movie website. "I'm not sure if they hated it enough, though. If it gets too popular, I’ll have a problem. But the reception seemed just about right, I think".
The walk-out came after audience members were warned the movie featured "sadistic violence and brutality" and Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Fremaux added The House That Jack Built was so controversial it would only screen outside competition.
The director was unfazed by the reaction, calling the film a pleasure to write, and he joked that if he was moved to follow in the footsteps of Dillon's psychopath character, he would target one particular group.
"I don't know too much about serial killers, but I do know a bit about psychopaths," he continued. "And I’ve never killed anyone myself… If I do, it will probably be a journalist".
The film marked von Trier's return to the French movie event, seven years after he was banned for comments he made about Nazism.
