The latest film from director Jane Schoenbrun, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, has arrived in Dutch cinemas, bringing a distinctly queer perspective to the classic slasher genre. The film, which won the prestigious Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival, stars Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) and Gillian Anderson (Sex Education).
Schoenbrun, whose previous work I Saw the TV Glow also explored themes of identity through the lens of media, directs this new film described as a "psychedelic slasher." The story follows Kris (Einbinder), a young director tasked with rebooting a tired horror franchise, Camp Miasma. Her research leads her to the original film's 'final girl', Billy Presley (Anderson), now living in seclusion at the very camp where the fictional massacre took place. As the two women connect, Kris begins a journey of discovering her own desires and identity.
A Cast with Queer Resonance
The casting of Einbinder and Anderson is notable for the LGBTQ+ community. Einbinder, who is bisexual, is well-known for her role as the struggling comedy writer Ava in the HBO series Hacks. She stars opposite Gillian Anderson, a long-standing queer icon whose roles in The X-Files and, more recently, as a sex therapist in Netflix's Sex Education have cemented her status. The dynamic between their two characters forms the emotional core of the film.
Subverting the Horror Genre
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is being called "a new kind of horror remake," blending the self-aware humour of Scream with the bloody thrills of Friday the 13th and the awkward sexual awakening of Sex Education. By focusing on themes of sexual desire, fear, and self-acceptance through a queer lens, the film challenges the traditionally heteronormative tropes of the slasher genre. Its win of the Queer Palm at Cannes, an award for films with LGBTQ+ relevance, underscores its significance in contemporary queer cinema.
The film was met with strong reviews at its festival premiere, with The Guardian awarding it five stars and Deadline calling it an "instant cult classic."
Film Details
- Director: Jane Schoenbrun
- Cast: Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Fix, Arthur Conti
- Duration: 106 minutes
- Language: English with Dutch subtitles
- Age Rating: 16+
