The Substance

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Movie Details

Country France, United Kingdom, United States
Language English
GenresDrama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Release dateMay 19, 2024 (Cannes)
September 20, 2024 (United Kingdom and United States)
November 6, 2024 (France)
Running time2hr 21min
Age ratingR
StarringDemi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Written byCoralie Fargeat
Produced byCoralie Fargeat, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Cinematography by Benjamin Kračun
Edited by Coralie Fargeat, Jérôme Eltabet, Valentin Feron
Music byRaffertie
Casting byLaure Cochener, Léa Moszkowicz
Production Design byStanislas Reydellet
Art Direction byStéphane Becimol, Arnaud Denis, Gladys Garot, Helena Kacic, Amélie Meseguer, Julie Plumelle, Nathalie Vaïsse
Set Decoration byCécilia Blom, Marion De Villechabrolle, Jacques Oursin
Costume Design byEmmanuelle Youchnovski
Production CompanyWorking Title Films
Blacksmith
Distributor Mubi (United Kingdom and United States)
Metropolitan Filmexport (France)

Cast & Characters

  • Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle
  • Margaret Qualley as Sue
  • Dennis Quaid as Harvey
  • Edward Hamilton-Clark as Fred (as Edward Hamilton Clark)
  • Gore Abrams as Oliver
  • Oscar Lesage as Troy
  • Christian Erickson as Man at Diner
  • Robin Greer as Male Nurse
  • Tom Morton as Doctor
  • Hugo Diego Garcia as Diego – Boyfriend
  • Daniel Knight as Casting Director
  • Jonathon Carley as Assistant Casting Director
  • Jiselle Henderkott as Girl Auditioning / Dancer – New Year’s Eve Show
  • Akil Wingate as TV Host
  • Billy Bentley as Man in Suit #1 – Harvey’s Office
  • Vincent Colombe as Man in Suit #2
  • Lennard Ridsdale as Man in Suit #3
  • Jordan Ford Silver as Assistant Director – Pump It Up Show
  • Oscar Salem as 2nd Assistant Director – Pump It Up Show
  • Viviane Bossina as Sue’s Assistant
  • Matthew Luret as Floor Runner
  • Jana Bittnerová as Maria (as Jana Bittnerova)
  • Olivier Raynal as Alan – 2nd Agent
  • Tiffany Hofstetter as Stylist
  • Nicolas Royer as Guy in the Elevator
  • Nathan Rippy as Assistant Director – New Year’s Eve Show

Storyline

Have you ever dreamed of a better version of yourself? You. Only better in every way. Seriously. You’ve got to try this new product. It’s called the Substance. It changed my life. It generates another you. A new, younger, more beautiful, more perfect you. And there’s only one rule: you share time. One week for you. One week for the new you. Seven days each. A perfect balance. Easy, right? If you respect the balance…what could possibly go wrong?

About The Substance Movie

The Substance is a body horror film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. It stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid in the lead roles.

An international co-production between France, the United Kingdom, and the United States,[5] the film followed the critical success of Fargeat’s first feature film, Revenge. Motivated by societal pressures on women’s bodies and aging, she wrote the screenplay in two years with detailed descriptions and minimal dialogue.

Principal photography took place entirely in France, with an all-French film crew except for cinematographer Benjamin Kračun and composer Raffertie (both from the United Kingdom).

The Substance began filming on May 9, 2022, and wrapped in October 2022, spanning 108 shooting days. The film made extensive use of prosthetic makeup designed by Pierre-Olivier Persin, insert shots, a variety of sets, and approximately 21,000 liters of fake blood.

The film score was written by Raffertie and also features “Pump It Up!” covered by DJ Endor. The prosthetic design included a series of grotesque and hyperrealistic suits, puppets, and dummies for Elisabeth’s drug-induced transformation.

Fargeat used extensive practical effects, prosthetics and makeup, accounting for 70–80% of the final film, resisting the push toward cheaper digital effects. She felt that the use of practical effects was crucial to convey the themes of violence. The effects were created by Pierre-Olivier Persin and his company, Pop FX, based in Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis.

The Substance Release Date

The Substance had its world premiere on May 19, 2024, at the 77th Cannes Film Festival main competition, where Fargeat won Best Screenplay. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and the United States by Mubi on September 20, 2024, and in France by Metropolitan Filmexport on November 6, 2024.

Budget & Box Office Collection

Budget$17.5 million
Domestic Opening $3,205,212
Domestic Collection$16,873,967
International Collection$59,732,017
Worldwide Collection$76,605,984

Soundtracks

No.TitleLength
1Elizabeth Sparkle1:59
2The Substance2:30
3Change of HeartI’d Like To
4OnlyByron
5Activation4:10
6You Stabilise Everyday1:26
7Apartment0:41
8Home Improvement0:28
9Nose Bleed1:37
10Zip0:21
11Alteration1:21
12Followed0:19
13Red Dress1:00
14Make Up1:03
15French Cuisine4:13
16Control Yourself1:20
17Golem0:45
18Your Final Kit1:38
19They Are Going to Love You0:30
20I Hate Myself3:43
21Single Use1:41
22Everything in the Right Place1:03
23Monstro0:13
24On Air0:41
25Shoot the Monster1:37
26Blood1:11
27More Blood0:22
28Pirouette1:53

Where to Watch The Substance Movie Online?

Awards & Nominations

The Substance has garnered multiple accolades. At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Fargeat won Best Screenplay and the film competed for the Palme d’Or, though it lost to Anora. At the 32nd International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Benjamin Kračun was nominated for cinematography in the Director’s Debuts Competition, but Fargeat withdrew the film due to festival director Marek Zydowicz’s controversial remarks about women in film.

At the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, the film earned five nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Director for Fargeat, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Moore, Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Qualley, and Best Screenplay for Fargeat. Moore won in her category. She also received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards.

At the 97th Academy Awards, The Substance received five nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Fargeat, and Best Actress for Moore. Fargeat also became the ninth woman ever nominated for Best Director.

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