A heartbroken uni graduate travels to Paris and shacks up with a prostitute – as you do. Blackmail, betrayal and murder ensue – OK. But Antonio Campos‘ Simon Killer looks far from your average erotic thriller.

Brady Corbet (Melancholia, Martha Marcy May Marlene) plays Simon, the lovelorn young man with a dark secret – which isn’t really much of a secret given the name of the film. But what sends him over the edge will be the exciting part. Is it Mari Diop‘s hooker-with-a heart-of-gold? Is it the blackmail he gets involved in? We shall see… but for now, check out this enthralling trailer.

The build up of tension is brilliant – it’s a very well cut trailer. I know that doesn’t always translate into the final product, but I have a strong feeling it will this time.

The leads look great and there’s good chemistry. Corbet particularly impresses with his ability to convincingly switch between ‘young man lost’ and ‘menacing nut job”. Expect a powerhouse performance there.

I’ve seen enough to say “I’m in!”. Now, when’s it coming to New Zealand? The film opens in the US in April.

Are you ‘in’ too?

The follow-up to Antonio Campos’ critically acclaimed ‘Afterschool’, ‘Simon Killer’ is an erotic and and psychological portrait of Simon, a well-educated, handsome and seemingly sympathetic college graduate with just a hint of something off-putting enough to ignite a sense of concern. Recently heartbroken, Simon travels to Paris to clear his head. After several days of wandering aimlessly, Simon finds himself drawn into a sex parlor and has a sexual encounter with an exotic prostitute, Victoria. The chemistry builds between the two until they find themselves in a serious relationship, one that leads to blackmail, betrayal and the ultimate revelation of Simon’s true nature.

Directed by Antonio Campos, the film stars Brady Corbet, Mati Diop, Michael Abiteboul, and Constance Rousseau.

No New Zealand release date yet. But keep an eye out for this one.

Simon Killer Poster