Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Director, writer, producer, and co-editor Coralie Fargeat approaches the all too familiar question with an out-of-the-box answer. Her spine-tingling sophomore feature “The Substance” cuts skin deep in its uncompromising journey of a woman’s self-worth. The film is a significant conversation starter, with theater audiences buzzing to one another as the credits roll, eager to discuss what they have just witnessed. “The Substance” is emerging as an underdog awards contender on the cusp of capturing the zeitgeist. It feels too good to be true, yet still in the realm of possibility where passionate critics can support Fargeat’s bold vision. Plus, early Oscar buzz is forming for Demi Moore (in a role that will resonate within the industry) and for the extraordinary makeup on display. “The Substance” has quite a few features for an awards campaign on which to concentrate.
When “The Substance” won Best Screenplay at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, MUBI was ahead of the blood-splattering curve. The global distributor, streaming platform, and production company acquired the mysterious title before the competition began. Audience reactions out of festival screenings quickly cemented the body horror fable as a bold experience not to be missed. Five months later, as “The Substance” enters its fourth week in theaters, MUBI has not missed their opportunity to put the pedal to the metal. Through a laser-focused push on word of mouth, experiential marketing, and a wide-release strategy, “The Substance” is shaping into an arthouse success story. And it all began with Fargeat.
Before the #MeToo movement reemerged across the entertainment industry in 2017, Fargeat’s first feature, “Revenge,” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In this visceral thriller, Fargeat empowers her protagonist towards a bloody path of cathartic revenge against sexual assaulters. Subverting expectations, disrupting the entitled male gaze, and using eye-catching metaphors, the filmmaker explores her subjects vividly without exploiting them. She carries this sensibility into her gloriously extreme sophomore feature, “The Substance.” The story of award-winning actress turned television fitness instructor Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) strikes a chord not only for its unsubtle presentation but also for the raw emotions that live underneath.
More often than not, vital messages need blunt direction to reach people. Given the perpetually severe impact of unrealistic beauty standards today, this subject calls for an in-your-face approach. One injection at a time, Fargeat’s sparkling vision takes “The Substance” to where it needs to be: a place of unapologetic transparency, where the messages are clear-cut and the rage is unmistakable. She visualizes female rage in a way that holds a mirror to some of our deepest, darkest, and unspoken fears. This bold style of filmmaking is making waves, and Fargeat’s story at the core entices you to catch the ride.
When Elisabeth turns 50, her slimy boss, Harvey (Dennis Quaid), pushes her out of the way for a younger, hotter replacement. Her self-worth tethered to appeasing societal expectations, Elisabeth fumes with disappointment until she comes across a mysterious black-market drug. “The Substance” promises a better version of yourself — younger, more beautiful, more perfect. When Elisabeth injects herself with the drug and releases her younger version, Sue (Margaret Qualley), the film morphs into a body horror spectacular about the violence women inflict upon themselves to feel beautiful. Elisabeth’s anger towards herself spills onto the screen, guts and all, as she fights tooth and nail to preserve herself. In a blend of Hollywood satire and visceral body horror, Fargeat turns the beauty industry inside out.
The film’s stylized direction drives home the idea that we ought to be gentler with ourselves at all ages. It’s a message that can resonate well, especially amongst women in the entertainment industry. Elisabeth mirrors a sad trajectory imposed on many actresses: once they reach a certain age in Hollywood, their desirability is devalued and rejected. Elisabeth’s understandable frustration and bitterness feed a cycle of self-loathing, which Fargeat visualizes using brilliant hyper-imaginative body horror. Not feeling wanted takes a physical toll, which is the bigger picture with which Fargeat engages.
“The Substance” is more than its practical effects. The film slides into multiple genres, which could give it the edge to overcome how often the Academy overlooks horror and horror-adjacent stories. Typically, the horror films that receive Oscar recognition — 1973’s “The Exorcist,” 1986’s “The Fly,” 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs,“ and 2017’s “Get Out,“to name a few — work as trailblazing blueprints of relevant societal themes. “The Substance“ roots its body horror in the real world, where women’s bodies go through several uncontrollable changes. On top of this, we face the overwhelming repetition of beauty standards, ingraining the notion that our current self is never good enough. We must always obtain a better version, which haunts Elisabeth to the point where she becomes unrecognizable to herself. Fargeat captures the frustration with a fully realized vision deserving of a prime focus during awards season.
A potential nomination for Fargeat has the added layer of standing out in a male-dominated field of contenders. Given the current state of the Best Director race, with top contenders such as Sean Baker’s “Anora“ and Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” “The Substance“ looks more and more like the best chance of recognizing a woman in this category. Fargeat would be only the sixth woman in the last 13 years to be nominated for Best Director, joining the likes of winners Chloé Zhao (for 2020’s “Nomadland“) and Jane Campion (for 2021’s “The Power of the Dog“). Fargeat’s presence in the awards conversation has a narrative boosted by her undeniably in-your-face direction. The film pulsates with unique camera angles, sensory close-ups, and ominous faraway shots that build tension. Fargeat crafts an immersive extravaganza of distorted perspectives. Her on-the-nose approach leaves us no choice but to confront what we see, and that undeniable factor could attract enough passionate votes.
While “The Substance“ could simply go the route of David Cronenberg’s “The Fly,“ which received a sole nomination/win for Best Makeup, the film deserves Academy recognition for the singular vision that brought everything to fruition. Fargeat’s direction is at the forefront of why the film is such a sensory experience, why the practical effects carry so much emotional weight behind them, and why the performances go as far as they do to make the material pop. Audiences are clearly responding, as the film continuously builds on word of mouth. Given how strongly MUBI has been pushing the film’s theatrical release, one can expect (and hope for) another injection for awards season. With several contenders still taking shape, it helps that Fargeat has a major conversation starter on her hands, one that gives meaning to the notion of film as a director’s medium.
So what do you think? Have you seen “The Substance“ yet? Do you think Coralie Fargeat will earn a Best Director nomination? Are there any other categories where the film could get awards love? Please let us know in the comments below or on Next Best Picture’s X account, and be sure to check out Next Best Picture’s latest Oscar predictions here.
You can follow Nadia and hear more of his thoughts on the Oscars & Film on X @nadreviews
