Quite a bit of controversy is coming out Cannes Film Festival regarding Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built. The notorious Danish director is known for his often violent and challenging films, including Dogville, Melancholia and Antichrist. The House That Jack Built is bringing familiar praise, but also outrage and disgust from some critics. The film is said to be a 12 year exploration of a Jack (Matt Dillon), a highly intelligent serial killer who considers each of his murders to be a work of art.

Trier’s films are visually stunning and at times lengthy but also thought-provoking. While he does tend to lean toward extremes, his films deal in themes that viewers can relate to on their most basic level. His most recent film The House That Jack Built, held a black-tie screening at Cannes, and many were not ready for what they were shown. There seems to be some mixed reactions but the majority of walk-outs seemed to find a strong moral quandary in dressing-up to sit through something that made their skin crawl. Pity.

Details are vague, but the synopsis states that The House That Jack Built is “The story follows Jack, a highly intelligent serial killer over the course of 12 years. It depicts the murders that truly develop him as one”. Matt Dillion stars in the title role as Jack and Uma Thurman, who appeared in Trier’s Nymphomaniac, also stars. The reactions mark a surprising return for the controversial filmmaker to Cannes. His appearance at this year’s festival ends a seven year ban after Trier made Hitler jokes during a 2011 press conference.

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