Stellan Skarsgård
Nymphomaniac Volume 2 (Long Version) Director’s Cut
Directed by Lars von Trier
Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf, Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell and Willem Dafoe
by Joanna Orland
You may wonder why Lars von Trier’s two-part film exploration of female sexuality is playing at the 2014 Venice Film Festival as it was already in cinemas in February of this year. Well, Lars has brought back his Nymphomaniac film adding hours to the anthology which now includes even more mature subject matter. The director’s cut of Volume 1 had its premiere in Berlin, while the longer version of Volume 2 graces us with its presence at Venice Film Festival.
You can read our original Nymphomaniac Volumes 1 & 2 film review here.
As with any good Lars von Trier press conference, the Venice one did not happen without its share of showmanship. Actor Stellan Skarsgård represented the film’s cast and also acted as the main link to director Lars who joined the rest of his panel via Skype. Charlotte Gainsbourg, in Venice for the film’s premiere and her other film 3 Couers, did not attend the press conference as “she feels that her performance speaks for itself”.
The audience of press were allowed 3 lifelines to Lars, with Skarsgård in control of reaching out by phone to the elusive director, creating hype and a stir where none actually exists. Think of him what you will, but Lars von Trier never shies away from trying to do the unexpected and different.
In addition to rehashing their filmic intentions with Nymphomaniac, Lars’ producer also used the Venice press conference as an opportunity to announce von Trier’s next project which will be an English-speaking television series featuring an epic cast. She promised it will be like nothing we’ve seen before and like nothing we will see again. From my brief enounter with the world of Lars von Trier, I can’t help but believe this could possibly be true.
