Der Film

Montmarte, 1930s. Paula Maxa is the star of the Grand Guignol, a theatre that showcases horror plays inspired by macabre stories, where people are cut apart, tortured, and bled to death. As Paula is successively quartered, poisoned, or hung, the fascist leagues emerge in the streets of Paris, where a killer spreads terror. Franck Ribière’s directorial debut is a fascinating look at a transitioning period of history, which sheds new light on the origins of gore.