Les îles

"Islands" was the short, (23 minutes), that Yann Gonzalez made before "Knife+Heart" and is in many ways its perfect companion piece, (it could have been of one the film's 'Knife+Heart's' Anne might have produced and there are moments here that you feel Gonzalez incorporated into the later film). Fairly explicit sex and horror are again the order of the day but this is no ordinary porn movie. It's highly erotic but also hugely stylish and really rather disturbing. For Gonzalez, sex is always equated with death and violent death at that; the phallus is always a knife and sperm and blood are much the same. Had I seen this before "Knife+Heart" I would have known Gonzalez had a masterpiece waiting in the wings. Seeing it now I can safely say that both the cinema of eroticism and the cinema of horror have found a new master.

Without context and knowing nothing of the makers' intentions, this film is an exploration of (passionate) sex, accepting the bizarre, and finding one's satisfaction. Some weird **** happens, yes, but it gets interesting from there. Just let the four song soundtrack take you in for a sensual ride.

Side Note: I really enjoyed seeing three actors (Simon Thiébaut, Thomas Ducasse, and Félix Maritaud) from Knife + Heart (2018) and am going to assume that they're either part of a guild/union or primarily do independent films.

Similar: In the Valley Below's The Pink Chateau (2019), which you should see live in theatres if they're ever near you. It's far less weird than this and arguably more sexual.

Arthouse horror is difficult to do, in general. Yann Gonzalez nails it with "Les îles" by adding layers of desire and life and death. There doesn't seem to be much going on here on the surface, but, there is much going on beneath each layer.

The intended audience is not your casual horror fanatic or your most sophisticated film critic; it is a beautiful piece that will have you thinking about yourself and wanting more.