Sundance Interview: Daniel Grou, Director Of 7 Days
The annual success of theSawfilms has proven that there’s a huge market out there for torture-porn films, or films whose primary function is to allow viewers to revel in the physical destruction of the human body. But what would happen if you took a torture-porn film, made it using classical filmmaking techniques, populated it with talented actors, used a well-written script, and injected a healthy dose of moral ambiguity into it for good measure? You might get a movie likeDaniel Grou’s7 Days.
7 Days(originally “Les Sept Jours Du Talion”) tells the story of Bruno, a man whose daughter is raped and murdered. Torn apart by grief and burning with rage, Bruno seeks out his daughter’s killer, captures him, and proceeds to torture him over the course of a week, using increasingly brutal methods. The film is graphic and intense, using torture not only as an end in and of itself, but as a way to ask the audience whether or not torture/revenge can ever serve a productive or meaningful purpose. As Bruno’s punishment escalates, he begins to realize the implications of his actions.
I’d recommend7 Daysto anyone who likes movies that are challenging to watch and thought-provoking in nature. It’s a torture-porn film with a brain. Better yet,7 Daysis part of theSundance Selectsprogram, meaningyou can watch the movie on video-on-demand right now.I spoke with directorDaniel Grou(AKA Podz) about the process of making7 Daysand about the role of films featuring torture. Hit the jump for the interview.
First, though, here’s the trailer for7 Days:
Here’s my interview with Mr. Grou:
You candownload audio of this interview(right-click and “Save As”) or play it right now in your browser:
