Already looking to be one of the most polarizing films of the year, Blonde director Andrew Dominik has responded to the murmurs of troubles behind the scenes of the Ana de Armas-led film.
Blonde always looked set to be controversial, with a rare NC-17 rating being slapped onto the film before its release. Reviewers have almost universally praised de Armas’s performance, though, but several questions were raised over Dominik’s direction and vision for the film.
With a mixed response from audiences and critics, then, Dominik had a chance to have a say on the talk of issues behind the scenes on the film. Allegations had been made around the film being potentially exploitative as well as dehumanizing, claims which the New Zealander feels are are to do with cancel culture.
“We live in a world where you can’t work out what’s cancelled and what isn’t and what you’re allowed to say and not allowed to say and what’s exploitation and what isn’t. Ideas about that seem to change very quickly today and obviously if you’ve got a lot of money invested in something you want to err on the side of caution.”
Regarding its content, Dominik has been very defensive and has also spoken in the past of how directing a movie with a female lead is something completely new for him. Skeptics would be beginning to wonder if Dominik is intentionally stoking the fires with his comments, with him previously saying the film will “offend everyone”.
Blonde is nonetheless available to stream on Netflix from Sept. 28.