“I really wanted the film to be realistic in terms of transformations”: Thomas Cailley on The Animal Kingdom at London Film Festival 2023

The second feature from Thomas Cailley, The Animal Kingdom is based on a screenplay written with Pauline Munier that follows a genre blend of horror, drama and sci-fi set against a beautiful background of the natural world.

When a chef called François (Romain Duris) and his son Emile (Paul Kircher) move to the south of France to be near his mother Lara, and soon settle into their respective paths as a teenager navigating high school and a new job as a chef, their world is shaken by revelations that there is a spate of human to animal mutations that have taken over Lara and landed her in a holding facility with other “hybrids”. After a few escape the facility, the father and son comb the forest floor to find Lara. But then things start to change for them too, forcing them to face an incomprehensible crisis.

The bold feature combines the talent of the actors and beautiful cinematography to draw viewers into a beautiful setting. The visuals and prosthetic work also give a rich tapestry to this story and bring a sense of thought-provoking ideas into the sci-fi genre.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to Cailley about this story, the way in which these human transitions evolve, the relationship between the father and son and how it helps them evolve as they move forward in their lives.

Ezelle Alblas

The Animal Kingdom does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews and interviews from our London Film Festival 2023 coverage here.

For further information about the festival visit the official BFI website here.

Watch the trailer for The Animal Kingdom here: