The Cinematic Salvation Complex Nicolas Winding Refn's "Her Private Hell" premiered at Cannes to a rapturous reception, complete with a 7 minute ovation and the director's impassioned plea for cinema as a unifying force.
On its face, this is just another instance of a filmmaker waxing poetic about their craft, but scratch beneath the surface and you'll find a complex interplay between artistry, ego, and existential crisis.
Refn's personal revelation that he died for 25 minutes several years ago has had a profound impact on his filmmaking philosophy. He now believes he only has 25 years left to live – and plans to make "damn use" of it.