Black Flies, directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and starring Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn, is a bleak and depressing film about two EMTs making their way through a gauntlet of violence, cruelty, and blood. Based on a 2008 novel by Shannon Burke, the film is purposefully stylized and often ridiculous, with nods to Terrence Malick throughout. While there is style and skill to spare, the movie also feels like a victim of the very numbness and emotional emptiness it seeks to expose.
Sean Penn has expressed his support for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, stating that the industry has been upending writers, actors, and directors for a long time. He also criticized the use of AI in screenwriting, calling it a "human obscenity." Penn blames producers for the ongoing battle between creatives and studios and suggests changing the Producers Guild's title to the "bankers guild." He was in Cannes promoting his new film, Black Flies, about a young paramedic struggling with an intense workload in Brooklyn.
Sean Penn expressed his support for the Writers Guild of America during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. He also criticized Hollywood producers for their use of AI and called for the producers guild to be renamed "the bankers guild." Penn's new film, Black Flies, addresses the current state of the US healthcare system and follows the experiences of paramedics in Brooklyn. Michael Pitt, who stars in the film, shared his daunting experience of going on a call with city paramedics.
"Black Flies," a film about emergency medical first responders starring Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival with gruesome scenes of violence and chaos. The film received a five-minute standing ovation and is up for the Palme d'Or. The two actors researched the real world of New York City paramedics together to prepare for their roles. The film is seeking U.S. distribution out of Cannes.
