The Shrouds (French: Les Linceuls) is a 2024 body horror drama written and directed by David Cronenberg.
Starring Diane Kruger, Vincent Cassel, Guy Pearce, and Sandrine Holt, the film explores grief, mortality, and the unsettling boundaries of technology.
It follows Karsh, a grieving businessman who creates GraveTech—a controversial technology allowing the living to monitor their deceased loved ones as they decompose. When graves, including his wife’s, are desecrated, Karsh sets out to find the culprits.
The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and is scheduled for a theatrical release in France on April 30, 2025, distributed by Pyramide Distribution.
The Shrouds Age Rating
The Shrouds is rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language, and some violent content. The “R” rating means viewers under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian. Below is a breakdown of the content parents should be aware of:
Sexual Content & Nudity
The film contains explicit sexual content and graphic nudity. Several scenes depict female breast nudity, fondling, and explicit sexual acts with thrusting, moaning, and sexual discourse. While there is no graphic genital nudity, female frontal nudity is shown during a masturbation scene.
In another scene, a man views several explicit photos of naked female bodies before engaging in sex. During the sex scene, there is full female buttocks nudity and partial male nudity, including his side buttocks. The film also contains sexualized violence, including a disturbing moment where a man’s thrusts during sex cause a woman’s hip bones to break.
Violence & Gore
The Shrouds features disturbing and graphic violence. A woman is shown with her left breast missing and her arm amputated, and she remains in this condition for an extended period. The visual presentation of her disfigurement is unsettling. There are also scenes involving desecrated graves, adding to the film’s morbid and eerie atmosphere.
Language
Moderate profanity is used throughout the film. While it is not constant, the language includes common expletives that contribute to the film’s mature tone.
Substance Use
There are mild depictions of alcohol and drug use, but they are not a central focus of the film.
Frightening & Intense Scenes
The film’s unsettling atmosphere, body horror, and disturbing imagery make it intense and potentially frightening for sensitive viewers. The combination of explicit nudity, sexual violence, and body horror creates a disturbing and unsettling tone.
Is The Shrouds Suitable for Teens?
Ages 13-15: Not recommended due to graphic sexual content, nudity, and disturbing body horror. The film’s mature themes and explicit scenes make it inappropriate for younger teens.
Ages 16-17: Only suitable for older, mature teens with parental discretion. Even for this age group, the graphic sexual content, body horror, and disturbing imagery may be unsettling. Parents should be aware of the film’s explicit nature before allowing older teens to watch.
Given its sexual content, graphic nudity, and disturbing body horror, The Shrouds is best suited for adult audiences.
What Parents Can Do
Watch the Trailer Below: Preview the film to assess its intense and mature themes before allowing older teens to watch.
Discuss Mature Themes: The film deals with grief, death, and controversial technology. Conversations about its heavy themes can provide important context.
Monitor Sensitivity Levels: Due to its graphic nudity, sexual violence, and body horror, this film may be disturbing for sensitive viewers.
Official Trailer
FAQs-
Q: What is the age rating for The Shrouds?
A: The film is rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language, and some violent content.
Q: How graphic is the sexual content in The Shrouds?
A: The film contains explicit sexual acts, including female breast nudity, sexual violence, and masturbation scenes with graphic nudity.
Q: Does The Shrouds have violent scenes?
A: Yes, it includes graphic body horror, such as amputations, missing body parts, and sexual violence.
Q: Is The Shrouds appropriate for teenagers?
A: No, it is best suited for adults due to its explicit sexual content, nudity, and disturbing body horror. Mature teens (16+) may watch with parental discretion.
Q: When will The Shrouds be released?
A: The film is set for theatrical release in France on April 30, 2025.