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By Charlotte Pavard, published on 15.05.202

FURIOSA : UNE SAGA MAD MAX
The fifth instalment in George Miller‘s post-apocalyptic Mad Max series. With Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the Australian filmmaker continues his cult saga, this time shining the spotlight on the character of Furiosa. Actress Anna Taylor-John takes on the title role, delving into the heart of the fiery warrior, portraying her in her youth. Chris Hemsworth plays Dr. Dementus, a name that speaks volumes, in a villainous role that takes him in a very different direction from his iconic Marvel character, Thor.

Out of Competition in 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road caused quite the stir. And for good reason. At a press conference, its director, Australian filmmaker George Miller, explained how he used no less than 3,500 hand-drawn storyboards instead of a script, like a graphic novel on a whole new scale. Far from the low-budget yet high-impact Mad Max of 1979, the fourth instalment of the saga made the most of its $150 million budget with extensive special effects and real stunts, in the form of desert chase sequences filmed in Namibia. Here, the filmmaker touched on the key theme of his work: movement, revealing a fundamental humanity struggling amidst the chaos of the world. Like alter egos revealing their true nature as they interact, the character of Max, played by Tom Hardy, becomes slightly overshadowed by the exceptionally charismatic Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron.

And it’s the origin story of this same character, once wrenched from the Green Place, that the director now explores in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, presented Out of Competition. Where does Furiosa come from? What fuels her desire for vengeance? Actress Anna Taylor-John (The Queen’s Gambit, 2020, Dune: Part Two, 2024) takes the reins from Charlize Theron, while Chris Hemsworth, in the role of the formidable Dementus, takes on one of his biggest roles to date. Tom Burke, notable for his portrayal of Orson Welles in David Fincher’s Mank (2020) plays the role of Praetorian Jack.