Shudder proudly unveils REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND (REFLET DANS UN DIAMANT MORT), the latest visually arresting creation from acclaimed filmmaking duo Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. Known for their bold, genre-bending works such as AMER and LET THE CORPSES TAN, the directors return with a stylish, hypnotic spy thriller that pushes their signature aesthetic into exhilarating new territory.
Led by Golden Globe-winning Italian actor Fabio Testi—celebrated for classics like THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY and THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS—the film also stars Yannick Renier, Koen De Bouw, Maria de Medeiros, Céline Camara, and introduces rising talent Thi Mai Nguyen. With its striking visuals, surreal tension, and pulsating energy, the film captivates from its opening frame to its final dazzling twist.
After premiering in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, Reflection in a Dead Diamond continued to impress on the festival circuit with screenings at Fantastic Fest, Sitges, BeyondFest, and the Tribeca Film Festival. The film has now made its exclusive streaming debut on Shudder as of Friday, December 5th—a must-see for fans of atmospheric thrillers and audacious filmmaking.
A Story Where Memory and Madness Collide
Set on the sun-soaked Côte d’Azur, the film follows a debonair 70-year-old ex-spy who has retreated to a luxury hotel to live out his days in quiet sophistication. His world is abruptly disrupted when the mysterious woman staying in the room next door vanishes without a trace. This disappearance forces him to confront a twisted past filled with secrets, seduction, and cinematic illusions.
As memories, dreams, and reality blur together, the ex-spy spirals into a labyrinth of lingering demons and unfinished stories. What unfolds is a bold fusion of spy thriller tropes, feverish giallo influences, and dazzling visual experimentation—an intoxicating blend that only Cattet and Forzani could deliver.
Critical Acclaim: A Masterclass in Style and Sensation
Critics have been universally enthralled by the film’s audacious style, kinetic visual language, and intoxicating atmosphere. Several major publications praised the duo’s inventive approach:
- The New York Times’ Erik Piepenburg marvels at the film’s “dizzying camerawork of dissolves, fast cuts, spins and plunges… bravura, rapid-fire fights that made my jaw drop… a thrill.”
- Isaac Feldberg of Roger Ebert celebrates its “cold, bright, gem-like brilliance,” calling it a hypnotic and invigorating step forward for the filmmakers.
- Nick Schager of The Daily Beast urges audiences to “strap in, hold on, and succumb to this ecstatically inventive one-of-a-kind film.”
- Beatrice Loayza of The New York Times describes it as “a dizzyingly inventive spy thriller an illusionistic tour de force” blending Eurotrash cool with Italian comic book flair.
- David Katz at IndieWire applauds the film for being both “dense with signifiers to unpack” and effortlessly “fleet, frothy and fun.”
- The Film Stage’s Leonardo Goi highlights its unique ability to feel “both familiar and completely different,” rooted deeply in cinephile passion without being constrained by genre convention.
- The Hollywood Reporter’s Jordan Mintzer notes that at a time when many fear cinema is fading, Cattet and Forzani’s films offer “a unique brand of life support.”
- Slash Film’s Rafael Motomayor coins it “the Old Man Bond movie we’ve always wanted,” infused with giallo and anime influences that make it essential viewing for spy thriller fans.
About the Filmmakers
Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, who live and work in Brussels, have collaborated since 2000. After launching their careers with several self-produced short films, they broke into features with AMER (2009). Their next film, THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY’S TEARS (2013), premiered at Locarno and cemented their reputation as modern masters of neo-giallo cinema.
They later contributed to the anthology film THE ABC’S OF DEATH and achieved further acclaim with LET THE CORPSES TAN (2017), which also premiered in Locarno. REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND marks their fourth feature and arguably their most ambitious, explosive, and visually lavish work to date.
Film Details
- Title: Reflection in a Dead Diamond (Reflet Dans Un Diamant Mort)
- Year: 2025
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Languages: English, French, Italian
- Format: Color
- Distributor: Shudder
- Genre: Spy Thriller / Neo-Giallo
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