Mary Kreutzer is an uncompromising filmmaker. There is a purity to her work, including her most recent work, Gentle monster. With the Léa Seydoux-led drama, she received a round of applause for her persistence when she dished out this filmmaking advice:
“It was a very classic example of me being told at a very early stage: ‘We can’t do this. It’s not possible. We’re not going to do it. But it’s in the script, so don’t tell me it’s not possible. Tell me how we’re going to do it.”
It’s an approach that perhaps suits her latest film, an original film inspired by a 2020 news article in German newspaper Die Zeit. The article covering child sexual abuse angered the director. I also watched a movie. She spoke to psychologists, police and lawyers to tell the story Gentle monster.
It is the story of a musician, played by Sidhu, whose husband is accused of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
It’s a brutal film about deception, trust, and loss.
Following its debut at the Toronto Film Festival, Kreutzer spoke about the assembly process Gentle monster. “I think getting the right people together, getting the right collaborators together in front of and behind the camera, is a big part of directing,” she said. “I always try to have a group of people that I know well and some people that I’m curious about and excited about and want to work with. Probably one of the most important parts of my job is finding the right collaborators, because sometimes I get the question: ‘Did it turn out the way you expected or wanted it to be?’” And I always say: No, but that’s the point. I think it changes with everyone who works on it. That’s the beauty of filmmaking, to make something together and make it as we go, honestly.
By creating it as it was, she meant embracing spontaneity. Get into a plan and let it grow from there. “I like to bring some excitement for everyone because it was basically like filming a documentary,” she added. “People from feature films are not used to this kind of unexpected situation. So, there were two cameras. The police crew was partly real cops, partly actors who had all been taught exactly what to do when they entered the house, but had never seen the house before. So I tried to at least get everyone as close to the real situation as possible. That was nerve-wracking for everyone. But I like situations like this. It keeps us on our toes.”
Gentle monster. (L-R) Léa Seydoux as Lucy Weiss and Gila Haas as Elsa Cohn in Gentle Monster. Cr. Frédéric Pattier/Netflix ©2026
It is a process born out of curiosity, although described as uncertainty. This open approach to filmmaking creates one of the most riveting scenes in the film Gentle monsterwhere Sidhu’s character comes face to face with the detective he plays Gila Haas. The two actors had not met before filming the introduction, during which they would be arrested and searched.
“I’ve done it before, in another film with a complicated scene with many actors,” Kreutzer concluded. “The first time, to be honest, I did it because I didn’t really know how to direct that. I was like, ‘How are we going to film that?’ We didn’t have a lot of time. So I just said, ‘Let’s try this just once,’ and let’s try not to have the two actors who were the main target meet before. And that was such an amazing experience that I thought it would be the right thing to do here.”
After its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, critical sentiment surrounding it grew Gentle monster It’s been somewhat divided, though almost all audiences and critics agree on one thing: Léa Seydoux is amazing. While many praised Kreutzer’s unflinching approach to such horrific topics, some festival-goers pointed out that the film’s overall momentum is sometimes hampered by secondary storylines that pull the focus away from Seydoux’s controlling command.
In our area A review of what’s on NetflixRende Jones echoed these festival reactions, noting that the feature is “anchored by Léa Seydoux’s visceral performance, which reminds audiences of her immense potential.” However, they also point out that despite being an exceptionally acted showcase, “Kreutzer’s dark domestic drama is bogged down by unnecessary subplots and abrupt surface-level execution.” Ultimately, even if the film occasionally falters in its broader narrative ambitions, Seydoux’s stunning performance ensures that it remains an interesting, must-see film.
Gentle Monster is streaming on Netflix in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand starting November 18, 2026.