© Lene Marquardt

28.02.2025 Filmmakers Europe / DZ

Celebrating Female Boldness: European Film Academy, International Casting Directors Association, Spotlight & Filmmakers Europe jointly honor Coralie Fargeat and The Substance at Berlinale!

The full panel video is available here: WATCH FULL PANEL DISCUSSION

I don’t usually write about industry panels. I don’t usually write about films. But this time, I had to.

Walking into this Berlinale event, I expected an interesting discussion. What I did not expect was to walk away with a new understanding of casting and the power of creative vision - female creative vision.

Probably like many, I had often thought of casting as a practical process—a means to fill roles and get a film made. Naturally, as we make the software that supports the process, this is what I expected. But listening to the panel discussion with these four impressive women - Marta Balaga, Coralie Fargeat, Lana Veenker, and Marina Wijn -  I realized that casting is so much more than that. It’s the foundation of storytelling, a creative force that shapes not just characters but entire films, and its mostly created by women. 

This event, co-hosted with the European Film Academy (EFA) and the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA), put a much-needed spotlight on the art of casting and its long-overdue recognition in the industry. It honored filmmaker Coralie Fargeat and the way she created her latest film, The Substance, in a panel discussion that led into an exclusive screening, followed by the Berlinale Industry Reception of Filmmakers Europe and Spotlight.

It opened with Fatih Abay (European Film Academy Diversity & Inclusion Officer) and Lana Veenker (President of the International Casting Directors Association). Their message was clear: casting is an essential, yet often overlooked, part of filmmaking.

"For years, casting directors were the only department heads credited in films but left out of major awards like the Oscars or European Film Academy honors," Veenker noted "That changes now."

With these words she introduced the European Film Academy Casting Award launching in 2026. With this recognition, the industry is finally recognizing what filmmakers have long known—casting shapes a film and is essentials to its success.

 

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The full panel (from left): Lana Veenker (ICDA), Marta Balaga (Variety), Coralie Fargeat and Marina Wijn (ICDA) 

 

Following this introduction, the spotlight turned to Coralie Fargeat, the two time Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind the five time  Oscar-nominated The Substance. Moderated by Marta Balaga (Variety), the discussion included casting director Marina Wijn alongside Lana Veenker.

The way Fargeat spoke about The Substance, the way she articulated her vision, her challenges, and also her fight to get the right cast—it was utterly compelling. There was no detachment, no PR polish—just direct, passionate storytelling about how this film came to life.

She revealed how multiple actresses turned the lead role down before Demi Moore stepped in, immediately understanding the film’s vision. "She didn’t hesitate. She understood it deeply," Fargeat recalled.

The film’s extreme physical and emotional demands also made casting incredibly difficult. "I knew from the start that casting this role would be the hardest part," Fargeat said. "It’s a role that requires someone who embodies fame, worship, and also vulnerability."

The discussion made clear just how relevant the creative part of casting is.

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Moderator Marta Balaga (Variety) and Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat

The conversation expanded beyond The Substance into a broader discussion about casting as a force for change in the film industry.Marina Wijn highlighted how casting directors play a key role in shaping the way a story is told: "Casting isn’t just about choosing actors—it’s about redefining who gets seen and what stories get told."

Lana Veenker emphasized that the lack of industry recognition for casting directors has historically hindered progress in diversity and representation. "For decades, casting directors were treated as assistants rather than decision-makers," she explained. "That’s finally changing."

The panel also addressed misconceptions about female-led films: "Female-led films don’t make less money than male-led films. They just get less marketing support. When they receive the same level of investment, they perform just as well—if not better."

 

A crucial part of the discussion was the working relationship between directors and casting directors.
Fargeat emphasized that casting is not just about performance, but about how actors fit into the entire visual and emotional world of a film. "When I write, I don’t just think about actors. I think about lighting, sound, framing—casting has to align with that, or nothing works."

Marina Wijn added that casting directors help directors refine their vision, sometimes bringing in unexpected but perfect choices for roles. "A great casting director doesn’t just fill roles. They build the film’s world with you," she explained.

As the discussion wrapped up, the message was clear: casting is finally getting the recognition it deserves, and women in film are fighting for real, lasting change. Learning this from a pure female panel felt compelling.

The upcoming European Film Academy Casting Award is a major milestone, but as the panellists pointed out, true change will only come when the industry genuinely supports diverse stories—not just in words, but in action. The panellists, especially Coralie Fargeat and her insights into the making of The Substance announced what such action can produce... 

As at this point I had not seen the The Substance I was merely curious, little did I know what would follow - as the panel led seamlessly into the screening of The Substance I was about to find out.

© Lene Marquardt

Now, I strongly urge anyone planning to watch The Substance to first watch this panel discussion. It very much compelled the way I viewed the film, and I believe it will do the same for others. 

This is what to expect from the panel discussion:

The full panel video is available here: WATCH FULL PANEL DISCUSSION

 

And then, of course, there’s The Substance itself. Again, I should probably not be writing about this. I am not a film critic, and I don't usually analyse films. But after that panel, after hearing Coralie Fargeat break down her artistic vision, I couldn’t help but be excited. I felt compelled to share my experience— compelled not just by the power of the film itself, but even more so by the commanding and charismatic introduction given.

For me, Coralies words set the stage for what was to come, and I found myself drawn into something far beyond a typical cinematic experience.

Some films are meant to entertain. Others aim to provoke, disturb, and redefine boundaries. Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance falls into the latter category—a film that does not ask for permission, but rather forces its way into the viewer’s mind.

Is it horrifying? Yes.
Is it hilarious? At times.
Is it a searing commentary on beauty, fame, and society’s obsession with youth? Absolutely.
Love it or hate it, The Substance is a film you cannot ignore.

Demi Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a former star desperate to reclaim her former glory. Desperation leads her to the substance, a mysterious formula promising youth, but at a grotesque and unforeseen cost. The film uses surreal aesthetic to challenge the viewer: What would you sacrifice to remain relevant? 

I had to look what real film experts wrote about the film to put into words what I experienced. “The Substance is a film about the fickleness of image and fame,” writes Francisco Silva in Law Society Journal, summing up its biting critique of Hollywood and our wider culture. In a world where social media has turned vanity into currency, the film forces us to confront the absurdity of our own reflections.

 

The film combines grotesque horror with dark humor. But as Andreas Babiolakis from Films Fatale observes, “The Substance is equal parts horrifying, hilarious, and heartbreaking.” Its ability to oscillate between revulsion and raw emotion is what makes it such a compelling watch.

By turning the male gaze “upside down and inside out,” as Silva puts it, Fargeat dismantles conventional cinematic tropes. The Substance does not simply critique the beauty industry—it obliterates it, leaving behind only the raw, unfiltered consequences of a system designed to consume women.

If there is one universally agreed-upon triumph in The Substance, it is Demi Moore. Babiolakis hails her performance as “a horror performance for the ages”. She fully embraces the film’s extremities, delivering a performance that is at once terrifying, tragic, and deeply human.

Rachel Handler of Vulture describes one pivotal moment in the film as “perfectly disgusting, twisted, darkly funny, and instantly memorable.” These words encapsulate not only the scene itself but the entire experience of watching The Substance. The film entered my brain and refuses to leave.

There is no denying that The Substance has divided. Some view it as an incisive feminist statement, others as an over-the-top exercise in excess. But as Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times points out, “The film not only critiques the absurd standards of female beauty but also turns the mirror toward ourselves.”

Handler echoes this sentiment, noting that The Substance “has already engendered a fascinating debate about its intentions.” Whether you perceive it as a satire, a horror film, or a disturbing reflection of reality, its impact is undeniable. And isn’t that the mark of truly great cinema?

Films like The Substance do not come around often. It is a film that makes you feel—whether that feeling is discomfort, admiration, or sheer terror. “The Substance is, appropriately, a mirror,” Wilkinson writes, “and our discomfort reveals our hidden inclinations and fears.”

As is said, I am not a film critic and far beyond a film expert, but despite my incapacity to professionally understand films—or maybe exactly because of this incapacity—this film left me with many powerful impressions. I had to spend a good portion of the screening with my breath held and my eyes closed, not from the visual horror but from the physical discomfort the collection of emotions created within me.

This is not a film to watch and leave behind. If you are willing to be challenged, to be confronted, and to engage in one of the most provocative cinematic conversations of the year, then The Substance is a must-watch.

The full panel video is available here: WATCH FULL PANEL DISCUSSION