SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” in theaters now via Mubi.
“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” the third feature from writer-director Jane Schoenbrun, is not the film you think it is.
While it does fit thematically with their two previous impressionistic horror movies — 2021’s “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” and 2024’s “I Saw the TV Glow” — “Camp Miasma” is a funny, campy, bloody and thoughtful story about a hotshot indie director, Kris (Hannah Einbinder), who is hoping to make a new film in the in-universe slasher series “Camp Miasma.” Kris’ journey involves meeting with the reclusive star of the first film, Billy (Gillian Anderson), and learning much more about real-life sex and death than she thought possible.
Schoenbrun spoke with Variety about some of the film’s key scenes, from a very horny chicken finger-dinner to a bloodbath set to Counting Crows, why a comedy felt tonally appropriate and why they feel they must make films.
Where did the idea for this movie come from?
