Prends Chair (Flesh Out)
2024 · 17m · France
Directed by Armin Assadipour
Genres: animation, drama, horror
Tones: dark, melancholic, surreal, tense
An overweight teenager named Venance endures relentless teasing about his weight from his neighborhood and family, until his pain and self-loathing manifest as a grotesque flesh-eating monster growing from his own body.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Body dysmorphia literalized as a parasitic flesh creature, born from the director's own experience of wanting to cut his body off — that lived honesty plus animation's expressive freedom is exactly what this technique is for. Tetsuo lineage earned.
Body dysmorphia literalized as a parasitic flesh creature, drawn from the director's own self-image — this is Tetsuo: The Iron Man's grammar applied to adolescent fat-shaming, which is bold and risky in equal measure. Animation justifies its existence here precisely.
Seventeen minutes thirty-four of body dysmorphia literalized as a parasitic flesh creature growing from the protagonist — and the director openly traces it to his own experience of seeing his body as something he wanted to cut off. That source pain gives the horror imagery its authority.
Reviews
Assadipour employs body horror to craft a deeply personal narrative about a young man struggling with his weight, inspired by his own experiences as an overweight teenager when he saw his body as 'a parasite' he 'wanted to cut off.'
Visually striking and energetically paced, Prends Chair makes full use of animation's expressive freedom, featuring bold shot choices and dynamic camera movements that heighten its impact.
Festivals
- Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2018
- Paris International Fantastic Film Festival (PIFFF) 2024, Jury Prize for Best French Short Film
- Screamfest Horror Film Festival 2025