Climax is a 2018 French musical horror film directed by Gaspar Noé and stars Sofia Boutella, Kiddy Smile, and Souheila Yacoub. Set in 1996, the film follows a group of French dancers who gather in an empty school building on a snowy night to rehearse for an upcoming performance. The dancers, who come from various backgrounds and nationalities, drink sangria together and engage in small talk while waiting for the choreographer, Selva (Boutella), to arrive.
As the night goes on, tensions rise, and secrets are revealed among the dancers. However, things take a drastic turn when one of the dancers discovers that the sangria they have been drinking is laced with LSD. Chaos ensues as the dancers start to experience intense and terrifying hallucinations. They turn on one another, and the party quickly descends into a violent and surreal nightmare.
The film's cinematography is notable for its long, uninterrupted takes and its use of bright, flashing colors. The soundtrack features music from artists such as Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, and Giorgio Moroder.
Climax premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim for its intense and immersive storytelling and its creative use of music and visual effects. The film has been described as a hallucinatory and nightmarish journey that explores themes of youth, sexuality, and social identity.