Grief can manifest in unexpected ways, driving those left behind to grapple with their sorrow in unique, sometimes unsettling manners. For some, the desire to keep a loved one close even after death leads to extraordinary lengths. This is the central theme explored in David Cronenberg’s most personal film, The Shrouds.

Karsh (Vincent Cassel), a technological entrepreneur, is still mourning the loss of his wife, Becca (Diane Kruger), who passed away four years earlier. To keep her memory alive, he devises a method to remain connected to her in a disturbingly tangible way: by using high-resolution images to observe her decaying body in the cemetery he owns. For Karsh, this grotesque spectacle becomes a testament to his love and devotion, a ritual that satisfies his obsessive need to stay close to her, even in death.

Karsh’s business, which involves selling technologically enhanced burial shrouds that allow people to watch their deceased loved ones decompose, might seem macabre or even insane to most. Yet for Karsh, it offers a sense of peace. The concept is undeniably terrifying, pushing the boundaries of what we consider acceptable in the face of grief. It’s an idea that feels right out of a David Cronenberg film — and indeed, that’s precisely what it is.

Writer and director David Cronenberg presents a story rooted deeply in personal experience, with the grief he felt after losing his own wife, Carolyn, in 2017. The decision to style Vincent Cassel as his own doppelgänger adds a haunting, almost surreal quality to the narrative. Cassel’s portrayal of Karsh — a non-observant atheist who finds countless ways to communicate with his deceased wife, regardless of their absurdity — challenges the audience to consider how far one might go to stay connected to a lost love.

But does this obsessive clinging help him move on? Absolutely not. In fact, it may be the very thing preventing him from finding peace. Yet for Karsh, and perhaps for those who have loved deeply, there is a reluctance to let go of that love, no matter how painful or irrational it becomes. This is perhaps the most profound takeaway from the film: love, even in its most deranged form, does not always seek release or closure.

Cronenberg’s new film defies easy classification. While it draws on themes from his earlier works like Videodrome, and Crash, The Shrouds is its own unique entity. If you are open to a deeply personal and unconventional exploration of mourning, The Shrouds is an experience you won’t want to miss