Nicolas Cage's new film, "The Surfer," directed by Lorcan Finnegan, premiered to acclaim (including a reported seven-minute standing ovation) at the Cannes Film Festival.

In the interview, Cage describes the film as an "existential nightmare." He plays a man returning to his idyllic childhood beach in Australia with his teenage son, intending to surf. However, he's aggressively humiliated and exiled from the beach by a territorial gang of local surfers. Instead of leaving, the character stubbornly stays, living out of his car and descending into a primal, almost animalistic state as he refuses to relinquish his claim to the spot.

Cage discusses tapping into something raw and deeply rooted for the performance, comparing the character's defense of his territory to animal behavior, referencing influences like "Jaws" (for its territorial themes) and "Apocalypse Now" (for the descent into madness). He sees the character's journey as a form of "primal scream therapy" stemming from profound humiliation.

He emphasizes the importance of making the character's extreme transformation feel earned and somewhat relatable, despite its intensity. The film explores themes of territoriality, toxic masculinity, belonging, and the consequences of humiliation. Cage praises director Lorcan Finnegan's vision and enjoyed the challenge of this unique, intense role, which fits into his recent run of acclaimed performances in distinctive genre films.

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