Nicolas Winding Refn Returns to Cannes After Near‑Death
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- Nicolas Winding Refn disclosed he was clinically dead for 25 minutes in 2023 after a leaking heart caused his lungs to fill with blood, leading to emergency surgery.
- Nicolas Winding Refn premiered his first feature in ten years, the horror‑thriller Her Private Hell, at Cannes on Monday evening.
- Nicolas Winding Refn said the brush with death gave him a “second chance” to restart his career and approach life differently, describing the experience as being revived with electricity like Frankenstein.
Why it matters: Nicolas Winding Refn, after surviving a 25‑minute clinical death, now has a fresh creative slate; his Cannes debut, his first film in a decade, positions him for new projects.
