The final film in competition at the 33rd Venice International Film Critics' Week is the visceral and mysterious experimental horror M by Finnish artist Anna Eriksson.

 The 41 year-old, who has sold nearly half a million records in her career as a singer, took four years to complete the film.

 Her debut feature, screened on September 6 in Sala Perla, explores the relationship between sexuality and death, which appear to be at opposite poles but in fact they merge in all of us, disguising the fear of death or the desire to die, the world of Eros.

 General Delegate Giona A. Nazzaro described M as "the most radical film of the entire selection. A sensorial vortex structured as an industrial symphony. Female iconography is destroyed and reimagined in the debut feature film by Anna Eriksson. In pure L.A. Gothic style, the film is a visionary and performative body-horror in the threshold between life and death, between Jean Rollin and David Cronenberg".  

 The filmmaker, who also served as lead actress and curated the film down to the last detail from directing to colour correction along with all aspects of sound mixing, attended an interesting Q&A session with audience and press after the screening.

 The Critics’ Week comprises of seven debut features selected by the Italian National Film Critics Union (SNCCI). 

 The films compete for an audience award worth $USD 6,400 (5000 euros), as well as awards for the most innovative film and best technical achievement. 

 Lion of the Future – the Venice Film Festival award for the best debut film – is worth $USD 10,000 (8,600 euros).