This film is currently unavailable
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_480x270/public/hero-images/M-Butterfly-3_1920.jpg?itok=F6lFNlze)
M. Butterfly
Academy-Award winner Jeremy Irons stars as a French diplomat who falls in love with a Beijing Opera singer who's not quite as she seems, in David Cronenberg's piercing drama.
Director: David Cronenberg
Overview
Academy-Award winner Jeremy Irons stars as a French diplomat who falls in love with a Beijing Opera singer who's not quite as she seems, in David Cronenberg's piercing drama. Acclaimed horror director Cronenberg found himself moving into more mainstream territory in the 1990s, following two relatively high-brow literary adaptations in Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch. As the apotheosis of this movement, M Butterfly found Cronenberg eschewing his trademark 'body horror' entirely in his adaptation of David Henry Hwang's Tony Award-winning play. Focusing instead on psychological torment, the film received a muted response upon its release; too strange for mainstream audiences but too conventional for Cronenberg fans; but can now be revisted as a finely composed drama with tremendous performances, and ahead of its time for a Hollywood film dealing with Trans themes.
Related
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/BARRIO-BOY-08.jpg?itok=nZwhSzh5)
Barrio Boy Barrio Boy
Romance 2022 83 mins Director: Dennis Shinners
A Latino barber embarks on an erotically charged odyssey of self-discovery over one hot summer in Brooklyn.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/small-things-like-these.jpg?itok=L0EcAV2F)
Small Things Like These Small Things Like These
Drama 2024 99 mins Director: Tim Mielants
Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as a coal merchant who discovers horrific secrets about his local convent.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/rafiki1_0.jpg?itok=zpdLQV5y)
Rafiki Rafiki
Drama 2018 83 mins Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Romantic sparks fly between the daughters of two opposing politicians in Wanuri Kahiu’s neon-bright story of forbidden love in Kenya.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/2073-1.jpg?itok=UUYmG8Zc)
2073 2073
Documentary 2024 83 mins Director: Asif Kapadia
Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia's unsettling drama-documentary delivers a powerful commentary on the state of the world today… and tomorrow.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/who-we-love-01.jpg?itok=ovWlqLp7)
Who We Love Who We Love
Drama 2021 94 mins Director: Graham Cantwell
Bullied for her sexuality, Dublin schoolgirl Lily turns to her gay best friend for support in this vibrant coming-out, coming-of-age drama.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Only-the-River-Flows-04.jpg?itok=sZtVwqWT)
Only the River Flows Only the River Flows
Crime 2023 102 mins Director: Shujun Wei
Shujun Wei's slow-burn noir draws us inexorably into its mysterious psychological journey.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/2e3e560eae23787dd35c1ca5647c4156.jpg?itok=RBw4rfBD)
Race Race
Biopic 2016 135 mins Director: Stephen Hopkins
The remarkable story of Jesse Owens, the grandson of a slave whose athletic feats defied Nazi ideology at the 1936 Olympics.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/be66654f0ab7ed6629ea7612e1ca7061.jpg?itok=MSF4PO2b)
High-Rise High-Rise
Science Fiction 2016 119 mins Director: Ben Wheatley
Ben Wheatley's savage and brilliant adaptation of JG Ballard's dystopian satire, starring Tom Hiddleston.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Dead-Ringers_1920.jpg?itok=2cn8JvXy)
Dead Ringers Dead Ringers
Horror 1988 116 mins Director: David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg's multi award-winning psychological thriller exploring the bizarre lives of identical twins Elliot and Beverly, both played by Jeremy Irons.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo254067288.jpg?itok=D6K2YboY)
Maps to the Stars Maps to the Stars
Drama 2014 112 mins Director: David Cronenberg
Julianne Moore and John Cusack star in David Cronenberg’s caustic take on modern Hollywood, depicted as a nightmare world of ego and obsession.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/521ecf127afd7925aae50a187d2c5ff6_0.jpg?itok=PMM1jK5z)
Spider Spider
Drama 2003 94 mins Director: David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg directs Ralph Fiennes in this chilling psychological drama about a mentally-disturbed man facing his horrifying childhood memories.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Dead-Ringers_1920.jpg?itok=2cn8JvXy)
Dead Ringers Dead Ringers
Horror 1988 116 mins Director: David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg's multi award-winning psychological thriller exploring the bizarre lives of identical twins Elliot and Beverly, both played by Jeremy Irons.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/BARRIO-BOY-08.jpg?itok=nZwhSzh5)
Barrio Boy Barrio Boy
Romance 2022 83 mins Director: Dennis Shinners
A Latino barber embarks on an erotically charged odyssey of self-discovery over one hot summer in Brooklyn.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/small-things-like-these.jpg?itok=L0EcAV2F)
Small Things Like These Small Things Like These
Drama 2024 99 mins Director: Tim Mielants
Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as a coal merchant who discovers horrific secrets about his local convent.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/rafiki1_0.jpg?itok=zpdLQV5y)
Rafiki Rafiki
Drama 2018 83 mins Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Romantic sparks fly between the daughters of two opposing politicians in Wanuri Kahiu’s neon-bright story of forbidden love in Kenya.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/luxor2.jpg?itok=RtvEwHXF)
Luxor Luxor
Romance 2020 86 mins Director: Zeina Durra
Andrea Riseborough stars as an aid worker processing the trauma of working on the frontline on the Jordanian-Syrian border.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/2073-1.jpg?itok=UUYmG8Zc)
2073 2073
Documentary 2024 83 mins Director: Asif Kapadia
Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia's unsettling drama-documentary delivers a powerful commentary on the state of the world today… and tomorrow.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/who-we-love-01.jpg?itok=ovWlqLp7)
Who We Love Who We Love
Drama 2021 94 mins Director: Graham Cantwell
Bullied for her sexuality, Dublin schoolgirl Lily turns to her gay best friend for support in this vibrant coming-out, coming-of-age drama.