Infested

Infested is a 2023 French horror film conceived, co-written, and directed by Sébastien Vaniček in his feature directorial debut. Its original French title is Vermines, which is literally Vermin in English. The film stars Théo Christine as a twenty-something Banlieue resident who takes home a lethal desert spider that reproduces rapidly and causes a massive infestation in the neighborhood. Sofia Lesaffre, Jérôme Niel, Lisa Nyarko, and Finnegan Oldfield are featured in supporting roles. Vaniček conceived the film as a social commentary on xenophobia, finding parallels between spiders and banlieue residents. American streaming service Shudder acquired the film for the United States and Canada and other key international territories ahead of its premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival and screening at Fantastic Fest 2023. The film was released in France on 27 December 2023, and on Shudder on 27 April 2024. Critical reception to the film was "overwhelmingly positive".