"An ambulance had to be called to the scene as the film became too much for a couple patrons," said Ryan Werner, TIFF's movie marketing manager, who was also at the screening.
The French-language movie debut by director Julie Ducournau follows a shy, vegetarian veterinary student who turns to cannibalism after a gruesome hazing ritual.
In an interview before the screening, Julie said that she was excited to "hear this particular audience reacting," and also prophetically talked about the challenge of keeping "the audience in the room."
The much talked about horror film made its first premiere at Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the FIPRESCI Critics' prize. Ryan remarked that the only other time he saw a film generate a similar physical reaction was Lars Von Trier's Antichrist in 2009. ~ Natalia Makarski