Titane Director’s New Film Is Here & It’s WILD!

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Four years ago, French director Julia Ducournau captured the Palme d’Or for her intriguingly disturbing movie “Titane,” characterized by its themes of metalwork and dance. Now, she reappears at Cannes with the Competition film “Alpha,” a more introspective work that reflects her signature style of body horror, while exploring a heartfelt narrative about family, delving deeper into emotional depths.

In her latest work, “Alpha,” director Julia Ducournau grapples with multiple ideas. While the story appears to center around the AIDS epidemic, it’s more accurate to say that the movie uses this topic as a backdrop rather than an allegory. In Ducournau’s portrayal, France is gripped by a mysterious disease that transforms victims into statuesque figures as their illness advances. Despite the film’s heavy thematic elements, Ducournau manages to create powerful visuals through her stark color scheme and bleak depiction of the world. Exceptional acting performances further elevate “Alpha,” helping it overcome its shortcomings to become another provocative, debate-worthy film from Ducournau’s repertoire.

Alpha Emotionally Grueling & Visually Stunning

Stunning Performances Ground A Bleak Story

The narrative of ‘Alpha’ unfolds gradually, then broadens – the principal character, played by novice Mélissa Boros with unflinching bravery, is first encountered at a gathering, heavily intoxicated and receiving a tattoo from an unidentified boy using a contaminated needle. The camera focuses intently on the needle puncturing the skin, black ink blending with crimson blood. This is just one of several startling visuals. When Alpha returns home and her mother (Golshifteh Farahani delivering a career-best performance) sees her new tattoo, their world starts to disintegrate.

When Alpha’s mom learns she might have an undisclosed illness, working at a nearby hospital, she takes Alpha for tests promptly. The consequences of this potential infection reach further than Alpha anticipates, even before the test results arrive. For instance, her classmates start avoiding her, declining to swim with her or subtly distancing themselves when she’s around, whether in class or walking down the hallways.

Her mother becomes increasingly anxious as she awaits the test results for her daughter, and this anxiety leads her to embrace superstitions once dismissed. She clings to old beliefs passed down from her own mother, hoping they can ward off the Red Wind in Alpha, a fear of illness combined with deep-rooted emotional scars. In the movie, the Red Wind is shown physically, with strong gusts frequently battering their apartment building at night, making it seem as if the structure itself were a skeleton trembling.

In the movie “Alpha“, the distinction between reality and imagination frequently becomes hazy, which somewhat detracts from the film’s central themes. While this blurring doesn’t completely disrupt the narrative, it is a noteworthy issue that arises occasionally.

Although not as prominent compared to Alpha’s brilliant ensemble, Tahar Rahim delivers a visceral acting performance. Accompanied by Boros and Farahani, his physical portrayal, while fitting more in a horror genre than a drama, is effective within the film. Rahim masterfully manipulates his body in a graceful yet skeletal motion that, amidst the horror depicted elsewhere, could be among the most chilling visuals in Alpha.

The movie Alpha isn’t frightening overall, but it does have instances that will send shivers down your spine – scenes depicting this disease taking its toll on victims, the tense anticipation for Alpha’s test results, and a few other parts that should be experienced firsthand to avoid spoilers. However, these chilling moments are tempered by a profound sadness that permeates throughout the film in various aspects: from the use of bright orange or empty blue-gray lighting to portray its mood, to the way Alpha’s family grapples with the devastating impact of the disease, encompassing addiction and the central theme of the movie.

Some people might find this grimy and perplexing, yet Ducournau discovers a surprising undercurrent of hope and affection beneath all the dirt and grit. Despite this, the fact that the director is following up Titane with such a deeply personal and emotionally taxing tale shows that Ducournau is as daring as her film characters, unafraid to venture where others won’t. What she uncovers there may not appeal to everyone, but it’s definitely worth watching.

Alpha premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The film releases August 20 in theaters.

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2025-05-20 18:15