The official synopsis of this (“Following a series of unexplained crimes, a former firefighter is reunited with his son who has been missing for 10 years,”) is so cheekily misleading as to take one’s breath away. In its honour, I’ll refrain from giving any more information.
But know this: director Julia Ducournau’s triumphant follow-up to Raw is a psychotherapist’s reverie that blew me away with its singular vision… shades of Claire Denis’s Bastards meets Alain Robak’s Baby Blood, Donald Cammell’s Demon Seed and Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo, by way of the New French Extremity, the Cinéma Du Look, and Lars Von Trier… but ultimately this is pure Ducournau, a director whose personal vision is somehow distinct after just two (wonderful) features.
Titane masterfully develops and expands on body horror themes of Raw with a beautiful, transgressive slice of genre filmmaking. Don’t miss the chance to see this one where it belongs: on the big screen, with great sound. I was so enraptured that I spilt my coffee on my lap and didn’t even notice.
If Ducournau keeps evolving at this rate, what a career awaits. But for now, Titane is currently my number one film of the year.
Titane plays at the London Film Festival on 15 October 2021
Trailer:
Whitlock&Pope 