Alpha: Julia Ducournau’s body horror film

Julia Ducournau, the French director awarded the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2021 for Titane, presents Alpha, a film combining elements of body horror with a family drama and metaphorical undertones. Distributed in the United States by Neon, Alpha premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, where it received mixed critical responses.

The main cast features Emma Mackey, a British actress best known for the series Sex Education, alongside Tahar Rahim, a French actor of Algerian descent with an established career in films such as Un prophète and The Mauritanian, and Golshifteh Farahani, an Iranian actress with experience in European and Hollywood productions. The lead role is played by Mélissa Boros, making her film debut as Alpha, a thirteen-year-old girl at the center of the story.

The narrative follows Alpha, a teenager living with her single mother, portrayed by Farahani. The situation changes when Alpha returns from school with a tattoo on her arm, a large letter A etched with a sizable needle. This event triggers a series of developments linked to a blood-transmitted virus that causes people to turn into statues, with progressive skin hardening and coughing up clay-like dust. Alpha’s mother, a doctor at a local hospital, is involved in treating infected patients, complicating her relationship with her daughter.

Filming took place mainly in Le Havre, northern France, during autumn 2024, with some scenes shot in other Normandy locations, including the Pont-Audemer swimming pool. The cinematography was handled by Ruben Impens, a regular collaborator of Ducournau, while editing was done by Jean-Christophe Bouzy. The soundtrack, composed by Jim Williams, accompanies a trailer featuring a piano version of The Mercy Seat by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

The film’s total runtime is 128 minutes, with an R rating for the US market. Some reviews following the Cannes screening noted challenges in balancing fantastical and realistic elements, highlighting a complex narrative structure that alternates timelines and blends reality with magical realism.

The cast also includes Finnegan Oldfield and Louai El Amrousy in supporting roles. Production was managed by Jean des Forêts, Amelie Jacqu, Éric Altmayer, and Nicolas Altmayer, with participation from Mandarin & Compagnie, Kallouche Cinéma, and Frakas Productions. The film is a Franco-Belgian co-production involving France 3 Cinéma, RTBF, Proximus, and BeTV.

Originally scheduled for October 2025, Alpha’s release was postponed to March 2026 following mixed reactions at Cannes. Critics acknowledged the quality of the performances and the visual impact of the finale but raised concerns about narrative coherence and the balance between fantastic and dramatic elements. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 56% rating based on 63 reviews.