Following a series of unexplained crimes, a father is reunited with the son who has been missing for 10 years. A film by Julia Ducournau, starring Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Garance Marillier, Laïs Salameh, Myriem Akheddiou, Mara Cissé, Marin Judas, Diong-Kéba Tacu, Thibault Cathalifaud, Bertrand Bonello, and Dominique Frot.
TITANE
Julia Ducournau
(2021)
The story follows Alexia (Adèle Guigue), a young girl who suffers a car accident that requires surgery to implant a titanium plate to replace the damaged portion of her skull. After she’s discharged from the hospital, her parents begin to notice changes in her behavior.
Decades later, the little girl has grown into an adult. Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) works as a model at car shows. She’s gained some recognition in the industry, with fans approaching her for autographs and photos.
That night after the event ends, Alexia is followed to her car by one of her fans. He declares his love for her and tries to force her to kiss him. Alexia seizes the opportunity to kill him with a hairpin. She hides his body in the car and goes back inside to shower and clean herself up.
While she’s showering, she hears a loud rumbling sound from outside. When she opens the door, she finds the car she had danced with during the show waiting for her. She opens the car door, climbing inside, and has intercourse with it. Later, Alexia realizes she’s pregnant as her belly grows abnormally large. She attempts to abort by stabbing herself with a hairpin, causing a black fluid resembling motor oil to leak out, but the attempt fails.
Alexia is secretly a serial killer who’s managed to evade the police for years. When her urges overwhelm her, she kills Justine (Garance Marillier), another fellow model at the house. Upon realizing there are others in the house, she hunts them down one by one to eliminate all witnesses. However, one woman manages to escape, forcing Alexia to rush back to her own home and set it on fire to destroy all evidence, including her parents who are still inside.
While Alexia is evading police capture, she spots a missing person poster for 7-year-old Adrien Legrand, who disappeared 10 years ago. Next to Adrien’s photograph is an age-progressed computer rendering showing what he might look like at 17, which bears a striking resemblance to her own face. Seizing the opportunity, she deliberately injures herself to alter her appearance and assumes Adrien’s identity. Adrien was the only son of Vincent (Vincent Lindon), a fire captain whose child vanished a decade ago. Despite the years that have passed, Vincent has never given up hope and continues to release news appeals searching for his missing son.
The moment Vincent sees Alexia’s bruised and battered face, he’s convinced this is his missing son Adrien. He refuses DNA testing and brings Alexia, whom he believes to be Adrien, back home. Alexia doesn’t speak a single word because she’s afraid Vincent will discover the truth that she’s not a man.
Written and directed by French filmmaker Julia Ducournau, TITANE demonstrates remarkable originality in both its plot construction and storytelling approach. The protagonist begins as what appears to be a troubled young girl whose circumstances lead to an accident. While viewers initially feel sympathy for her, they later discover she has become a psychopathic killer.
The film’s emotional tone shifts unpredictably throughout, keeping audiences uncertain about what’s actually happening versus what might be imagined. This creates a truly unforgettable cinematic experience that will leave a lasting impression on viewers, whether they love it or hate it.
Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon deliver powerhouse performances. A damaged soul meets one even more fractured. Their silence speaks louder than words. Several scenes contain no dialogue yet manage to convey multiple layers of meaning.
Does Vincent genuinely not recognize his own child, or is his broken heart so desperate that he’ll accept anyone willing to serve as a substitute for his son? Similarly, Alexia’s transformation could stem from her pregnancy and fear of exposure, or perhaps from Vincent’s unconditional acceptance of her and everything she is.
TITANE premiered at Festival de Cannes on 13 June 2021, where it won Palme d’Or. The film was theatrically released in France on 14 June, and in the United States on 1 October.
The Palme d’Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It is given annually to the director of the Best Feature Film in the Official Competition. Introduced in 1955, it replaced the earlier top prize known as the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film, which was awarded from 1939 to 1954. The Palme d’Or was briefly replaced by the Grand Prix again from 1964 to 1974 before being reinstated in 1975, and it has since remained the festival’s most prestigious symbol. The Palme d’Or is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry, recognizing outstanding achievement in filmmaking on an international scale. Notable winners include Delbert Mann for Marty (the first Palme d’Or winner in 1955) and Jane Campion for The Piano (the first female director to win in 1993).
