RAW (2016)

Summary:

Justine, a brilliant and fiercely principled 16-year-old vegetarian, embarks on her first year at a prestigious veterinary school, following in the footsteps of her parents and older sister, Alexia. The cutthroat environment is immediately apparent, dominated by intense hazing rituals for the first-year students. During one such ritual, Justine is coerced into eating a raw rabbit liver, a "baptism of blood" that goes against everything she believes. This single act triggers a shocking and disturbing transformation, awakening within her an insatiable craving for meat, a hunger that quickly escalates beyond cooked flesh.

As Justine grapples with her newfound, terrifying urges, her body undergoes unsettling changes, and her attempts to suppress her desires prove futile. Her struggle is complicated by her complex relationship with Alexia, who seems to understand Justine's predicament with an unnerving familiarity, and her burgeoning connection with her kind roommate, Adrien. "Raw" is a visceral and unflinching coming-of-age story that delves into themes of identity, sexuality, and the primal instincts lurking beneath the surface of civilization, culminating in a horrifying revelation about her family's dark legacy.

Keywords: Raw, 2016, Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Julia Ducournau, Horror, Drama, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Coming-of-age, French cinema.

Plot:

The film introduces Justine, a shy, intelligent, and strict vegetarian, as she prepares to leave home for her first year at a highly competitive veterinary school. Her parents, both veterinarians, are supportive but also subtly pushy, having instilled their ethical values, particularly vegetarianism, from a young age. Justine's older sister, Alexia, is already a second-year student at the same institution. Upon arrival, Justine is immediately plunged into a chaotic world of brutal hazing rituals orchestrated by the older students. Alexia, rather than being a protective figure, participates actively in the hazing, initially treating Justine with a detached, almost cruel indifference, as if to assert her own dominance within the school hierarchy.

One of the most significant hazing rituals involves the consumption of raw animal organs. Justine, true to her lifelong principles, adamantly refuses to eat the raw rabbit liver offered to her. However, under immense peer pressure and Alexia's subtle but firm insistence, she is ultimately forced to swallow it. This act of transgression against her deeply held beliefs marks a profound turning point. Shortly after, Justine develops a severe, itchy rash all over her body, a physical manifestation of the internal shift occurring within her. The school infirmary offers no clear diagnosis or relief. Simultaneously, she begins to experience an intense, inexplicable craving for meat, a desire that grows more urgent and primal with each passing hour. Her first illicit indulgence is a raw chicken breast, which she devours in the privacy of her room, the act both repulsive and deeply satisfying. The rash, almost miraculously, begins to subside after this.

As her cravings intensify, Justine's behavior becomes increasingly erratic. She finds herself drawn to the scent of blood and flesh, her senses heightened. Her attempts to resist are futile, leading her to bizarre acts like gnawing on raw hamburger patties. Her kind roommate, Adrien, observes her strange behavior with a mixture of concern and confusion, attributing it to stress or the lingering effects of the hazing. The turning point from animal flesh to human flesh occurs during a late-night study session. Alexia, in a moment of reckless camaraderie, dares Justine to shave her legs. While Justine is meticulously shaving, Alexia, in a moment of carelessness, accidentally severs one of her own fingers. In a shocking, instinctual response, Justine picks up the detached digit and, to Alexia's horrified gaze and her own dawning realization, begins to eat it. This visceral act solidifies her transformation, cementing her new, terrifying identity as a cannibal. Alexia, instead of reacting with pure revulsion, seems to understand, even share, this dark, primal secret, binding the sisters in a disturbing new way.

The incident with the finger binds Justine and Alexia in a grotesque pact. Alexia, who had initially seemed indifferent, now reveals a chilling understanding of Justine's predicament, suggesting she has her own experience with such urges. She advises Justine to be more discreet, to stick to "roadkill" or other less risky sources of meat. This advice is delivered with a disturbing nonchalance, hinting at Alexia's own established, if hidden, cannibalistic tendencies. Justine struggles desperately to control her urges, but they are too powerful, overriding her moral compass. Her relationship with Adrien becomes increasingly complex; she is drawn to his warmth and kindness, yet simultaneously sees him as a potential source of sustenance, a horrifying internal conflict that gnaws at her conscience. She attempts to engage in normal social activities, like parties, but her hunger always lurks, threatening to overwhelm her.

At a particularly wild party, Justine's control completely unravels. Overwhelmed by the scent of bodies and the intoxicating atmosphere, she spots a student who has passed out, vulnerable and alone. Unable to resist her hunger, she succumbs to her primal instincts, biting a piece of flesh from the student's leg. Alexia, witnessing her sister's dangerous loss of control, intervenes immediately, pulling Justine away and attempting to cover up the incident. This moment underscores the escalating danger Justine poses to herself and others, and Alexia's role as both a mentor in depravity and a desperate protector. Alexia attempts to teach Justine how to be more cunning, how to choose her victims more carefully, but Justine's animalistic urges are proving too strong to be contained by reason or discretion. The line between human and beast continues to blur.

Adrien, increasingly alarmed by Justine's secretive behavior, unexplained injuries, and general unease, grows suspicious. He eventually discovers the horrifying truth of her cannibalistic nature, witnessing her consuming human flesh in a moment of desperation. The revelation shatters his perception of her, leading to a devastating confrontation. This forces Justine to confront the horrific reality of her actions and the potential loss of her only genuine connection outside her sister. The tension between them becomes unbearable, culminating in a violent struggle where Justine, driven by an uncontrollable hunger and a desperate need, attacks Adrien, biting him. The scene is raw, visceral, and terrifying, showcasing the complete breakdown of her inhibitions and her descent into pure instinct.

In the aftermath of the attack on Adrien, Alexia takes drastic measures to protect Justine, leading to a violent and desperate struggle between the sisters. In the chaos, Alexia is severely injured. The parents, summoned by the school after the escalating incidents, arrive to a scene of utter horror. The mother, seeing Alexia's grievous condition, immediately understands the full extent of what has transpired. In a shocking and disturbing revelation, the father pulls down his shirt, exposing a vast network of scars covering his chest and back – undeniable evidence that he too has been a victim of cannibalism, implying a deeply unsettling family legacy. He quietly explains to Justine that she needs to learn to control herself, suggesting that this condition is an inherited trait, a curse passed down through generations. The mother, with a chillingly calm demeanor, then gently tends to Alexia, revealing a profound and disturbing understanding, and even acceptance, of their daughters' cannibalistic nature.

The film concludes with a chilling sense of unresolved tension and a disturbing implication for Justine's future. Adrien is recovering from his injuries, physically scarred but emotionally traumatized by the experience. Justine is left to grapple with her inherited cannibalism, no longer alone in her secret, but now burdened with the full knowledge of her family's dark history. The final, haunting shot of Justine looking at herself in the mirror, then turning to look at her father, who is now fully revealing his scarred body to her, suggests a coming-of-age not into conventional adulthood, but into a monstrous legacy. Her journey of self-discovery has led her to embrace, or at least accept, the most primal and taboo aspect of her identity, forever changing her perception of herself and her place in the world. The film ends not with a resolution, but with a beginning – Justine's grim acceptance of her true nature, and the terrifying prospect of learning to live with it, under the guidance of her equally afflicted parents.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Garance Marillier as Justine
• Ella Rumpf as Alexia
• Rabah Naït Oufella as Adrien
• Joana Preiss as Mother
• Laurent Lucas as Father

Crew:

• Director: Julia Ducournau
• Writer: Julia Ducournau
• Producer: Jean-Christophe Reymond
• Cinematographer: Ruben Impens
• Editor: Jean-Christophe Bouzy
• Composer: Jim Williams

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: May 14, 2016 (Cannes Film Festival)
• Language: French
• Genre: Horror, Drama, Body Horror, Coming-of-age
• Running Time: 99 minutes
• Accolades: FIPRESCI Prize (Cannes Film Festival), Best First Feature (London Film Festival), European Discovery (European Film Awards), Critics' Week Grand Prize (Cannes Film Festival), multiple other awards and nominations.