The exceptionally gifted Justine (Garance Marillier) wants to become a vet like everyone else in her family. During a cruel initiation ritual at her veterinary school, the strict vegetarian is forced to eat raw meat. This has dangerous consequences that confront Justine with her true self. She develops insatiable cravings for meat which change her life forever.
Raw is a film about growing up, about institutional pressure and social aggression, about discovering one’s body and about the sexual awakening of a disturbed teenager who has to assert herself and navigate her way through all of these hurdles. To reflect these coming-of-age perplexities in a visually powerful way, Julia Ducournau draws on elements from the horror genre in her impressive debut film. In cannibalism, the director finds a radical metaphor through which she tells the story of a young woman whose body takes on a life of its own. Ducournau is interested first and foremost in the anthropological and moral aspects of cannibalism, such as the question of what actually defines being human. Personally, she sees the film as a coming-of-age narrative about the personal development of her young protagonist and her experiences of exclusion and loneliness. The role of Justine is superbly interpreted by Garance Marillier who succeeds in conveying the fine balance between isolation, fear of one’s own body and awakening desire. Rarely has growing up been portrayed in a film in such an aptly disturbing way. Raw has been celebrated at international festivals and received the FIPRESCI Award in Cannes. (SH)

As part of »ifs-Begegnung« Gender & Diversity

In cooperation with internationale fimschule köln.

Film Series Kaleidoscorpse

Awards for ›Raw‹ (Selection)
FIPRESCI Prize – Director’s Fortnight, Cannes Film Festival 2016 | Winner First Feature Film Competition – London Film Festival 2016 | Best Foreign Film – Chicago Independent Film Critics Awards 2017 | Best Feature – Monster Fest 2016 | Explore Award – Ghent International Film Festival 2016