‘Alpha’ Review: Squalor And Sublime Performances Dominate Julia Ducournau’s Follow-Up To Palme d’Or Winner ‘Titane’ – Cannes Film Festival

Julia Ducournau, best known for her haunting *Titane*, returns to the Cannes Film Festival with *Alpha*, an eerie tale set in a desaturated underwater nightclub where a 13-year-old girl caught between family dysfunction, a deadly virus, and societal expectations navigates her chaotic world. The film’s director crafts a gripping mix of genre elements, family drama, and apocalyptic undertones, but its confusing timeline and performances by Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, and Mélissa Boros make it a standout watch despite its flaws.