Julia Ducournau’s Titane is a remarkable film about human connection and the way reaching out to another person can reconnect us to our own humanity, helping us heal from trauma and loss. Of course, connection and healing don’t mean that the past is suddenly erased. Ducournau understands that consequences are still very real and uses body horror throughout the film to graphically illustrate the idea that the consequences of Alexia’s actions – the ways she has hurt and damaged and destroyed other lives – don’t magically disappear as she begins to heal and reconnect to others – as she reconnects to her own humanity. With all of the trauma and hurt and pain Ducournau’s characters have suffered, there are these constant attempts to transform the body – to make an aging body young and virile once more, for another to close herself off from feelings and become one with a machine – all physical responses deep trauma and loss. Ducournau is also interested in exploring ideas of looking and being seen – the leering men and potentially abusive father, then the very different gaze of the accepting father substitute – and the camera alters (its movement, its position, its perspective) according to who is looking and who is being seen. And to top it all off, there’s the grim humor throughout – our signal that we’re not meant to take the murder and mayhem onscreen literally (it’s all representative of the film’s deeper themes and concerns) and which helps us build our empathy toward Alexia, a protagonist who commits horrific acts of violence. Like Ducournau’s previous film, there are so many layers to keep exploring and uncovering – this is a rich film that will certainly reward many future viewings.