I’m a sucker for films that dare to go over the limits of violence and grotesque situations. Titane is one of those films.

Director Julia Ducournau is known for bizarre films that have darkness or unexplained disturbing moments. Her previous film Raw (2016) went above and beyond with violence and even cannibalism. But in addition to the shock value, Ducournau’s films are realistic masterful presentations.

Titane is set in France and the main character is Alexia, played by Agatha Rousselle. Alexia was in a car accident at a young age, she has a titanium plate in her head, and she is short-fused, aggressive, violent, and a serial murderer. After committing a crime Alexia goes on the run, and to hide her identity she cuts off her hair and changes her appearance to make herself look like a man. She is mistaken as the son of a man named Vincent, played by Vincent Lindon. The son, Adrien, has been missing for a decade.

Vincent is a drug abuser with some strange obsessions, and the interplay between these two bizarre characters is brutal. Indeed, the shock value of Titane is so strong and the film so brilliant that it won the 2021 Palme d’Or, the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Titane is certainly an intense film, and I loved it. It may be one of the top films of 2021 for me, and I was totally sold on it. I’m sure many others will be as well. I give Titane four stars.