Julia Ducournau Receives 11-Minute Ovation at Cannes for Poignant New Film ‘Alpha’

May 20,2025: Palme d’Or-winning director Julia Ducournau made a triumphant return to the Cannes Film Festival with the world premiere of her deeply emotional and socially charged new film, Alpha. Known for her shocking 2021 body horror Titane, Ducournau’s latest feature trades visceral violence for psychological depth, tackling themes of disease, fear, and isolation through a fictional epidemic inspired by the AIDS crisis.

The Cannes audience greeted Alpha with rapturous applause, culminating in a powerful 11-minute standing ovation. The response was particularly moving for the cast, some of whom were seen wiping away tears as the lights came up.

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Walking the red carpet alongside Ducournau were her principal cast members: Melissa Boros (in her breakout role as Alpha), Golshifteh Farahani, Tahar Rahim, and Emma Mackey. The screening was also attended by Cannes jury president Juliette Binoche and actress Vicky Krieps, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Set in the 1980s, Alpha tells the story of a troubled 13-year-old girl who is shunned by classmates after rumors spread that she has contracted a mysterious new illness. The situation spirals when she returns home one day with a strange tattoo, sending her world—and that of her single mother (Farahani)—into freefall. The film also features Rahim as Alpha’s uncle, a drug user infected with the virus, adding further complexity and rawness to the narrative.

While Alpha is less graphic than Titane, it retains Ducournau’s signature emotional intensity and commentary on bodily autonomy and social alienation. Described as “AIDS-coded horror”, the film blends genre elements with a haunting realism that resonated deeply with audiences.

Produced by Jean des Forêts and Amélie Jacquis of Petit Film, alongside Eric and Nicolas Altmayer of Mandarin & Compagnie, with Frakas Productions co-producing, Alpha boasts a stellar supporting cast including Finnegan Oldfield and Louai El Amrousy.

Neon holds the distribution rights for North America, while Charades and FilmNation Entertainment are handling international sales. Alpha marks Ducournau’s first feature film since Titane, and is set for a U.S. theatrical release this fall.