Alpha is a 2025 body horror drama film written and directed by Julia Ducournau. Starring Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, Mélissa Boros, Emma Mackey, Finnegan Oldfield and Louai El Amrousy, it follows a teen girl who, after returning from school with a tattoo, is feared to have contracted a new lethal bloodborne disease.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on 19 May, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the acting, especially Rahim's performance, but criticized the screenplay. It was theatrically released in France by Diaphana Distribution on 20 August 2025, and in Belgium by O'Brother Distribution on 3 September.
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Plot
Alpha, a rebellious 13-year-old, lives with her single Berber mother, a doctor who helps patients afflicted with a blood-borne disease that slowly turns the infected into marble. In the present, Alpha receives a stick and poke tattoo with her friend, Adrien. Alpha's tattoo becomes infected, and her mother becomes concerned that she may have contracted the disease. Alpha's uncle, Amin, moves into their home to become sober from heroin, and the two connect. However, he soon relapses and overdoses, but is resuscitated by Alpha's mother. Alpha's grandmother believes that the "Red Wind" is causing his condition.
