Raw
Short description
Justine comes from a family of veterinarians who are also strict vegetarians, and at sixteen she is a gifted student about to enter veterinary school, where her older sister Alexia is already enrolled. During her first week, a hazing ritual forces the incoming students to eat raw meat, and Justine gives in for the first time in her life. The experience sets off consequences she cannot control, and she finds herself drawn into a decadent, merciless and seductive world as something in her nature begins to surface. The film follows that struggle between the principles she was raised on and the appetite awakening in her.
Raw is the first feature directed by Julia Ducournau, who also wrote the screenplay, following her earlier short Junior and preceding Titane and Alpha. Garance Marillier plays Justine, with Ella Rumpf as Alexia, Rabah Nait Oufella as Adrien, and Laurent Lucas and Joana Preiss as her parents. The production, mounted across Belgium, France and the United States, had a budget of about four million dollars and returned roughly three million at the worldwide box office.
On IMDb the film holds 6.9 out of 10 from around 96,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7 out of 10 from roughly 3,500 votes. A critics' rating of 7.9 out of 10 from 201 reviews places it noticeably higher among reviewers than among general audiences.
What's left behind the scenes
- Garance Marillier repeatedly failed to convincingly portray "withdrawal." Eventually, on the director's advice, she watched the corresponding scene from Danny Boyle's film *Trainspotting* (1995) and finally managed to get into character.
- Garance Marillier could not convincingly portray withdrawal symptoms. Then, on the advice of the director, she watched the corresponding scene from the film 'Trainspotting' and finally managed to get into character.
- At the screening at the Sitges Film Festival, the film caused laughter and enthusiastic applause.
- The film was shown on Russian television under the title 'Taste of Flesh.'
- The film's title can be translated as "Serious." At the end of the film, the protagonist's father tells her: "Everything is very serious."
- The original French title of the film, "Grave," can be translated as "Serious." At the end of the film, the protagonist's father tells her: "Everything is very serious."
- The 'raw chicken' that Justine takes out of the refrigerator and eats was made of sugar. Actress Garance Marillier admitted that her attitude towards chicken has not changed, but she no longer touches sweets.
- During a screening of the film at the Gothenburg Film Festival, several viewers vomited, and several others fainted. Over 30 people left the hall before the film ended. The screening had to be interrupted several times due to the commotion and buzzing in the auditorium.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
