Recently, I watched the 2021 film Titane by French director and screenwriter Julia Ducournau, also known for works such as Raw. While watching this movie, I couldn’t help but notice all the themes and symbolism that, as a trans person, speak to our experiences with gender dysphoria using the often utilized concept of body horror that transgender filmmakers have found to be a useful tool in expressing the uglier side of transitioning.

This movie is honestly very insane, with it being about a woman named Alexia who has a titanium plate installed in her head, becomes a serial killer, and gets impregnated by a car — and yes, you read that sentence correctly. All this happens in the first half of the film.

What is established early on is that Alexia is distant with both of her parents, and, after murdering them along with three other people, is discovered and has to go on the run. Upon seeing a police sketch of herself next to an aged-up photo of a boy who went missing resembling her, Alexia decides to modify her appearance to pose as the missing teen. The transformation scene is brutal, with the process involving Alexia breaking her nose on a restroom sink. Alexia also uses binding tape through out the film to hide her pregnancy and breasts, a process that is shown to be more painful looking the farther along she is in her pregnancy. I feel as though this along with other scenes speaks on how painful transitioning truly is, yet despite this pain and discomfort we still go forth with it to live our truth.

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We are also introduced to Vincent, the father of Adrian the missing teen, who is convinced that Alexia is his son. He is an aging fireman who cares deeply for his supposed son and assures him that he will do anything to protect him, and in his mission to do so, injects steroids to remain strong, but has begun developing an immunity to them. At first, Alexia is concerned about Vincent’s overbearing nature and tries to leave, but after Vincent overdoses on steroids, Alexia successfully attempts to revive him, and from then Alexia accepts her chosen family. Throughout the film, Vincent begins to let go of his need to control his body, coinciding with his growing acceptance of Alexia/Adrien for who they are regardless of gender: there are many cues, like Vincent catching Alexia trying on a dress and seeing her exposed breasts, assuring her that he accepts her no matter who she is.

Though not directly stating whether Alexia identifies as trans masc, Titane relies more on subtext. I’d argue Alexia/Adrien is nonbinary rather than trans: while accepting parts of their identity as Alexia/Adrien, they also embrace femininity when trying on the dress and near the end of the film when they dance in front of the rest of the fire crew.

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