Alpha is a 2025 French drama with body-horror elements set across the 1980s and 1990s. The film is written and directed by Julia Ducournau.
The main cast includes Tahar Rahim, a young actress playing Alpha (age 13 in the 1990s timeline), and other principal players around the single mother and uncle.
The story follows a mother, her teenage daughter Alpha, and the return of the daughter’s ill uncle during a mysterious, contagious epidemic that causes a slow, marble-like transformation; it premiered at Cannes in May 2025 and opened in France theatrically in August 2025. This guide follows our standard Cineparenting format and draws on previous parents guides for structure and tone.
Alpha Age Rating
Alpha is rated R by the MPAA for drug content, sexual material, strong language, and some underage drinking. The R rating is assigned because the film depicts drug addiction and related paraphernalia, contains sexual material tied to adolescent curiosity and boundary-testing, uses frequent strong profanity, and shows minors in party situations that include alcohol.
These elements combine with intense emotional scenes and body-transformation imagery to create mature, potentially distressing moments. Parents should expect a raw, uncompromising tone throughout the film that is intended for adult viewers.
Violence & Peril
Violence in Alpha is not primarily about gore but about bodily horror and decay. The film’s central threat is a fictional, contagious disease that slowly turns victims’ skin and bodies into marble-like substance until they crumble; those transformation scenes are eerie and unsettling rather than cartoonish. There are also moments of physical deterioration, hospital care, and the visible consequences of serious illness, which create sustained tension and dread. The atmosphere can be claustrophobic and emotionally intense, with scenes that may frighten sensitive viewers.
Language
Alpha contains frequent strong profanity, including repeated use of the f-word and other harsh expletives. Characters speak bluntly in heated, emotional exchanges, and the tone is adult throughout. There are no indications that ethnic or racial slurs are a central focus, but the language level is high and meant for mature audiences. Expect coarse speech in scenes of confrontation, grief, and anger.
Mature Themes
The film explores heavy themes: addiction and its consequences, contagious illness and stigma, grief and caregiving, social rejection, teenage rebellion, and family trauma. The fictional epidemic functions as an allegory for real-world illnesses and the social consequences they bring, so the emotional subtext can be intense and resonant. Sexual material is present in ways tied to teenage exploration and adult relationships; nudity is not the central feature, but sexual situations and suggestions appear and may be explicit in tone. There are depictions or references to drug use and past addiction, and at least one minor is shown in party contexts with alcohol, which contributes to the MPAA reasons.
Is Alpha Suitable for Teens?
Ages 10–12: Not suitable. The film’s body-horror imagery, heavy emotional themes, and depictions of illness and social ostracism are likely to be frightening. Scenes depicting disease-related deterioration and the adult tone make it inappropriate for preteens.
Ages 13–15: With guidance, but generally not recommended. While the protagonist is 13 in the film, the subject matter—addiction, sexual material, strong language, and realistic portrayals of illness and stigma—are mature and may be upsetting. If a parent considers allowing viewing, they should pre-screen and be prepared to discuss the film’s allegory and emotional content.
Ages 16–17: Caution advised. Older teens may be able to process the film’s themes and symbolism, especially if they have context from discussions about epidemics, stigma, or family caregiving. However, the intensity, adult language, and sexual material mean viewing is best when accompanied by a conversation with a parent about the film’s themes.
Final recommendation: Rated R — intended for adults. Parents should screen Alpha first and decide based on their teen’s maturity and sensitivity to illness-related imagery, strong language, and scenes involving drugs and underage drinking.
What Parents Can Do
- Watch first and judge sensitivity: Preview Alpha before allowing any teen to watch. Note specifically any scenes involving bodily transformation, drug paraphernalia, or sexual situations to decide what your teen can handle.
- Talk about the allegory and history: Explain that the film uses a fictional disease as a metaphor for real-world epidemics, stigma, and how societies treat sick people. Use this to discuss empathy, history, and the harms of ostracism.
- Prepare discussion points: After viewing, ask about feelings the film raised, what they understood about caregiving and addiction, and help separate metaphor from literal fact to process trauma or fear.
Official Trailer
FAQs
Q: What is Alpha’s official MPAA rating?
A: Alpha is rated R by the MPAA for drug content, sexual material, language, and some underage drinking.
Q: Is Alpha appropriate for teens?
A: Generally no for younger teens; older teens may watch with parental guidance and after a parent previews the film.
Q: Are there scary or gory scenes?
A: The film’s frightening moments come from sustained body-transformation imagery and deterioration; it’s eerie and unsettling rather than gore-for-gore’s-sake.
Q: Does Alpha contain drug use or addiction themes?
A: Yes. A central character is a recovering/former drug user and the film includes depictions or references to drug use and paraphernalia.
Q: Is there sexual content or nudity?
A: Sexual material and suggestive situations are present, tied to teen exploration and adult relationships; the tone may be explicit at times.