Raw (2016)

"Slathered in queasy, confrontational imagery and coal-black humour, Julia Ducournau’s accomplished debut feature Raw would make a thematically snug trilogy of sorts with Claire Denis’ Trouble Every Day and Marina de Van’s In My Skin, both elegant, taboo-obliterating studies of feminine bestial urges that society at large would preferably not acknowledge, let alone explore in such horrific detail."

"A French-Belgian horror film that combines flesh eating with the horrors of college hazing to spin a loopy parable of abstinence and indulgence, bingeing and purging."

"A deliciously fevered stew of nightmare fuel that hangs together with a breezily confident sense of superior craft."

"Raw is a film with things to say about body image, finding your identity as a woman and adapting to life as a grown-up."

"An exceptionally classy-looking movie about deeply horrifying behaviour."

"Like Interview with a Vampire's rat biting and Pulp Fiction's hypodermic needle, this is a film that left some audience members reeling."

"Ducournau is an example of what should be happening but isn’t in New Zealand screen development."

"Even the weak of stomach should actually try to brave the brutal brilliance of Raw."

"One hell of an experience, and one hell of a fiery debut."

"As well as all the nastiness, this is a thoughtful, insightful film that's deeply fascinating."

"Ducournau, making a stellar feature writing-directing debut, fosters the kind of disquieting intimacy with her characters that leaves us continually uncertain of whether we should fear them or fear for them."

"It's rare to see such confidence in a first feature, yet Ducournau seems to know where she's going at all times..."

"Goes outside the norm of what we would consider body horror."