Raw

Raw

Year: 2017

Runtime: 99 min

Language: French

Director: Julia Ducournau

DramaHorror

A sheltered veterinary student named Justine is drawn into a disturbing and sensual world while attending school. She’s confronted with the harsh realities of her family’s unusual traditions and values. After tasting raw meat, Justine experiences a profound crisis of identity, as her repressed desires and true nature begin to emerge. This unsettling journey forces her to question everything she believes about herself and her place within her family and society.

Raw (2017) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Raw (2017) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the austere halls of a renowned veterinary school, Justine steps into a world that feels both familiar and foreign. Raised in a sheltered household and committed to a vegetarian lifestyle, she arrives eager to follow in the footsteps of her older sister while confronting the legacy of the parents who first met on these very grounds. The campus pulses with the promise of rigorous study, yet it also drips with an undercurrent of tradition that hints at something far more primal beneath the surface.

The atmosphere is a blend of academic precision and unsettling ceremony, where new students are gently ushered into rituals that echo the family’s unconventional customs. Alexia, already entrenched in the school’s rhythm, becomes both a guide and a reminder of the hidden expectations that have long shaped their family’s identity. Alongside them, Adrien, a candid and supportive roommate, offers a different perspective, his presence brightening the corridors while also exposing Justine to emotions she has never permitted herself to explore.

As Justine navigates lectures, labs, and lingering whispers of the past, an unexpected appetite begins to surface, unsettling the foundations of her self‑image. The cravings she once dismissed as fleeting thoughts swell into a visceral longing, pulling her toward a darker, more instinctual side that clashes with her cultivated morals. This internal turbulence awakens dormant desires, stirring a sensual tension that forces her to question the boundaries between discipline and impulse.

The tone of the story is deliberately disquieting, weaving together sensuality, dread, and the stark beauty of a world where the line between humanity and animal instinct blurs. Justine finds herself at a crossroads, caught between the comforting expectations of her family and the unsettling truth that her true nature may be far more complex—and far more compelling—than she ever imagined.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:53

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about repressed desire and self-discovery like Raw

Stories where a hidden, primal nature violently breaks through a controlled existence.If you liked Raw's exploration of a hidden cannibalistic nature, you'll find similar movies here. These films follow characters confronting a brutal, repressed part of themselves, often tied to family secrets, leading to a visceral identity crisis. They share a dark, intense tone and a heavy emotional weight.

unsettlingcarnalbody horroranxiousdisturbingclaustrophobicsensualbrutal

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread follow a protagonist living by a set of rules, only to have a trigger event unleash a suppressed part of their identity. The conflict is internal as much as external, as they grapple with desires they find abhorrent but undeniable, leading to a transformation that is both liberating and damning.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on the violent clash between societal conditioning and innate, often monstrous, instincts. They create a specific mood of body horror and psychological unease, using a steady, escalating pace to build towards a profound and usually bittersweet or bleak acceptance of a new, darker self.

Movies about dark family secrets and legacy like Raw

Chilling tales where uncovering a family's truth leads to a horrifying self-realization.Find movies similar to Raw that explore the horror of inherited traits and family secrets. These films focus on characters whose sense of self is destroyed by the discovery of a brutal family legacy, leading to a visceral crisis and a transformation they cannot escape.

claustrophobicanxiousdisturbingunsettlingbrutalgothicdreadinherited trauma

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character, often young and naive, entering a new environment or undergoing a rite of passage that unveils a horrific truth about their lineage. The story becomes a battle between rejecting this inheritance and succumbing to it, with the climax often involving a painful acceptance of their fate.

Why These Movies?

This grouping is defined by the central theme of a monstrous birthright and the psychological terror of becoming what you fear. The movies share a claustrophobic, anxious mood, a high intensity stemming from inescapable fate, and a tone that is unflinchingly dark and devoid of easy answers.

Unlock the Full Story of Raw

Don't stop at just watching — explore Raw in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Raw is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Raw Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Raw, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Raw Summary

Raw Timeline

Track the full timeline of Raw with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Raw Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Raw

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Raw. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Raw

More About Raw

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Raw: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Raw