----------Warning: This article may contain spoilers!

Directed by Julia Ducournau, Titane is a 2021 French-Belgian film starring Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon (whose performance is particularly powerful). Ducournau made history with this film, becoming the second female director to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, nearly thirty years after Jane Campion. 

The film centers on Alexia, a woman with a titanium plate in her head due to a childhood car accident. As an adult, she works as a showgirl at motor shows, exhibiting an intimate connection to cars, even becoming pregnant by one as the film suggests that her unusual bond with cars stems from that titanium plate in her head. "Titane" presents a surreal, but tries to have a realistic narrative, rooted in vivid imagery that can be interpreted as mechanical personality disorder and body dysmorphia within the film's universe but seems as only valid for the protagonist. Accepting this unconventional premise is crucial for fully appreciating the film. 

Early on, Alexia is revealed to be a serial killer who brutally murders those who cross her path. When one of her killings attracts intense scrutiny from the authorities, she realizes she must flee to avoid capture. In a desperate attempt to escape, Alexia radically alters her appearance, breaking her nose, cutting her hair, shaving her eyebrows, and binding her chest tightly to pass as a boy. She tries to impersonate the identity of Adrien, a boy who went missing years ago, and is taken in by his father, Vincent, a fire captain. Vincent is a deeply troubled man, struggling with body dysmorphia presumably due to the presence of younger and fitter subordinates, leading to steroid addiction. His family also has fallen apart, and he clings to the hope that his son has returned, thus, despite obvious inconsistencies, Vincent accepts Alexia as Adrien. As the film progresses, these inconsistencies become more apparent, yet Vincent lives in denial, clinging to the belief that his son has returned. The relationship between Alexia and Vincent develops, with Alexia eventually embracing her new identity. As suspicions about Alexia arise and more people begin to realize she is not Adrien, the film sharply pivots away from the mystery and focuses entirely on their character development and relationship. Vincent openly states that he does not care about the inconsistencies, and no further development or any continuum on the crime investigation is shown.

In the climax, Alexia displays a sexual interest in Vincent but also reaches the final stages of her pregnancy. She even reveals her real name to Vincent, who helps her during childbirth. Tragically, Alexia dies during the birth, her titanium skull splitting open in her final moments. The film concludes with Vincent holding Alexia's baby, who has a titanium spine, might suggest that he will not be alone despite Alexia's death.