Animalia

Coming from a modest rural background, Itto (Oumaïma Barid) is now pregnant and living with her exceedingly wealthy husband (Mehdi Debhi) and his family in director Sofia Alaoui’s sensational Animalia. When strange events begin to occur, separating Itto from her husband and stranding her in a small village, she finds herself stuck between two worlds. As she works to reunite with her family, events take a supernatural turn, which may be the work of something divine.

From the opening moments of the feature, Alaoui and cinematographer Noé Bach demonstrate a keen eye for detail through static shots of the family’s decadently furnished home. The elegance and meticulous organisation of everything in the frame contrast sharply with the rundown hotel room and barren deserts she later finds herself in. The gulf between the elite and lower classes is further distinguished through language. While the in-laws speak in French as a mark of privilege, those whom Itto encounters talk in Arabic or her native Berber. She must constantly move between each social sphere to get by, though she’s never fully accepted by either.

The tension gradually increases when Itto is first left on her own. It’s not clear why her husband was prohibited from returning, but it’s evident that something strange is underway. These suspicions are only heightened when she notices the weird behaviour of a stray dog she befriends, which may be possessed by a malevolent presence. It’s hard to shake the feeling that something is seriously off. However, a kaleidoscopic moment of euphoria and beauty witnessed in the countryside alludes to something even grander at play. Alaoui deploys abstract imagery to hypnotic effect here, combining serene visuals with Amine Bouhafa’s mesmerising score to create spellbinding cinema.

After this point, the focus shifts from extraterrestrial to existential. The ensuing events cause Itto to question not just what class she belongs to, but where humanity exists on a cosmic level. The exploration of these questions is profound yet subtle, with dialogue only ever suggesting possible interpretations for what could be taking place. Even the intentionally vague conclusion refuses to give anything away.

Atmospheric and consistently compelling, Animalia is an intelligent and visually striking foray into existence and classism from Alaoui.

Andrew Murray

Animalia is released in select cinemas on 12^th December 2025.

Watch the trailer for Animalia here: