Species (Imagine Film Fest 2026) French burn out, body horror style

While body horror is intrinsically linked to David Cronenberg, there are interesting things being done with the subgenre outside of the Canadian filmmaker. Some of the past decade’s more interesting examples come from French women directors. Just look at how Julia Ducournau used it to discuss identity and coming-of-age through cannibalism in 2016’s Raw, to bring alive themes of trauma and parenthood in 2021’s Titane, and to highlight unconditional love and subsequent pain brought by family in 2025’s Alpha. There is also 2024’s The Substance, where Coralie Fargeat approached an ageist cycle of Hollywood beauty standards through Oscar-winning effects work. Taking the baton is co-writer/director Marion Le Corroller, making her feature debut with Species (known in its original language as Sanguine), a body-horror work which is unconnected to the series starring Natasha Henstridge as an alien seductress.

The film opens in Bloody Burger, a fast-food restaurant with a high-paced speed as employees fulfil orders in a fast turnaround. While this unfolds behind the scenes, an employee on the till greets customers with a large smile and an eager attitude. The situation turns sour when a customer demands a burger that has been discontinued, refusing to move as his attitude becomes hostile. It leaves the employee’s big smile to contrast with a pained look in his eyes, as the threat of losing his job adds unnecessary stress to the situation. All of a sudden, the employee snaps and goes on a violent rampage before taking his own life. His face is then shown across consecutive Employee of the Month photos, with the panning camera showing a gradual transformation across each framed photo.

Viewers are then introduced to Margot (Mara Taquin), who is beginning her role as a young intern at the country’s most competitive E.R. She reports to Professor Virgile (Karin Viard), known professionally for training the best young doctors, while those working under her describe her less favourably as “the devil”. As multiple patients around Margot’s age begin arriving with strange symptoms, the new intern soon finds her own body starts undergoing alarming transformations.

FOR MORE ON SPECIES (SANGUINE) AND IMAGINE FILM FEST, CLICK THE POSTER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REVIEW

There is a manic energy to the opening which the rest of the film cannot replicate, but it offers a sense of where the story will go. As viewers witness the unfolding horrors, a blind eye is turned to any signs that help is needed, or potential ways to stop things growing worse. Burn out is deemed an acceptable outcome in this environment which prioritises results, no matter what sacrifices must be made. As the interns are pitted against each-other, with a constant looming reminder of a board with their rankings, it feels like we are watching a slow-moving car crash. There is a reasonable chance this will claim at least one casualty, with this easily preventable outcome being brushed under the rug with claims about how unavoidable it was.

With such work-related pressures, it’s no wonder that Margot finds herself under such intense stress. She was driven to enter this field following her mother’s death by misdiagnosis, wishing to help others where her mother was failed. However, she is working against the high expectations of a demanding superior with little sympathy. What she’s enduring is reflected in a patient, who prioritises her work success over the health of herself and her baby. Key to this protagonist is an effective performance by Mara Taquin, conveying a desire to help others while her empathy drowns amidst a prioritisation of speed.

What’s been brought alive is a critique at the stressful environment which Gen Z are expected to work in, with their mental health being considered acceptable casualties under late-stage capitalism. This is magnified through the use of body horror, brought alive with stellar practical effects throughout, and a standout moment involving somebody giving birth. It makes for an effective work, but one that is not as scathing as it could be. The critiques could use more regular attempts at deeper exploration, instead of heavy-handed images such as Margot being rushed along seconds after zipping up a deceased patient’s body bag. Despite that, this is a solid beginning to a new filmmaker’s promising career.

JAMES’S ARCHIVE – SPECIES (SANGUINE)