Alpha

Love leaves a mark.

Maverick French filmmaker Julia Ducournau (RAW, TITANE) returns to the body-horror genre with her latest film ALPHA, which made its debut in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. When 13-year-old Alpha (Mélissa Boros) is tattooed with a dubious needle at a party, she’s suspected of contracting an illness that turns people to stone. After turning our stomachs with cannibalistic coming-of-age debut Raw and making mechanophiliac magic with her Palme d’Or-winning follow-up Titane, body-horror queen Julia Ducournau returns with Alpha — a melancholy meditation on grief, heavily influenced by the AIDS epidemic.

“‘Alpha’ is more evidence of [director Julia] Ducournau’s genius for evocative imagery and striking compositions, but it also suggests she’d benefit from boundaries to push against.” (New York Magazine / Vulture)

Far less extreme than the French filmmaker’s previous work, Alpha is Ducournau dialled down, with its exploration of immigrant families, the destructive nature of drug addiction and Alpha’s struggles at school making it the most grounded in reality of her films. (Empire Magazine)

“Alpha is an inherently vulnerable film, no gross-out moments or big body horror showstoppers for us – or Ducournau – to hide behind. Alpha is as thorny as her previous two features, but there’s something lonely and longing here too.” (Little White Lies)

Thursday, March 26
Doors: 8:45 pm | Film: 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE

Sunday, March 29
Doors: 8:45 pm | Film: 9:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE

ALPHA (Julia Ducournau | 2026 | 128 mins | PG)  When 13-year-old Alpha (Mélissa Boros) is tattooed with a dubious needle at a party, she’s suspected of contracting an illness that turns people to stone.


*Minors OK. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK for any single film only. Please redeem at the door.
*We recommend purchasing your tickets in advance at www.riotheatretickets.ca. If a screening or live event is not sold out, the remaining tickets will be available for in-person purchase at the Rio Theatre’s Box Office prior to showtime (subject to availability).
*Our box office is typically open 30 minutes before showtime. All seating is General Admission; please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure great seats, and time for treats at concession.

*All Rio Theatre tickets are final sale. No refunds or exchanges.

Alpha, a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.

About The Rio

Voted the #1 Independent Theatre in Vancouver, the Rio Theatre is a multimedia venue featuring arthouse, mainstream and cult-classic cinemas as well as live entertainment. Built in 1938, the Rio has been fully restored with a state of the art digital projector, surround sound, a huge stage and 420 luxurious seats.

1660 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Phone: 604.879.3456

Info Line: 604.878.3456

Email: info@riotheatre.ca

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