Write a paragraph or two in response to each of the following prompts:
My first question should never be a surprise anymore. What’s the significance of the title “Raw”? What are additional meanings of this word that we might apply to the film? You should also know that the original French title for this film is “Grave,” a word which has a similar, secondary meaning in English, but does not refer to a tomb or a place to bury a body. In French, “grave” means serious or grave in the sense of “a grave situation.” Do you think the English title is apt or appropriate? How does it change the sense of the film from a more literal translation?
What commentary does “Raw” offer on social codes, norms, and mores? What does it mean to become an outcast or a social pariah? Why is this film set at a veterinary school during the week when first year students are hazed and initiated? How does that setting inform our understanding of what happens in the film?
Compare and contrast this film to one of our previous horror selections in terms of how it represents family relationships and family dynamics. What does “Raw” suggest about parent-child interactions and about sibling relations?
Much of the impact of this film derives from its use of body horror, gore, and “gross out” scenes; however, the main focus of the film seems to be an exploration of perverse or non-traditional desires and appetites. What does this film ultimately want to say about desire?
Professor Chuck 