“Binary”

“Binary,” directed by David-Jan Bronsgeest, is a visceral and visually stunning exploration of identity, body horror, and the complex journey of self-acceptance. Set against an abstract, neon-lit backdrop, the film delivers a unique cinematic language that’s both captivating and unsettling.

The film tells the story of Nisha (Inaya Zarakhel), a trans woman preparing for gender-affirming surgery. As the day of the procedure approaches, she begins experiencing disturbing physical and emotional episodes that haunt her at an increasingly alarming rate. As Nisha struggles with the physical transformation she desires, the film manifests her internal fears and external pressures in the form of a scaly-skinned demon that begins to possess her.

It’s a thoroughly bizarre fusion of psychological thriller and body horror, and Bronsgeest taps into deep, thought-provoking themes of gender and self-identity while packing in shocking moments of violence and supernatural dread. This is a weird movie to be sure, and it’s rich with more literary-minded metaphors than you’d expect to find in a story about demonic possession.

I do feel the need to stress that the film does not shy away from disturbing content. It deals with Nisha’s emotional trauma, physical abuse, and the fetishization of her identity as a Pakistani immigrant and exotic dancer in the Netherlands. It’s a terrifying yet oddly cathartic story of bodily change and societal alienation told through an existential horror lens (and with a very specific trans angle to boot). This is a film that delivers on its promise to provoke, and it’s challenging to stick with a story that’s designed to make the audience feel as uncomfortable as possible.

The film is gorgeous to look at, with neon lighting and stark contrasts that add to the surreal, nightmarish quality of Nisha’s world. The aesthetic choices amplify the intensity of the deeply personal story.

“Binary” offers a fresh, unsettling narrative that makes the most of its body horror and psychological thriller elements. If you are able to hang on until the end, you’ll be rewarded with a bold, disturbing, provocative, and beautifully rendered piece of indie cinema.

By: Louisa Moore