11 films from Cannes Film Festival 2026 you need on your watchlist

The Cannes Film Festival is almost over, and as usual, it’s showcased a fantastic lineup of new movies. It’s widely considered the most important film festival of the year.

I was fortunate enough to attend the festival this year representing TopMob. Over seven days, I saw 26 films, plus two others I had previewed beforehand.

Before the festival started, people were talking about how fewer big American movies were being shown compared to past years. However, there was still a lot of great cinema to enjoy.

I watched movies from all over the world – France, South Korea, Morocco, Costa Rica, and many other places. Most of them were really interesting, and a few were even exceptional, though there were a couple that weren’t very good.

The festival is famously busy, and you’ve probably heard it gets a lot of enthusiastic reactions – standing ovations are incredibly common. I even saw people applaud just the festival’s logo at almost every movie screening!

Here are 11 of my favorite moments from the festival. Just a note: a few big movies, including ‘The Man I Love,’ premiered after I had already left, so they aren’t included.

Here are some of the most promising films and shows I recommend adding to your watchlist before they become available in the UK.

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1. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma

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Jane Schoenbrun quickly gained a reputation for making captivating and surreal films with their first two features, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow. Their third film as writer and director delivers on that promise, meeting – and even exceeding – expectations.

I just saw Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, which kicked off the Un Certain Regard section at the festival, and wow – everyone’s already calling it a future cult hit! The film is clearly inspired by classic slasher movies, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s definitely one to watch, and I can see why people are so excited about it.

The movie features Hannah Einbinder, known from “Hacks,” as a young, openly queer director tasked with reviving a classic slasher series called “Camp Miasma.” She visits the original film’s last surviving heroine, played by Gillian Anderson, at the location where the first movie was filmed.

This film is a captivating and imaginative journey that blends fantasy and reality. It thoughtfully examines themes of art, who we are, sexuality, longing, and feeling like an outsider. It’s a consistently interesting and frequently hilarious movie, filled with striking visuals, beautiful production design, and plenty of playfully shocking violence.

Read our full Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma review

2. Hope

South Korean director Na Hong-jin’s previous film, the critically acclaimed horror movie The Wailing, came out ten years ago. His new movie is a departure from that earlier work, exploring a different kind of genre.

This movie stands out from most films at the Cannes Film Festival – it’s a fast-paced, action-packed blockbuster about a terrifying creature. The story unfolds in a village near the heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) when a mysterious threat attacks.

Despite a few noticeable issues with the special effects, the movie is wildly fun and bizarre enough to make up for them.

The film features a primarily Korean cast, including Hwang Jung-min and Jung Ho-yeon of Squid Game. It also stars Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, who are almost completely transformed in their roles.

Read our full Hope review

3. Fjord

Romanian director Christian Mungiu, who previously won the top prize at Cannes for his 2007 film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, teamed up with Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan – both recent Oscar nominees – for his latest project. This new film, set in Norway, delivers on the high expectations created by that impressive combination of talent.

I was completely captivated by this story – it’s a really intricate and thought-provoking look at what happens when Lisbet and Mihai Gheorghiu move from Romania to Norway with their five kids. It’s not just a fascinating thing to talk about, but a truly compelling drama that really draws you in. It made me think a lot about the moral complexities of their situation.

The new neighbors are friendly at first, though a bit wary. However, the family’s strict religious beliefs quickly cause tension with those around them. Things escalate when someone at the local school makes accusations of child abuse, leading to child services removing the children from their home – accusations that may not be true.

This is a captivating story that raises difficult questions. Director Mungiu uses realistic dialogue and subtle filmmaking techniques – like extended shots and thoughtful camera positioning – to fully immerse the viewer in the unfolding events. The result is a powerfully engaging film – a thought-provoking exploration of cultural conflict that challenges without resorting to exaggeration.

Read our full Fjord review

4. Fatherland

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Pawel Pawlikowski, a highly respected director, had a lot of buzz around his new film at the festival. It’s a captivating movie that shares themes and ideas with his previous acclaimed films, Ida and Cold War, effectively completing a thematic trilogy.

This beautifully crafted film tells the story of acclaimed German novelist Thomas Mann (played by Hanns Zischler) and his daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller) on a journey through post-war Germany in 1949. They travel to events recognizing the author in both West and East Germany, which was recently divided.

Throughout their travels, the film frequently shows the duo driving through landscapes scarred by bombed buildings and damaged infrastructure. It argues that, less than four years after the end of Nazi rule, Germany wasn’t just physically devastated, but its people were also deeply wounded emotionally and morally.

The actors give outstanding performances. Though the film is short – just over 80 minutes – it’s a powerfully moody story that stays with you long after it ends.

Read our full Fatherland review

5. All of a Sudden

While the film’s title, ‘Fatherland,’ might seem understated, the movie itself is anything but. This captivating new work from Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi (known for ‘Drive My Car’) is a masterful and immersive experience that unfolds over a remarkable three hours.

Virginie Efira gives a beautiful performance as the head of a care home in Paris. She meets a Japanese writer, Mari Morisaki, and they develop a strong connection when she discovers Mari is seriously ill.

This film is a moving and subtly powerful story about the importance of kindness and connection between people. It delivers this message without feeling overly sentimental or precious.

I’m continually amazed by Hamaguchi’s gift for writing dialogue. He creates these long scenes where characters just talk, but they’re never boring or feel like they drag on – it’s honestly incredible and keeps building on what I already think is a really impressive body of work.

6. Tangles

Leah Nelson’s first feature film is a powerful and impressive debut. It screened as a special selection at the festival and stood out as one of the highlights.

This moving story depicts Alzheimer’s disease through the experiences of nineteen-year-old Sarah. Just as she’s settling into life in San Francisco, she discovers her mother is ill, and the film follows their journey based on Sarah Leavitt’s personal graphic novel.

The film features beautiful animation, mostly in black and white. Vibrant colors appear during particularly creative and dreamlike scenes, offering a glimpse into what Sarah is thinking and imagining.

The film boasts an excellent cast, with standout performances from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Abbi Jacobson, and Seth Rogen. It’s a truly successful movie – deeply moving, yet filled with moments of genuine beauty.

7. Minotaur

Andrey Zvyagintsev, the Russian filmmaker behind the acclaimed 2017 film Loveless, hadn’t directed a new movie for several years, partly because he was seriously ill with Covid. He recently returned to the Cannes Film Festival with a highly praised, dark, and unsettling film exploring corruption in Russia.

This film is a modern Russian update of the 1969 classic, ‘The Unfaithful Wife,’ which also served as the basis for the 2002 film ‘Unfaithful’ starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere. It’s a thoughtful and often stark movie that slowly builds tension to a satisfying conclusion, all set against the current political landscape in Russia.

Andrey Zvyagintsev, currently based in France, filmed his latest movie in Latvia because its strong criticism of the Russian government would have prevented its production in Russia. The film is a powerful, emotionally charged work that has a good chance of winning the festival’s highest award.

8. Club Kid

Jordan Firstman, a comedian who gained popularity creating videos on Instagram Live during the pandemic, has made a splash with his first film as director. It’s become a major success at the festival, selling to A24 for a remarkable $17 million.

It’s no surprise this film sparked a bidding war! It’s a funny, feel-good story about a man who used to be a big partier who unexpectedly learns he has a son he never knew existed. Firtsman plays the lead role.

Once Firstman’s character unexpectedly becomes the primary caretaker, a series of funny situations unfold as he tries to balance his carefree life with the demands of being a dad. He soon discovers that being a father is far more fulfilling than he ever expected.

9. Everytime

I was completely surprised and impressed by the film Everytime, and it was a standout for me at this year’s festival. Austrian filmmaker Sandra Wollner, who also wrote and directed The Trouble With Being Born, created a film that I’d say was the best I saw at Cannes. It screened in the Un Certain Regard section.

The film centers on the aftermath of a teenage girl’s preventable death, showing how her mother, sister, and boyfriend cope with the devastating loss and try to rebuild their lives.

This film is a deeply moving and beautifully shot exploration of grief that takes an unexpected turn as it ends. It’s strangely captivating and emotionally powerful, and like the film Aftersun (which shared the same cinematographer, Gregory Oke), it’s stunningly beautiful and will stay with you long after the credits roll.

10. The Unknown

This quirky film, a unique take on the body-swap genre, was shown as part of the official selection. It’s the third feature film from director Arthur Harrari, who also helped write the 2023 Palme d’Or-winning film, Anatomy of a Fall.

The film features Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider as a couple affected by a strange phenomenon: after each sexual encounter, they switch bodies. This leads to a lot of thought-provoking questions about who they really are.

While the movie occasionally feels a bit slow or wanders off track, it’s generally a very captivating and interesting film, largely thanks to the excellent work of its two main actors.

11. Words of Love

This film, from the Un Certain Regard selection, tells the story of a teenager’s often unsuccessful attempts to connect with the father she’s never met.

Despite sounding like a heavy drama, this movie is actually a cheerful and hilarious comedy. A lot of the laughs come from the wonderfully quirky supporting characters, like her brother who’s obsessed with perfume, and a fantastic dog named Vanilla.

This movie isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s hard to beat when it comes to warmth and simple fun. It’s genuinely touching without being overly sentimental or saccharine.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about movies for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time, he’s interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.

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2026-05-22 17:37

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