The Tamesis
Admittedly, the 2026 Cannes Film Festival was a bit quieter than previous editions, with no Hollywood blockbusters, middling offerings from esteemed directors, and some real head-scratchers. But of the 24 films I saw on the Croisette during my week (including 15 of the 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or), there were five that I couldn’t stop thinking about: thrilling thrillers, raucous comedies and exhilarating coming-of-age epics. These are the releases you need to keep an eye on in the coming months.
fjord
Photo: Cannes Film Festival
The only film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival that really struck me as truly shocking was former Palme d’Or winner Cristian Mungiu’s icy thriller about a couple: Romanian Mihai Gheorghiu (a completely transformed Sebastian Stan). ) and his Norwegian wife Lisbet (the always excellent Renate Reinsve), who move their five children to the remote fjords of the latter’s homeland. As temperatures drop and snow piles up, the seemingly idyllic landscape becomes more sinister: the community that initially embraces the new family becomes increasingly wary of their devout Christianity. When their eldest daughter Elya (Vanessa Seban) arrives at school with strange bruises, assumptions are made that all five children will be quickly separated from their parents under Norway’s strict child protection laws.
There are no clear heroes and villains in the fight to regain custody – Mungiu offers clear assessments of the tortured Georgius, and especially the creepy Michael, whose harsh, rigidly disciplinarian approach to the children is unlikely to change. At the same time, those who carry out these bureaucratic procedures may appear heartless, but they are also simply trying to do their jobs in a country where adults can sue the state for not adequately caring for their children. The film is filled with extraordinary footage, heartbreaking performances, and our contemporary perspectives on immigration, parenting, progressive values, and negotiating cultural differences. It’s a forensic, complex slow burn that may be flawed, but its staying power is unparalleled. Mungiu, who won the festival’s top prize in 2007 for her Romanian abortion drama 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 daysmay get more award glory this time.
