Five Must-See Films from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
At the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, five standout films emerged from a quieter edition with fewer Hollywood blockbusters. Cristian Mungiu's thriller follows a Romanian-Norwegian couple whose children are seized by Norwegian child protection services after their eldest daughter arrives at school with bruises. Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur' depicts a provincial CEO in 2022 Russia forced to draft expendable staff into the army while his wife has an affair. Jordan Firstman's 'Club Kid' is a feel-good comedy about a party boy who discovers he has a 10-year-old son. Quentin Dupieux's nightmare comedy stars Kristen Stewart as a woman whose eating causes her father's stomach to balloon. Rafiki Fariala's 'Robert' follows a teenage Congolese refugee in Bangui who dreams of becoming a singer. A24 acquired 'Club Kid' after a bidding war.
Key facts
- The 2026 Cannes Film Festival had fewer Hollywood blockbusters.
- Cristian Mungiu's thriller involves a Romanian-Norwegian couple losing custody of their five children.
- Mungiu previously won the Palme d'Or in 2007 for '4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days'.
- Andrey Zvyagintsev's 'Minotaur' is set in 2022 Russia and features a CEO drafting staff into the army.
- Zvyagintsev's last film was 'Loveless', which won the Jury Prize at Cannes.
- Jordan Firstman's 'Club Kid' stars Reggie Absolom as a 10-year-old son.
- A24 acquired 'Club Kid' after a heated bidding war.
- Rafiki Fariala's 'Robert' is set in Bangui, Central African Republic.
Entities
Artists
- Cristian Mungiu
- Sebastian Stan
- Renate Reinsve
- Vanessa Ceban
- Andrey Zvyagintsev
- Dmitriy Mazurov
- Iris Lebedeva
- Jordan Firstman
- Reggie Absolom
- Quentin Dupieux
- Kristen Stewart
- Woody Harrelson
- Charlotte Le Bon
- Emma Mackey
- Rafiki Fariala
- Bradley Fiomona
Institutions
- Cannes Film Festival
- A24
Locations
- Cannes
- Romania
- Norway
- Russia
- Ukraine
- New York City
- Paris
- Bangui
- Central African Republic