by Alex Billington
May 16, 2026
DJ Night Shift is taking the world by storm! One of the many surprises at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival is this delightful discovery playing in the Un Certain Regard section. Club Kid is the feature directorial debut of actor / filmmaker Jordan Firstman, and it’s such a fantastic story of growing up in the big city. It plays a bit like Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon (a highly underrated film) but with way more cocaine & clubbing. I don’t want that comparison to be awkward, because both films are amazing and both are about these shaggy guys spending time connecting with a young kid and learning from him. Club Kid really hit the sweet spot. It’s a totally adorable and funny and uplifting tale of growing up. Infused with an authenticity and honesty that few films ever capture so effortlessly. Firstman wrote and directed and stars in this and, whether or not it’s his own personal story doesn’t matter, it’s just a damn good film that is moving in its earnestness. It left me feeling so emotionally happy because not only is the film itself terrific but it’s once again a potent reminder that as flawed as we all are, we’re all capable of loving & being loved. And love really can move mountains.
Jordan Firstman is a New York actor and filmmaker who has made a few short films before this along with TV. But with Club Kid he sets a whole new precedent for what he’s capable of. The tenderness, the openness, the cleverness, all of it comes together so wonderfully in this story. Firstman plays Peter, a drug-addicted gay party promoter who lives in a rent controlled apartment and gets wasted all day / every day with all his party scene friends. A decade flies by until one day someone shows up at his door with his son – a 10 year old British boy named Arlo, played by newcomer Reggie Absolom. Apparently he was so wasted he forgot he slept with this woman at a party but after she decided to “leave the club” her friend brought him over for Peter to take care of instead. The title is a double entendre: Peter is a “club kid” himself who has never really grown up and even though he’s almost middle aged, he’s barely a fully functioning adult. Then Arlo takes a liking to the scene and tries his hand at DJing, showing up at a few parties as DJ “Night Shift” become a club kid as well. However, Peter is also beginning to realize it’s time for him to grow up and become a real dad. He needs to get clean and work through his (past and present) issues & laziness to become a better person.
All of this sounds rather strange typed out, but it works wonders on screen. I am so moved by this story and this kid and what they go through together and how perfectly (an impressive feat) the film balances all the humor and heart and seriousness so well. Arlo is wonderful, as is Peter, and together they’re so endearing to watch. His friends are hilarious, even if they’re mostly druggies or party addicts, they offer additional levity. Cara Delevingne plays one friend who he organized parties with but then grows apart from over the years as she isn’t able to get clean either. This whole film is a major directorial debut that shows Firstman is not only capable of telling a good story, but he’s sensitive and understanding and compassionate. And above all he’s honest – showing all the rougher, idiotic, and problematic sides of Peter on screen. He’s not perfect but instead of pretending to be someone who is suddenly able to get it all together, he’s growing up bit by bit, admitting and accepting his flaws. And his relationship with Arlo is the best part of this story. I enjoyed how it shows them creating an online playlist together as part of their bonding. It’s an easy to watch film that will be even more enjoyable revisiting it. Firstman’s Club Kid will remain on my mind well beyond the festival.
Alex’s Cannes 2026 Rating: 9 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
