by Alex Billington
May 12, 2026
It’s time to dive into the world of cinema once again. The 79th Festival du Film de Cannes has officially begun. A boat load of critics & filmmakers are back in the South of France this May for yet another cinema celebration in the sun on the Mediterranean coast. It’s always so warm and wonderful. The next 12 days in Cannes are dedicated to discovery and storytelling as film lovers from around the world dive into screenings and conversations of all kinds. This is my 16th year attending and covering the Cannes Film Festival in France – to celebrate my 14th year in 2024, I gave away 4 copies of Matt Singer’s excellent book “Opposable Thumbs”. This year I’m just happy to be back, ready to start watching, excited to discuss all these new films. The big conversation in 2026 seems to be “where are the major Hollywood movies in the line-up?” and you know what – I don’t care! I come to Cannes to find great films no matter where they come from, no matter who made them, no matter how big or small the budget is… Just show me something amazing. I want to sit back and watch and rave about the films that deserve to have as much attention as any Hollywood movie. And these below are my first set of films I recommend watching out for in Cannes. I cannot wait to see them.
Aside from these 6 films below, there are so many others I’m looking forward to watching: The Dreamed Adventure (dir. Valeska Grisebach), Full Phil (dir. Quentin Dupieux), Fjord (dir. Cristian Mungiu) with Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, Fatherland (dir. Paweł Pawlikowski) a big Palme d’Or possibility with Sandra Hüller, The Man I Love (dir. Ira Sachs) with Rami Malek and Rebecca Hall, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (dir. Jane Schoenbrun), Paper Tiger (dir. James Gray), All the Lovers in the Night (dir. Yukiko Sode) based on Mieko Kawakami’s book. I also want to see ALL the animated films this year: Tangles by Leah Nelson, Jim Queen and the Quest for Chloroqueer by Marco Nguyen & Nicolas Athané, Lucy Lost by Oliver Clert, In Waves by Phuong Mai Nguyen, We Are Aliens by Kohei Kadowaki, Iron Boy by Louis Clichy, Viva Carmen! by Sébastien Laudenbach, plus Quentin Dupieux’s strange animated film called Vertiginous (Le Vertige in French). I trust Cannes and believe they choose some of the strongest films each year for us to enjoy. There’s plenty of intriguing films found in the selection this year, many discoveries from first time filmmakers and creations from up-and-coming talent, so let’s go.
Here are my 6 most anticipated films premiering at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival I am ready to watch:
Hope – Directed by Na Hong-jin
I’ve been following Korean director Na Hong-jin’s career over the last two decades across multiple film festivals. I saw his very first film The Chaser at Fantastic Fest in 2008, along with his follow-ups The Yellow Sea and The Wailing at other festivals years later. He’s been playing around in various thriller and horror genres, but now he’s trying his hand at sci-fi and I couldn’t be more excited. I also love that we have no idea what this film is really about and no one knows what we’re in for before the festival begins. The mysterious cast features Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender, and Taylor Russell, though the main Korean cast is lead by Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon. The only brief synopsis so far sets up the tantalizing premise: In the remote village of Hope Harbor, near the heavily fortified DMZ in Korea, when a tiger (hmmm but is it a tiger??) is suspected to have appeared and local police chief Bum-seok is alerted, it throws the community into chaos. But what begins as a local emergency soon spirals into a deeper, more terrifying mystery, one that forces the town’s residents to confront the unknown. Oh I’m ready to watch this.
All of a Sudden – Directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
He is already considered one of Japan’s greatest contemporary filmmakers, but he has yet to win the Palme d’Or in Cannes. This might just be his year. Even at a gargantuan runtime of 3 hours & 16 minutes, everyone is looking forward to this one. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (of Drive My Car, Evil Does Not Exist, Asako I & II) returns to Cannes with his latest film shot & set in Paris (the French title is Soudain which translates to Suddenly but the English title is All of a Sudden). Two scholars exchange letters about chance & risk. As the philosopher falls ill, their correspondence evolves into intimate discussions on mortality and a deeper connection forms between them. Co-written by Hamaguchi & Léa Le Dimna, it’s loosely based on the book You and I – The Illness Suddenly Get Worse by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono. And it stars two wonderful actresses: Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto. The concept of them bonding & discussing philosophy, life, death while strolling around Paris captured by Hamaguchi’s lens seems like the perfect recipe for something truly memorable. I will happily sit through all 3+ hours of this and report back on my thoughts and feelings.
The Unknown – Directed by Arthur Harari
I’m very curious about this film and how provocative it might be –stirring up conversations. It’s the third feature directed by French writer / filmmaker Arthur Harari (who co-wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Anatomy of a Fall) and there’s many reasons it sounds enticing. It shot right up to the top of my Most Anticipated when I came across some early quotes from actress Léa Seydoux. The film is about a reclusive photographer named David Zimmerman (played by Niels Schneider) who, after a one night stand with a beautiful woman he notices at a party, wakes up to discover he’s now inside of her body. It’s a body switch / sexual identity film (which reminds me of the brilliant Your Name) which is already compelling. And this is what Seydoux had to say about playing this role –a man inside of her body: “It’s the first time a director has decided to write a role specifically for me, after seeing me in a film. I play a man trapped in a woman’s body. It’s exhilarating as an actor to be so deeply immersed in invention.” This is one of those “just have to go see it and find out what it’s all about” films playing in Cannes this year – I’ll be there at the very first screening.
Coward – Directed by Lukas Dhont
I’m a BIG fan of Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont and I think any complaints about his previous films are absurd (I’ll happily defend him any day!). He has a distinct eye and a gorgeously cinematic style unlike any other filmmaker out there right now. I’m ready to watch his latest, even if it’s another depressing war film, but I have a feeling it’s going to be an entirely unexpected story. It follows a few young men fighting in The Great War (aka WWI). Here’s the intro: As the First World War drags on, Pierre, a soldier newly arrived at the front, is eager to prove himself. Behind the lines, he meets Francis, who decides to lift the spirits of his comrades by putting together a theatre show. While the violence continues, both try to find ways to escape the brutality of war, even if only for a moment. The cast features a set of unknown young actors. The rest of it will be a discovery when this film premieres late in the second half in the Main Competition this year. The score to Lukas Dhont’s Close film before this is one of my all-time favorites. Composer Valentin Hadjadj is back again with a new score for Coward and I cannot wait to hear it (then listen to it over & over & over).
The End Of It – Directed by Maria Martínez Bayona
An indie sci-fi film set in the near future? I’m sold! I’m always excited for any original new sci-fi playing at film festivals. But this one has an especially intriguing premise: In a near-future world where ageing can be cured and death is now optional, Claire, a former provocative artist approaching her 250th birthday, decides she’s had enough – she wants to die. Her decision causes some conflicts with her husband, her daughter, and an AI assistant, revealing the humorous complexity of their relationships. As Claire uses her impending death to reclaim her role as an artist, she is forced to face what it really means to die, to live, and the messy absurdity of it all. It’s both written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Maria Martinez Bayona making her feature directorial debut following up an award-winning short before this (titled Mia). The End Of It also features an impressive cast lead by Rebecca Hall as Claire, Noomi Rapace, Gael Garcia Bernal, & Beanie Feldstein. This isn’t playing in the Main Competition and was added late in the Cannes Premiere section but I don’t care – I’m very excited to watch it and follow the story anyway. Keep an eye out for this.
Flesh and Fuel – Directed by Pierre Le Gall
Another one that I’m intrigued by just because of the intro in the festival guide. I have a very good feeling it’ll be a worthwhile discovery. Flesh and Fuel is playing in the Critics Week sidebar section (Semaine de la Critique), where I’ve been finding some of the best indie gems in the past few years. The original French title is Du Fioul dans les artères (which translates directly to Fuel Oil in the Arteries instead) which is a bit more powerfully romantic considering the story at the heart of this film. Flesh and Fuel is directed by French filmmaker Pierre Le Gall, making his first feature film, following the story of two gay middle-aged truck drivers who meet on the road & fall in love with each other. One is a goofy Polish truck driver named Bartosz, played by Julian Świeżewski, the other is a shy, quiet French truck driver named Étienne, played by Alexis Manenti, who is the main character the film follows. Considering there have been many superb LGBTQ films at Cannes over the years, including Pillion and Portrait of the Lady on the Fire and Carol and Viet and Nam and The Blue Caftan and Joyland, this absolutely seems like one to seek out at the 2026 fest.
For ALL of Alex’s Cannes 2026 updates: follow @firstshowing on X or @firstshowing on Letterboxd 📽️
I invite you to please follow along as I make my way from screening to screening at #Cannes2026, watching films from all kinds of different countries, catching up with friends and colleagues. And please make sure to follow updates, read reviews, and keep an eye on all of the film critics / journalists in Cannes this year. One thing I love about this festival is that it brings us all together! We fly in to be here at the same time. There’s different voices, different takes, different kinds of coverage, different reviews, always more to read, always more to consider. As strange as it is to say this out loud, I do love arguing about films here! Sometimes it’s fun to have a healthy debate, sometimes it’s fun to disagree about a new film, sometime it’s interesting to think about what someone else saw in a film, and how their interpretation is different (or similar). Festivals should always be about this kind of intriguing discussion, encouraging a vivacious discourse, where any/all voices can participate in the conversation about cinema. Thankfully the Cannes Film Festival is a beautiful place where conversations happen on every street, in bars, in restaurants, in apartments, and yes even in queues for the next screening. I’m ready to start watching, dedicating myself fully to two full weeks of films.
You can follow all of my Cannes 2026 coverage and reviews right here and on my Letterboxd with ratings and thoughts posted daily. I’m also still on Twitter @firstshowing. The festival begins on May 12th and runs until May 23rd, and I’ll be watching as much as I can while the films are still playing on the screens in town.
