Is 2026 Sandra Hüller’s year?

by Cláudio Alves

PROJECT HAIL MARY, Chris Lord & Phil Miller | © Amazon MGM Studios

One of the most widely loved and acclaimed films in the first half of 2026 has been Project Hail Mary. Personally, I didn’t fall head over heels for Lord and Miller’s Andrew Weir adaptation, though one element did earn some adoration. After all, how can you not love Sandra Hüller doing her damnedest to add dimension and dynamism to her scenes, elevating what could have been an exposition machine into the picture’s most arresting presence? The moment when she belts out Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times” in a most fatalistic going-away party is enough to justify the admission price. Give this German thespian a mic and a pop tune, and you’ll get instant movie magic. Toni Erdmann fans remember!

Honestly, 2026 is shaping up to be Sandra Hüller’s year, even more than 2023 already was. With that in mind, consider some Berlinale musings, Cannes news, and Venice speculation, after the jump…

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The Film Fest Triple Crown: Who's Next?

by Cláudio Alves

Juliette Binoche's jury made history when they gave Jafar Panahi the Palme d'Or.

One month ago, Jafar Panahi took the Palme d'Or at Cannes for It Was Just an Accident and thus became the fourth director to win top honors from the Croisette, the Berlinale, and the Venice Film Festival. The Iranian master joins the ranks of Henri-Georges Clouzot, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Robert Altman. However. If you exclude ties and those cineastes who won two prizes for the same film, then Panahi and Antonioni are in an exclusive club of two. Inspired by Eric Blume's musings on the Triple Crown of Acting – Oscar, Tony, and Emmy – I started to ask myself what other filmmakers are close to achieving the same Palm, Golden Lion, and Bear combo. Who's next? The answers might surprise you…

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Cannes Diary 09: Un Certain Regard Winner "The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo"

by Elisa Giudici

The freshly crowned winner of Un Certain Regard at Cannes, is one of several films this year to allegorically reimagine the trauma of the generation lost to AIDS, Diego Céspedes' debut feature is set in 1982 Chile. Céspedes envisions a tavern frequented by trans women who challenge and seduce the rugged local miners. These miners, despite formally opposing their presence, seem unable to resist their allure. Flamingo is the drag queen mother to the film’s young protagonist, who is raised by a vibrant collective of performers and sex workers known by animalistic names like Mama Boa, Spider, and Flamingo herself, whose gaze is said to hold an almost spellbinding power. Tragically she has already been touched by "the plague," the epidemic that also ravages the miners...

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Cannes Diary 08: Queer Cinema Highs & Lows

by Elisa Guidici

Straight couples and monogamous relationships seem to be an endangered species at this year's Cannes Film Festival, especially in the sidebar sections. We've seen a wealth of films centered on queer love stories, set in a more open and aware contemporary world. Yet, this world often still struggles with a perspective that doesn't immediately stiffen when behavior is framed as "deviant." Unfortunately, mere representation doesn't equate to consistent quality. To summarize the spectrum seen here at Cannes, let's dive into the most exciting film and the most disappointing currently tackling these themes...

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Cannes at Home: Let's Wrap This Up!

by Cláudio Alves

The heart yearns for Bi Gan's RESURRECTION.

So, while there may still be some Cannes-related articles to come at The Film Experience, it's time to say a belated goodbye to another edition of Cannes at Home. I hope you've enjoyed this look into past works from the batch of directors who just vied for the Palme. This year, Saeed Roustaee was one of the last auteurs to take their bow at the Croisette, presenting his Woman and Child to mixed reviews that still made sure to highlight the film's cast. Bi Gan brought experimental verve to the competition with Resurrection, which took home a Special Jury prize. I won't lie, despite Panahi's Palme, this genre-hopping Chinese epic about the senses of cinema is my most anticipated title from the fest. Then came the Dardennes' Young Mothers, winner of this year's Best Screenplay award. And as the last competition title, Thierry Fremaux programmed Kelly Reichardt's 70s-set heist drama The Mastermind, with Josh O'Connor in the lead. 

For our homebound festival, let's revisit Roustaee's Life and a Day, Bi Gan's Long Day's Journey Into Night, the Dardennes' Tori and Lokita, and Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff…

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