It lands in theaters this week after premiering at a major festival, a year marked by standout debuts from Martin Scorsese, Robin Campillo, and a biopic exploring the life of swimmer Diana Nyad starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
Moon Killers
Martin Scorsese reunites two legendary performers for the first time in Moon Killers. The film dives into the abuses faced by the Osage Nation in Oklahoma a century ago, a tragedy that paved the way for the oil lands to be claimed. Based on a novel by David Grann and drawing on real events, the plot follows a string of murders against Osage people and marks one of the FBI’s earliest high-profile investigations. Moon Killers places crime, power, and investigative drama at the center of its narrative, while foregrounding the historical context that reshaped American law enforcement. Moon Killers is presented as a sweeping, character-driven investigation into a dark chapter of U.S. history, with performances that anchor the emotional weight of the story. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Red Island
French director Robin Campillo reflects on childhood in Madagascar through Red Island, a drama set on a late colonial African island during the 1970s. Campillo’s fourth feature follows the journey of a community embedded in a historical moment, carrying the ache and resilience of people navigating change. The Cannes premiere featured a strong ensemble led by Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Spanish actor Quim Gutiérrez, with standout craftsmanship recognized during the festival’s jury awards. Red Island continues Campillo’s tradition of intimate storytelling framed by broader social shifts. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Animal Kingdom
In a world reshaped by rapid mutation, one man fights to protect the person he loves as a mysterious affliction threatens to transform humanity. The cast centers on Romain Duris, Paul Kircher, and Adèle Exarchopoulos, delivering a powerful drama directed by Thomas Cailley. Opened in Cannes with the Un Certain Regard section and later honored for spectacular visual effects at Sitges, Animal Kingdom blends genre elements with a human-centred narrative about love, risk, and survival. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Heritage
Lisa Mulcahy returns to feature filmmaking with a period thriller about a young woman who confronts the consequences of her father’s death and squeezes through life under her uncle’s control. The drama anchors its tension in a tightly drawn cast led by Agnes O’Casey, adapting the Gothic atmosphere of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Uncle Silas. The story unfolds on a secluded Irish farm, where secrets accumulate behind closed doors. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Nyad
Olympic swimmer Diana Nyad remains a beacon of endurance as the film Nyad chronicles her historic Cuba to Florida swim. The production stars Annette Bening with Jodie Foster and Rhys Ifans in supporting roles, portraying Nyad’s relentless pursuit of a record-setting feat. This Netflix production will have a limited theatrical release before arriving on the streaming platform on November 3. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Forbidden Game
Hideo Nakata, renowned for Ring, returns with The Forbidden Game, a ghostly story that shifts between terror, humor, and melodrama. Shown at Sitges with a career-spanning honorary award, the film follows a television reporter who visits a former colleague’s home after the death of his wife and encounters a boy reciting poetry under a spell of mysterious magic in a garden. From that moment, the inexplicable begins to unfold. Attribution: Sitges Festival.
My Other Jon
Paco Arango unveils a science fiction comedy about Merche, a terminally ill 77-year-old woman who decides to live her remaining days with intensity and transfers her consciousness into the body of a Basque truck driver named Jon. The film continues Arango’s pattern of blending humor with human compassion. As with his earlier projects, proceeds are directed to charitable causes that support children with cancer and disaster relief through dedicated foundations. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Lucky Road
Debut filmmaker Jorge Alonso presents a story about a 75-year-old man who seeks shelter in his hometown after his wife’s passing. He quietly waits for his turn as a best friend guards his back, shaping a tender, bittersweet meditation on friendship and aging. The cast includes Tito Valverde and María Jesús Sirvent, with Sirvent marking her directorial debut and Valverde continuing a decades-spanning collaboration. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Conversations About Hate
Argentine writer-director Vera Fogwill adapts a stage work into a screen confrontation, pairing Cecilia Roth with Maricel Álvarez in a dialogue that probes motherhood, friendship, happiness, and illness. Roth embodies a bereaved, controlling woman who shelters an actress she once mentored, turning the scene into a tense social drama that exposes the limits of fear and power. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Vermeer: The Biggest Exhibition in History
Following a historic European run, a documentary on the Vermeer Rijksmuseum retrospective gathers 28 of the Dutch master’s 37 paintings from the 17th century. This exhibition-focused film traces the significance of Vermeer’s work and the cultural impact of his art, anchored by a major international collection. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Bidasoa 2018-2023
Fermín Muguruza, a filmmaker and founder of pivotal Basque groups, delves into the continued consequences of border policy in the documentary Bidasoa 2018-2023. The work examines how immigrant movements were affected by police actions along the Bidasoa River and border controls in 2018, offering a timely meditation on displacement and policy. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
You Can Do It in That House
A Galician, black-and-white drama follows Manuel, a man whose sharp intellect has faded, who lives with his dog and rarely leaves home. An unexpected trip to the city to find a veterinarian introduces him to Paula, and their encounter grows into a poignant exploration of friendship in isolation. With a core team including Manuel Manquiña and Paula Chaves, the film captures a quiet, intensely human moment in contemporary cinema. Attribution: Cannes Festival.
Mom, There’s Only One
Jesús García directs a documentary compiling testimonies from six mothers about motherhood under social pressures. The film presents a candid portrait of joy and challenge, revealing diverse experiences of parenting across different families. Attribution: Cannes Festival.