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At Cannes, Arthur Harari’s ‘The Unknown’ Wins Praise for Seydoux as Critics Debate Pacing and Gender Themes

Early Cannes reviews signal strong acting alongside concerns about pacing and gender themes.

Overview

  • Premiering in Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the film has secured a planned theatrical rollout from NEON.
  • Critics single out Léa Seydoux’s performance and the unsettling mood, noting Tom Harari’s stark camerawork and Andrea Poggio’s piano-led score.
  • Several reviews describe a long run time reported between about 137 and 146 minutes and say stretches feel slow or meandering.
  • The story centers on a sexually transmitted entity that causes partners to swap bodies, which the film uses to explore identity and memory without explaining the mechanics.
  • Reviewers are divided on the handling of gender distress, with many noting the script avoids naming transness and leaves interpretation open.