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Directors’ Fortnight Unveils 2026 Lineup With ‘Butterfly Jam’ Opening and ‘Le Vertige’ Closing

The slate signals a discovery‑first program with global range that has already drawn Neon pre‑buys.

Overview

  • Directors’ Fortnight, which announced its 2026 slate Tuesday, will present 19 features and nine shorts from May 13–23 alongside the Cannes Film Festival.
  • Kantemir Balagov’s English‑language drama Butterfly Jam opens the section, and Quentin Dupieux’s animated Le Vertige serves as the closer.
  • The selection was drawn from about 1,800 submissions and includes six debut features plus three documentaries and three animated films.
  • Neon pre‑bought U.S. rights to the Esiri brothers’ Clarissa and to the Greaves documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem, pointing to early buyer interest.
  • The independent Cannes sidebar, known for launching new voices and for Caméra d’Or‑eligible debuts, will honor Claire Denis with its Carrosse d’Or.