Kantemir Balagov’s New Jersey-set drama Butterfly Jam, starring Barry Keoghan and Riley Keough, will open the 58th edition of Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
It is among 19 features, selected from 1,800 submissions, and nine short and medium-length works announced on Tuesday by the parallel section for its 2026 edition running from May 13 to 23, alongside the Cannes Film Festival.
Butterfly Jam revolves around a teenager growing up in New Jersey’s Circassian community, with dreams of becoming a wrestler, whose life takes an unexpected turn when one of his father’s misguided schemes goes wrong.
It is exiled Russian director Balagov’s first English-language feature after his 2019 Cannes breakout Beanpole.
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It is produced by Alexander Rodnyansky’s AR Content, Pascal Caucheteux’s Why Not Productions (Emilia Pérez) and Goodfellas, which is also handling sales.
Artistic Director Julien Rejl and his team have delivered one
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