Episode Description

Cannes 2026 just wrapped, and Zef is joined by producer Cole Howard to break down the films, winners, distributors, and festival buzz coming out of the world’s most prestigious film festival.

They discuss this year’s Palme d’Or winner FJORD, Christian Mungiu’s new family drama starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, along with some of the biggest films on their watchlists, including James Gray’s PAPER TIGER, Na Hong-jin’s HOPE, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ALL OF A SUDDEN, Nicolas Winding Refn’s HER PRIVATE HELL, and A24’s buzzy CLUB KID.

Zef also shares stories from attending Cannes in 2014 and 2019, including seeing WINTER SLEEP before it won the Palme d’Or and attending the Cannes premiere of THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL.

The conversation also touches on NEON’s incredible run as a distributor, Cannes standing ovations, Korean cinema, long movies that earn their running time, recent Palme d’Or winners, director commentaries as film school, and why Cannes still matters as the ultimate launchpad for world cinema.

Films discussed include: FJORD, PAPER TIGER, HOPE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, HER PRIVATE HELL, CLUB KID, WINTER SLEEP, THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, TITANE, ANORA, PARASITE, ANATOMY OF A FALL, TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, SHOPLIFTERS, MY COUSIN VINNY, TWO LOVERS, WE OWN THE NIGHT, AD ASTRA, THE WAILING, MEMORIES OF MURDER, CITY OF GOD, and more.

Hosted by Zef Cota & Cole Howard