Nearly twenty years after Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days, Cristian Mungiu claimed a second Palme d'Or at the Festival de Cannes with Fjord. Shown in official competition at the 79th edition, the drama led by Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve arrived in French theaters on 19 August 2026. The film is slated for digital purchase on 17 December 2026, followed by a VOD rental on 21 December 2026.
The film follows the Gheorghiu, a devout Romanian-Norwegian couple who settle with their children in a village at the end of a fjord. They quickly grow close to their neighbors, the Halbergs, while the children from both families form bonds of their own despite very different upbringings. That balance is upended when bruises are discovered on Elia, the eldest Gheorghiu daughter.
The suspicion surrounding the origin of these injuries is increasingly spilling beyond the family circle. The traditional upbringing administered by the Gheorghiu family to their children is being challenged by the school and the wider community, confronting divergent notions of family, faith, and parental authority. The story thus places cultural and moral differences at the center of a situation where everyone must decide where the line lies between personal beliefs and protecting the child.
Fjord marks a new chapter in the long story of Cristian Mungiu at Cannes. The Romanian director had won his first Palme d'Or in 2007 with 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Beyond the Hills went on to earn him the Screenplay Award in 2012, while Cosmina Stratan and Cristina Flutur shared the Best Actress prize. In 2016, Graduation took home the Best Director prize.
Initially announced among the films of the Cannes Film Festival 2026 competition, Fjord has finally earned the filmmaker a second Palme d'Or. The film also picked up the Ecumenical Jury Prize.
On screen, Sebastian Stan plays Mihai Gheorghiu opposite Renate Reinsve as Lisbet Gheorghiu. Alin Panc, Lisa Loven Kongsli, and Christian Rubeck also appear in the cast. A European co-production centered on the Norwegian landscape and society, Fjordst hits French theaters on August 19, 2026.
To discover the rest of this month's new releases, check out our guide to December 2025 VOD releases, our pick What to watch today on streaming? and the action films and blockbusters to discover.
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