Variety broke the news that the Fantastic Pavilion is ready to once again host seven gala screenings at the Olympia Cinema in Cannes. From May 12 to 18, the Fantastic Galas program will spotlight international genre filmmaking, with a strong emphasis on horror, thrillers, and dystopian narratives. The selection blends emerging voices with established genre players, positioning the Fantastic Pavilion’s sidebar as a curated showcase of globally-minded, market-ready titles.
The Convent (El convento, Ángel M. Chivite, Luis Galindo, Spain-Italy-Uruguay) – May 12
“Two young women enter a convent in the mid-18th century. Behind the apparent tranquility of religious life, they discover that mysteries and horrors will turn their lives into nightmares.”
Hinter (Britt Falardeau, USA) – May 13
“Deaf stand-up comedian Harold Foxx leads an atmospheric horror feature exploring grief and the need for human connection within a witch-in-the-woods story.”
The Endless (El infinito, Fabián Archondo, Mexico) – May 14
“Anais is shattered by the death of her father, spiraling into self-destruction until her older sister commits her to an exclusive desert retreat promising total transformation.But beneath its serene facade lies a terrifying truth: the institute is controlled by a secret cult and its patients aren’t being healed… they’re being prepared for something far more sinister.”
The Trail of the Wolf (Ángeles Hernández, Spain-Argentina) – May 15
“After he death of her brother, Sofia returns home ten years after leaving: the only house in the village that still sustains life thanks to its water well, which allows them to maintain the vegetable garden and livestock. There she reunites with her father, Gabriel, who is ill and close to death as a result of a vaccine injected 25 years ago. And he is not the only one. Due to the climate crisis and overpopulation, a fascist-leaning government implemented a one-child policy, condemning anyone with more than one child to a programmed death through the injection of the Saturn25 vaccine. Now, exactly 25 years after the vaccination, they begin to suffer severe side effects as their bodies start to deteriorate, enduring acute and relentless pain.
“In this dystopian world, Sofia is torn between her past, present, and future. She fights to obtain one of the antidotes that the new government has released in an attempt to halt the effects of the poison. As the days pass, Gabriel’s health rapidly declines, unveiling long-buried secrets about their family’s past, while the population rises in rebellion due to the growing water shortage.”
Key of Bones (Tony Armer, USA) – May 16
“When a group of unsuspecting locals and tourists accidentally awaken a centuries-old curse tied to the infamous pirate Anne Bonny, chaos erupts across Key West as the living and the dead collide in a race to stop a supernatural force before it consumes the island.”
Last Chance Motel (Danielle Harris, Scout Taylor-Compton, USA) – May 17
“The story happens in a lonely motel in the Nevada desert. Casey and Andi’s happy wedding day quickly turns into a scary fight to stay alive. Casey doesn’t know that Andi’s family owns the motel and has a scary habit of killing people. Their love is tested as they find out dark secrets and face dangerous challenges. In the end, Casey must make a tough choice, leaving us to wonder if love can win against evil. This story mixes love, secrets, and the fight to survive, showing how dark and scary people can be.”
House of Atreus (David Hebrero, Spain) – May 18
“After years of absence, Goio returns to his family home to care for his ailing father for one night. The reunion awakens buried tensions and invisible presences, dissolving the boundaries between memory and reality. A contained psychological horror exploring memory, trauma, and the uncanny nature of domestic space.”