Cannes 2026: ‘Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma’ earns 9-minute standing ovation as Hannah Einbinder speaks out on Gaza

Jane Schoenbrun’s surreal queer horror film Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma received one of the longest standing ovations of the early Cannes Film Festival lineup on Wednesday night, as the film’s premiere also became a platform for political discussion surrounding Gaza and the responsibilities of artists in Hollywood.

Opening the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, the psychedelic slasher comedy drew extended applause inside the Debussy Theatre, with audience reactions reportedly stretching close to nine minutes following the screening. The film stars Hannah Einbinder as a queer filmmaker hired to revive a fading horror franchise, only to spiral into psychological obsession after reconnecting with the series’ original “final girl,” played by Gillian Anderson.

Hannah Einbinder, from left, director Jane Schoenbrun and Gillian Anderson pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ during the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 13, 2026
| Photo Credit:
AP

Schoenbrun, whose previous film I Saw the TV Glow became a cult favourite last year, described making the film as “the most joyful experience” of their career, while Anderson called the Cannes premiere a deeply emotional first for her after decades in the industry.

The conversation around the film quickly extended beyond cinema after Einbinder addressed the contradictions of working in Hollywood while continuing to advocate publicly for Palestinian rights. Speaking to Variety, the Hacks star criticised what she called the prevalence of “dark money in Hollywood” and reiterated her support for “a free Palestine.”

“We don’t get into this business because we are trying to be a part of that,” Einbinder said while discussing the broader relationship between art, commerce and political responsibility inside the entertainment industry. She added that conversations around artists’ responsibilities under systems tied to power and capital are something she thinks about “constantly.”

Distributed by Mubi, Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma blends slasher horror, satire and queer psychodrama into what many critics at Cannes are already describing as one of the festival’s most divisive and unforgettable midnight-style experiences.