French director Bruno Dumont returns to familiar ground with
, a Cannes‑selected drama that premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2026 festival. The film is a poetic, unflinching portrait of childhood on the French Riviera, where innocence meets cruelty in almost anthropological detail.
The story follows Géo, a young boy who leads a gang of local kids on the dramatic red‑rock coastline near the Mediterranean. When a rival group from the city arrives, the cliffs become a stage for dangerous jumping and tests of courage. The arrival of a girl, Eve, reshapes everything, bringing heartbreak and desire into their games of loyalty and bravado.
Dumont keeps the film tight at around 90 minutes, avoiding sentimentality to focus on how children really behave when left to their own devices. Cinematographer Carlos Alfonso Corral uses documentary‑style realism—wide angles, natural light, the sun‑drenched Riviera contrasting with raw, often uncomfortable moments between the kids. The result is a strange mix: stunning landscapes paired with honest observation of how play turns cruel, alliances break, and shame and fear surface even in the very young.
Kaylon Lancel as Géo and Kelsie Verdeilles as Eve deliver performances built on gesture and expression. Dumont’s choice of non‑professional and child actors pays off—the conflicts feel lived‑in, not staged. Supporting players like Louise Podolski, Mohamed Coly, and Alessandro Piquera round out the rival gangs, deepening the film’s semi‑documentary feel.
Red Rocks stands out as one of the key titles in this year’s Directors’ Fortnight. Audiences appreciate its bold structure, striking visuals, and the way it captures the intense chaos of kids’ summers without softening their behavior. It also marks a clear return to childhood themes for Dumont, stepping away from his more recent sci‑fi‑tinged work.
