Club Kid (film)

Club Kid
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJordan Firstman
Written byJordan Firstman
Produced by
  • Alex Coco
  • Galen Core
  • Michael Bloom
  • Ryan Heller
Starring
CinematographyAdam Newport-Berra
Edited by
  • Taylor Levy
  • Sofia Subercaseaux
Music byCristobal Tapia de Veer
Production
companies
Distributed byA24
Release dates
  • May 15, 2026 (2026-05-15) (Cannes)
  • November 6, 2026 (2026-11-06) (United States)
Running time
122 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Club Kid is a 2026 American comedy-drama film written, directed, and starring Jordan Firstman, in his feature directorial debut.[1] It also stars Cara Delevingne, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Colleen Camp, Vicki Pepperdine, Nigil Whyte, Eldar Isgandarov, Saturn Risin9, Miss Benny, Alaska Riley, Diego Calva, and Reggie Absolom.

The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 15,[2] where it was nominated for the Caméra d'Or and the Queer Palm.[3] It is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 6, 2026, by A24.

Premise

The life of washed-up underground party promoter Peter takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to care for Arlo, a 10-year old son he never knew he had.

Cast

Production

Club Kid marks Jordan Firstman's feature directorial debut. It is produced by Alex Coco and Galen Core, with Firstman, Olmo Schnabel, and Daniela Taplin serving as executive producers. Topic Studios produced and financed the project, with Stay Gold acting as co-financier.[11]

Casting includes Firstman, Cara Delevingne,[12] Diego Calva, Miss Benny and newcomer Reggie Absolom, who plays the titular character. Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra shot the production in 35mm film.[13]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, receiving a 7-minute standing ovation.[14] Shortly after its premiere, the film reportedly received offers from multiple studios including Mubi, Focus Features, Searchlight Pictures, A24, and Black Bear Pictures ranging as high as seven and eight figures; Netflix and Warner Bros. Clockwork also expressed interest in acquiring the film, but dropped out in the early stages of bidding.[15][16][17] A few days later, A24 acquired worldwide distribution rights for $17 million.[18][19]

It was selected for the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival,[20] and for the Spotlight Gala section of the 2026 New York Film Festival.[21]

The film is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 6, 2026.[22] UTA Independent Film Group handled worldwide sales, partnering with Charades on international sales.[23][18]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10.[24] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the film holds a score of 85/100 based on 12 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[25] Wendy Ide of ScreenDaily assessed that Firstman's "depiction of queer party culture is loving, authentic and non-judgemental" and that the film could become a "breakout indie hit".[6]

Accolades

Award / Festival Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Cannes Film Festival 23 May 2026 Prix Un Certain Regard Jordan Firstman Nominated [26]
Caméra d'Or Nominated [27]
Queer Palm Nominated [28]

References

  1. ↑ "CLUB KID". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  2. ↑ "The Screenings Guide of the 79th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 2026-05-07. Retrieved 2026-05-07.
  3. ↑ "Cannes unveils 2026 Official Selection - updating live". Screen. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lodge, Guy (2026-05-16). "'Club Kid' Review: Jordan Firstman Cleans Up His Act in a Sweet, Surprisingly Old-Fashioned Heartwarmer". Variety. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  5. ↑ Crowther, Jane (2026-05-18). "Club Kid". Hollywood Authentic. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
  6. 1 2 Ide, Wendy (2026-05-15). "'Club Kid' review: Jordan Firstman's queer drama is triumphant, acidic portrait of New York's gay scene". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  7. ↑ Malkin, Marc (2025-12-05). "'Glamorous' Star Miss Benny Joins Jordan Firstman Directorial Debut 'Club Kid' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  8. ↑ Naderzad, Ali (2026-05-24). ""CLUB KID" review: Jordan Firstman's CANNES debut is funny, chaotic and deeply moving". Screen Comment. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  9. ↑ river moon [verified account] [@kissmeriver] (10 May 2026). "RE: @jeffdmovies it's called club kid directed by jordan firstman" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 10 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  10. ↑ Gorbar, Matt (June 30, 2026). "Jack Cameron Kay To Star In Queer Love Story 'Until The Time We Die' From Daniel Talbott". Retrieved June 30, 2026. He also has a role in the Cannes buzz title Club Kid and is represented by Innovative Artists and Authentic Talent and Literary Management.
  11. ↑ Donnelly, Matt (2025-11-21). "Jordan Firstman Sets Directorial Debut 'Club Kid'; Will Star Opposite Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva". Variety. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  12. ↑ Lyng, Eoghan. "Club Kid". DirtyMovies. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Cannes Film Festival". Kodak. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  14. ↑ Tapp, Tom (2026-05-15). "Buzzy 'Club Kid' Gets A 7-Minute Ovation At Cannes Premiere". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-05-15.
  15. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (2026-05-16). "Jordan Firstman's Buzzy 'Club Kid' Sparks Multiple Eight-Figure Offers In Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
  16. ↑ Donnelly, Matt (May 16, 2026). "Jordan Firstman's 'Club Kid' Sparks Studio Bidding War at Cannes With High 7-Figure Offers". Variety. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  17. ↑ Kay, Jeremy; Leffler, Rebecca (May 17, 2026). "Cannes buyers finally catch festival fever, circle 'Club Kid', 'A Man Of His Time'". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  18. 1 2 Wiseman, Andreas; Goodfellow, Melanie (May 18, 2026). "A24 Takes Global Rights On Jordan Firstman's Cannes Breakout 'Club Kid'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  19. ↑ Donnelly, Matt (May 18, 2026). "Jordan Firstman's 'Club Kid' Sells to A24 After Heated Cannes Bidding War". Variety. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Toronto unveils 2026 galas and special presentations". Screen. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
  21. ↑ Davis, Clayton (2026-08-11). "New York Film Festival Unveils Spotlight Slate With Tom McCarthy's 'A Statement,' Jonathan Glazer's 'Joy of Joys' and More". Variety. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 14, 2026). "'Club Kid': A24's Cannes Acquisition Dances Way Into Awards Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  23. ↑ Malkin, Marc (2025-12-05). "'Glamorous' Star Miss Benny Joins Jordan Firstman Directorial Debut 'Club Kid'". Variety. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  24. ↑ "Club Kid". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "Club Kid Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
  26. ↑ "Cannes 2026 lineup guide: Un Certain Regard titles". Screen. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  27. ↑ "Caméra d'Or 2026: Check out all the films in the running!". Cinéma de Demain. 2026-05-13. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  28. ↑ FARN, JAMESON (2026-05-03). "Queer Palm 2026 Marks a Landmark Year for LGBTQ+ Cinema at Cannes". Riviera Buzz. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
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