The film that is on all the cinephiles' lips at the moment is Fjord. Taking home the 79th Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or award – I must say, I'm not surprised. The award, handed out to the best film in competition for the past 60 years, has become a strong indicator of awards-season success. And with Fjord being a Neon release, the signs were already there. The production company has now secured seven Palme d'Or wins in a row – from It Was Just an Accident (2025) to Anora (2024) and Anatomy of a Fall (2023) – proving itself to be a powerhouse in contemporary cinema. Looking at recent awards seasons, it’s often an early indication of one of the year’s finest films to come.
Beyond Neon’s winning streak, Renate Reinsve has also built an impressive track record at Cannes since 2021. From winning Best Actress for The Worst Person in the World to taking home the Grand Prix for Sentimental Value, her presence at the festival has become synonymous with acclaim. So when we heard Fjord was the 2026 Palme d'Or recipient, we had to find out more.
Romanian director Cristian Mungiu makes his English-language debut with Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan as the leads. The story follows their religious characters Mihai, played by Stan, and Lisbet, played by Reinsve. After Mihai's parents pass away, they relocate with their five children to a small village in Norway, to be closer to Lisbet's family. Finally finding their peace with kind neighbours and a warm town, it begins to unravel when their youngest daughter arrives at school with bruises.
So, if you're as excited as we are to see Fjord. Well, we've got you covered with all the details below.
When can I see it in cinemas?
While there is no theatrical release date world wide, you can catch your first look at the film if you're in Sydney at the Sydney Film Festival on Saturday, 13 June 2026 at the State Theatre. With the Sunday session already sold out, you will have to be quick to grab tickets for its Saturday session.
With the French Film distribution company Le Pacte releasing the film in France on 19 August, and Norway seeing a September release– we can hope that Australia will aim for an end of year release date too.
When will it be available on streaming platforms?
Although Neon has not officially confirmed a digital release date for Fjord, they follow a 70-to-90 day exclusive theatrical run date, that helps the films dominate at award seasons for a longer life at cinemas. Based on that timeline we could see Fjord on our screens at home by November or December, depending on when they decide Australia's release date.
Which streaming service will Fjord be on?
Neon films are usually not listed to one streaming platform exclusively, as it also depends on the region and title. As Neon already bought the Australian and NZ rights directly at Cannes, this usually means they’ll handle the release strategy tightly. In Australia, Stan has become one of the strongest streaming platforms for serious international arthouse cinema, especially movies that overlap with the Neon and A24 audience. However, Mubi is also plausible because they aggressively chase Cannes titles and auteur cinema in Australia now.
