Cannes Review: Kantemir Balagov’s Butterfly Jam Struggles to Establish a Rhythm

      Without getting too detailed, the 2026 Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes has begun with somewhat of a disappointment. The latest work from exiled Russian director Kantemir Balagov, Butterfly Jam, is set in the Circassian community of New Jersey—a diasporic context reminiscent of films like Anora, Little Odessa, and Levan Koguashvili’s overlooked Brighton Fourth, but lacking the depth and intricate details that made those films feel authentic.

      For those who kept track of the festival circuit in the latter half of the 2010s, this may come as a surprise. In a 2020 article for Filmmaker Magazine, critic Carlos Aguilar—known for his measured tone—likely echoed the sentiments of many when he declared Balagov “a prodigy of international cinema” poised for “an auspicious career.” During that interview, Aguilar had met the then-28-year-old director in sunny Los Angeles as Balagov campaigned for an Oscar nomination for his second feature, Beanpole—a remarkable film that had garnered significant acclaim at Cannes the previous year.

      Time certainly passes quickly. Butterfly Jam, his first film since then, centers on the relationship between a young father, who works as a chef in his sister's café serving delen (a type of tortilla) to the local community, and his son, who is aspiring to be a wrestler. One day, a local businessman stops by, becomes enamored with the dish, and a more promising job opportunity seems to arise. This stroke of luck coincides with his sister announcing her pregnancy and his son winning a match that garners local TV attention. For a fleeting moment, their unconventional yet affectionate family dynamic seems to be thriving, but as storytelling conventions suggest, such sudden upward mobility is rarely secure.

      The father, Azik, is portrayed by Barry Keoghan, a talented actor who previously played a noticeably young father of a teenager in Andrea Arnold’s Bird two years ago. (A 2024 Cannes premiere that, like Anora, casts a long shadow here—complete with elements of magical realism.) The Irish actor is joined by newcomer Talha Akdogan as Pyteh, who delivers the most consistent performance alongside Riley Keough—an actress who, despite some bold yet inconsistent recent choices, has never disappointed. Butterfly Jam often shines brightest when Keough graces the screen, and the rare moments where her and Keoghan’s performances harmonize hint at what could have been.

      That central trio is complemented by Harry Melling, a former Harry Potter actor who has successfully reinvented himself, earning a reputation as one of the more intriguing and versatile British actors of his generation. We got a glimpse of this transformation with his limbless marionette performance in the Coens’ Ballad of Buster Scruggs and witnessed his breakout role in Pillion last year. However, whether due to the script of Butterfly or Balagov’s direction, his character Marat—an impulsive, erratic counterpart to Keoghan’s Nick Sobotka—comes off as noticeably underdeveloped. As Keough's heavily pregnant Zalya strives to maintain the café, the male characters each wrestle with their own crises of masculinity. Reactions may vary, but when these uneven storylines reach their climax, the insufficient exploration of Marat's insecurities makes the pivotal scene feel rushed, if not excessive.

      Reflecting on Balagov’s early career in the week leading up to Cannes, it was easy to be captivated by that excitement once more. Here was an incredibly talented and attractive filmmaker who emerged seemingly from obscurity, graduated from Aleksandr Sokurov’s filmmaking school, and won consecutive awards at Cannes with his first two films before turning 30. This initial acclaim led to a surprising opportunity from HBO to direct the first episode of The Last of Us, a project Balagov eventually left due to creative differences (Craig Mazin indicated that the pilot included 40% of his footage) just as Russia's tanks invaded Ukraine, forcing him into exile. Creative impediments can arise from far less significant circumstances; one can only hope this is a temporary setback.

      Butterfly Jam premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.