“I am happy to be back at Cannes and also because there are so many expectations for Fjord. My greatest joy is that the film has been bought for distribution in more territories than ever for any of my films. International premieres start already in August with France and September with Norway”, Cristian Mungiu told FNE.
In the USA the film will be released by Neon. Goodfellas is handling the international sales.
Written by Mungiu, Fjord tells a story about the encounter between two neighbouring families living in a remote Norwegian village. Mihai (Sebastian Stan) is Romanian and Lisbet (Renate Reinsve) is Norwegian. In the other couple, Mats is Norwegian while Mia is Swedish. Their children go to the same school. The families will have to admit, handle and resolve their different views about family, education and progress. What are the limits of personal freedom and from which moment onwards the society compels you to conform?
“Fjord is a story about irreconcilable views of the world, about conformity, tolerance and the limits of freedom and intimacy”, said Cristian Mungiu in a statement.
American-Romanian star Sebastian Stan said: “I am thrilled to return to Cannes with this important and universal story about family and how it can be tested when values and worldviews differ. Working with a renowned filmmaker like Cristian Mungiu on a Romanian story, in a Romanian coproduction and with a team including many Romanians was a great joy for me and the fulfilment of a wish I had for years. I can’t wait to share this film with the discerning audience at Cannes, but also with those around the world.”
The cast includes Lisa Loven Kongsli, Thorbjørn Harr, Erik Hivju, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Christian Rubeck, Lisa Carlehed, and Romanian actors Adrian Titieni, Ana Bodea, Alin Panc, Giulia Nahmany, Vanessa Ceban, and Jonathan Breazu.
The crew included some of Mungiu’s usual collaborators, such as Romanian DoP Tudor Vladimir Panduru and editor Mircea Olteanu.
The film is a coproduction between Romania, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, produced by Mungiu through Mobra Films and coproduced by Why Not Productions, Eye Eye Pictures, Garagefilm International, Filmgate Films, Snowglobe, and Aamu Film Company.
It was supported by the Romanian Film Centre (CNC), the film institutes in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, and also by Film i Väst, Vestnorsk, Mediefondet Zefyr, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, France 3 Cinéma, Eurimages, Creative Europe MEDIA, in partnership with the Romanian Television (TVR), NRK, DR and YLE, and with the participation of Raiffeisen Bank, Cinema City, Catena, Aqua Carpatica, BCR, Apa Nova, Kaufland, Superbet, Boiron, Dentsu, Provident, Dr. Oetker, Ursus, Cris-Tim, PPC, Domeniile Sâmburești, ETI, Transavia, Borsec, and Groupama.
The world premiere of Fjord will be held on 18 May 2026, 19:00 in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
Fjord is the fifth consecutive film with which director Cristian Mungiu has been selected for competition at Cannes, after RMN (2022), Graduation / Bacalaureat (Best Director award, 2016), Beyond the Hills / După dealuri (Best Actress and Best Screenplay awards, 2012) and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days / 4 luni, 2 saptamani si 2 zile (Palme d’or and European Film Academy Awards for Best Film and Best Director, 2007). In 2013, Cristian Mungiu was present at Cannes as a member of the festival jury.
