There is a strong narrative and thematic throughline in director Jane Schoenbrun’s work. Their films explore how the media we consume also consumes us, while simultaneously telling stories about identity and sexuality that resonate with audiences—especially members of the LGBTQIA+ community—in unexpected ways. Their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, is no exception. However, it marks a step in a new and exciting direction for Schoenbrun. Despite the buckets of blood in Camp Miasma, the film is not nearly as dark as their previous works. There is a surprising amount of levity and laughter coursing through its veins. In fact, the idea for Camp Miasma first arose when Schoenbrun’s partner suggested that their next film be something “gay and fun.” On that front, they certainly succeeded.

Mascha Schilinski’s Cannes Jury Prize-winning Sound of Falling is simultaneously sprawling yet incredibly intimate. It truly feels like traveling through time and inhabiting multiple lives. The film is set at a farmhouse in the Altmark region of Germany and follows the lives of four girls who lived there during distinct time periods. Alma (Hanna Heckt) lived there shortly before World War I. The farmhouse was Erika’s (Lea Drinda) home at the end of World War II. Angelika (Lena Urzendowsky) called the house her home in the 1980s. Lastly, Lenka’s (Laeni Geiseler) story is set in the present. Despite their different circumstances, there are surprisingly similarities that each girl shares. Sound of Falling is a haunting, beautiful film that feels poetic and almost impressionistic in its storytelling as it weaves in and out of each girl’s unique story.

Spoiler-free video review for Alex Russell’s Lurker starring Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Havana Rose Liu, and Sunny Suljic.