As the summer film calendar begins to ramp up, May arrives with a eclectic mix of studio fare and quieter, festival-driven fare. This guide focuses on the latter: the arthouse and international titles that have been circulating festival circuits and are finally reaching theaters. From debut directors to established auteurs, the month offers a range of forms and themes—character studies, political drama, experimental animation, and intimate documentaries—each arriving with a unique stamp.
We’ll highlight standouts, explain why critics and festivals have paid attention, and note release dates so you can plan your viewings. If you follow festival coverage closely, remember we’ll be reporting from Cannes, and subscribing to our newsletter will ensure you receive updates on screenings and reviews as they arrive.
Key new releases to seek out
Tuner (Daniel Roher; May 22) marks the Oscar-winning documentarian’s narrative debut, centering on a piano technician whose life becomes entwined with crime. Roher brings a taut, rhythmic style that amplifies the story’s intensity. While some reviewers have noted echoes of other films in its dramatic beats, the film primarily showcases a dynamic performance by Leo Woodall and a director translating documentary urgency to fiction.
Magic Hour (Katie Aselton; May 15) is a desert-set relationship drama co-written with Mark Duplass and featuring Daveed Diggs, Brad Garrett, and Susan Sullivan. After premiering at SXSW, this film follows two people retreating into isolation to confront an unexpected chapter in their partnership. The film’s theatrical release gives audiences who missed festival screenings a chance to see Aselton’s intimate, dialogue-driven work.
Festival favorites and international entries
Backrooms (Kane Parsons; May 29) expands a cult web concept into a feature with a cast that includes Renate Reinsve and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Based on the director’s own creepypasta web series, the film leans into psychological and environmental dread, promising an unnerving theater experience. Similarly, The Misconceived (James N. Kienitz Wilkins; May 8) uses 3D-rendered visuals and satirical energy to probe the anxieties of creative life, a work praised for its formal inventiveness at Rotterdam.
Renoir (Chie Hayakawa; May 29) returns the director to the Cannes spotlight with a Tokyo-set period drama about adolescence and familial strain. Shot in soft, faded hues, the film follows an introspective 11-year-old and evokes comparisons to the observational style of Hirokazu Kore-eda while remaining distinct in tone. Also arriving from major festival runs are The Currents (Milagros Mumenthaler; May 29), a psychological portrait about identity and motherhood, and Two Pianos (Arnaud Desplechin; May 1), a theatrically rich exploration of past regrets set in the classical-music world.
Cannes, Venice and beyond
The Wizard of the Kremlin (Olivier Assayas; May 15) is an ambitious political drama adapted from a novel, featuring Jude Law among an ensemble cast. The film has prompted discussion about how cinema handles ongoing geopolitical narratives. At Venice and TIFF, Silent Friend (Ildikó Enyedi; May 8) drew attention for its lyrical storytelling spanning a century of connected lives, where a ginkgo tree plays a central symbolic role, and Our Land (Nuestra Tierra) (Lucrecia Martel; May 1) reorients true crime into a powerful documentary investigation of an indigenous activist’s murder.
Documentaries, chamber pieces, and small-press dramas
With Hasan in Gaza (Kamal Aljafari; May 29) is a meditative, travelogue-style documentary that traces a filmmaker’s journey along Gaza’s coastline, capturing everyday life in a city under siege. The piece has been described as both poetic and unflinching. On the smaller, more intimate end, Blue Film (Elliot Tuttle; May 8) is a provocative two-hander examining loneliness and trauma, while Been Here Stay Here (David Usui; May 15) offers a community portrait of Tangier Island as residents grapple with climate change and faith.
Boots Riley’s follow-up, I Love Boosters (May 22), returns to satirical territory with a large ensemble including Keke Palmer and LaKeith Stanfield, blending political critique with broad comedy. Other noteworthy titles arriving throughout the month include road-trip charmers such as The Last One for the Road (Francesco Sossai; May 1) and stylistically daring works like Silent Friend and Blue Film, all of which expand the season beyond franchise fixtures.
Other releases worth noting
For a broader sweep, keep an eye out for additional openings: Hokum (May 1), Deep Water (May 1), The Python Hunt (May 8), Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft – The Tour Live in 3D (May 8), Obsession (May 15), In the Grey (May 15), Everybody to Kenmure Street (May 22), Manas (May 22), Saccharine (May 22), Forastera (May 29), Pressure (May 29), and The Last Viking (May 29). Together, these titles illustrate how May remains vital for cinephiles seeking festival-minded, international, and independent cinema.