Hannah Einbinder & Gillian Anderson Lead a Dark New Camp Horror in ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ Trailer

Jane Schoenbrun’s new film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about horror releases of 2026. The movie recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it opened in the Un Certain Regard section and picked up the Queer Palm award. The film is set for a U.S. theatrical release on August 7 through Mubi.

The project brings together Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson in leading roles. It mixes horror, satire, and meta storytelling in a way that plays with the line between fiction and reality. The film is also produced by Plan B, with music by Alex G, marking his third collaboration with Schoenbrun.

The official synopsis describes a story set at a summer camp that slowly becomes unstable and strange. Einbinder plays Kris, a queer filmmaker who is hired to reboot an old slasher franchise called Camp Miasma.

While working on the project, she becomes obsessed with bringing back Billy Preston, played by Anderson, who was the original “final girl” of the franchise. As the two women start working together, things begin to spiral into a psychological and emotional breakdown, where the movie they are making starts to blur with reality.

As reported in the film’s Cannes description, the story follows how “the boundaries between fiction and reality begin to dissolve” as Kris and Billy fall into a growing sense of obsession and chaos. The film has been described by Schoenbrun as “my best attempt at the ‘sleepover classic’: an insane yet cozy midnight odyssey that beckons to unsuspecting viewers from the horror section at the local video store.”

The cast includes a wide group of actors beyond the two leads. Arthur Conti, Eva Victor, Zach Cherry, Sarah Sherman, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Quintessa Swindell, Dylan Baker, Patrick Fischler, and Jack Haven all appear in supporting roles. Haven plays a key horror figure in the story, a vengeful ghost tied to the fictional Camp Miasma franchise.

Critics at Cannes responded strongly to the film’s style and tone. Deadline’s Damon Wise called it an “instant midnight-movie classic” in his early review. The film’s mix of horror, queer identity themes, and self-aware storytelling has already sparked attention from festival audiences.

At its core, the story is about more than just a rebooted slasher. It looks at obsession, creative control, and the emotional connection between creators and the media they try to revive. Kris is not just making a movie within the film; she is also confronting her own fixation on the past and the people who shaped it.

Gillian Anderson’s character, Billy Preston, represents that past. As a retired actress who once survived the fictional horror franchise, she becomes both inspiration and obsession for Kris. Their relationship drives the emotional tension of the film as their collaboration begins to distort into something darker and more unstable.

With its Cannes debut, strong cast, and experimental style, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is already positioned as a major 2026 release. It continues Jane Schoenbrun’s focus on identity, media, and psychological horror, while pushing further into meta storytelling and genre blending.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!