The Cannes Film Festival‘s Un Certain Regard program may not have the same clout as the fest’s main competition, but it always features a handful of films whose unconventional approach makes for must-see material. A good example from last year’s Cannes? Robert Minervini‘s ‘The Damned,” which finally hits US theaters next month.
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Minervini’s latest film is a Civil War drama about a group of Union soldiers sent to patrol the nascent country’s western territories. But the young company’s enthusiasm soon gives way to something more desperate and existential….
Here’s an official synopsis of “The Damned,” courtesy of Grasshopper Film:
Winter 1862. In the midst of the Civil War, the US Army sends a company of volunteer soldiers to the western territories, with the task of patrolling the unchartered borderlands. As their mission ultimately changes course, the meaning behind their engagement begins to elude them.
“The Damned” stars Jeremiah Knupp, René W. Solomon, Cuyler Ballenger, Noah Carlson, Judah Carlson, and Tim Carlson.
Minervini writes and directs “The Damned.” Producers on the film include Paolo Benzi, Denise Ping Lee, Minervini, and Paolo Del Brocco.
“The Damned” had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard Best Director prize. The film also screened at NYFF, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, and other festivals over the course of last year.
“The Damned” hits theaters on May 16. Watch a trailer for the Civil War drama below.
