Jordan Firstman is trading the nightclub for parenthood in the first trailer for Club Kid, a comedy-drama that became one of the surprise talking points of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Firstman writes, directs and stars in the film, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes before A24 acquired it for a reported $17 million following a bidding war.

Firstman plays Peter, a thirtysomething New York party promoter whose existence has revolved around nightlife, drugs and the pursuit of the next big party. His carefully maintained lifestyle collapses when Arlo, a 10-year-old boy played by Reggie Absolom, arrives and reveals that Peter is his father. Arlo’s mother has died, leaving Peter to suddenly assume responsibility for a child he barely knows.

The trailer shifts between Peter’s frenetic nightlife and his awkward attempts to figure out fatherhood. His new reality forces him to reconsider the life he has built around perpetual adolescence, while Arlo becomes an unexpected source of stability for someone who has spent years avoiding it. The footage also gives the film’s queer New York setting considerable space, with Peter’s friends and community becoming part of the unconventional family taking shape around him.

Firstman is best known for his viral comedy videos and appearances in shows including I Love LA, English Teacher, Hacks and Ms. Marvel. He previously played a fictionalised version of himself in Sebastián Silva’s Rotting in the Sun, which premiered at Sundance in 2023. Club Kid represents his first feature as a writer-director.

The cast includes Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Colleen Camp, Vicki Pepperdine, Nigil Whyte, Eldar Isgandarov, Miss Benny and Alaska Riley, alongside Firstman and Absolom. Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, known for his work on The White Lotus and Smile, composed the score.

The film received strong attention at Cannes, where its unconventional mix of comedy, queer culture and family drama stood out in Un Certain Regard. It will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival ahead of its theatrical release.

A24 will release Club Kid in U.S. theatres on November 6, 2026, followed by a wider rollout.

Published - August 20, 2026 12:28 pm IST