Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Is an Absolute Banger

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Jane Schoenbrun skillfully uses nostalgia in their films, not as an escape, but as a way to connect with past and present selves. Their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, centers around a decades-old slasher series, following I Saw the TV Glow, which featured a show reminiscent of Buffy. However, the films are less about the nostalgic objects themselves and more about the complex emotions they evoke in the characters – feelings they struggle to fully understand even now. In Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Kris, a 29-year-old filmmaker, is particularly captivated by the original Camp Miasma, especially a scene where the final girl, Billy, faces the masked killer, Little Death, while losing her virginity – a moment that has always deeply resonated with her.

Kris believes a movie she saw as a child sparked her understanding of her own sexuality. Now, as an adult hired to revive the series with a focus on social justice, she analyzes it with a critical eye, calling it a tired property that explores themes of gender and trauma, but also contains problematic, anti-transgender elements. Hoping to find inspiration for a new story and convince the original star, Gillian Anderson (playing Billy), to participate in the reboot, Kris visits Billy, who now lives a secluded life. Billy, a glamorous figure reminiscent of Old Hollywood, resides at the abandoned summer camp where the original movie was filmed. She represents a more passionate connection to art. Kris argues that the movie is fundamentally about the body and its processes, and over several intense days, the two women discover a shared understanding of this, each through their own experiences.

Even attempting to summarize this standout film from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival risks oversimplifying it, focusing on its ideas and filmmaking techniques rather than the feeling of actually watching it. (At one point, Kris points out a ‘split diopter’ shot to Billy during a screening of the original Camp Miasma, much to Billy’s frustration.) The film is full of interesting concepts, notably how Kris’s tendency to overthink connects to her need to analyze her own work. This connection is highlighted in a personal scene with Billy, where Billy reveals she uses elaborate fantasies to fully enjoy intimacy. However, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is ultimately more about raw emotion. One particularly striking scene features Little Death violently attacking new camp counselors (played by Zach Cherry, Quintessa Swindell, and Eva Victor, among others) in a single, uninterrupted shot, accompanied by a perfectly chosen song that elevates the moment to something truly euphoric.

The film is visually stunning, with beautifully painted backgrounds and striking imagery, like the dark outline of a character against a home theater screen. It’s also surprisingly funny, from the quirky way one character tries to win another over with KFC dipping sauce, to the introduction of a charming, mustachioed, bisexual character who is a partner’s date. The film even playfully addresses a controversial moment in Disney history with innocent disbelief. The director isn’t trying to be politically correct, but rather points out that what’s considered proper and how we actually feel don’t always match up, and that’s okay—as long as no one is hurt. The film Camp Miasma openly embraces its influences from classic 80s slasher films like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, and its obvious inspirations don’t diminish its impact or personal meaning for the main character.

It’s natural to be affected by things—to find them alluring or frightening—and the film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma shows a deep understanding and empathy for its main character, who often analyzes things as a way to avoid feeling. When the movie gives her what she desires, it doesn’t feel like escapism, but rather a touching way for her to revisit the original impact of something she loved and carry that feeling forward into her life.

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2026-05-15 00:55