Ain’t no summer like an Imagine summer! Burning heat, sweat dripping out of every orifice, blistered skin, crawly critters, swimming in monster-infested waters, oppressive summer camps, screaming kids in creepy sandals…we know every trick in the book.
Here’s a list of genre recommendations from the Imagine team to get you through the Summer of ‘26, as we eagerly await Imagine Festival (29 October – 8 November!). Speaking of which: this year’s festival theme (Ghost in the Feed) has just been released, check out our press clip here.
Seth (Junior Programmer Shorts)
The Last House – streaming on Netflix 7 July
We’re so ready for a Netflix sci-fi/horror to bring the goods this summer. At least The Last House has a lot going for it: the director of Now You See Me (!), the writer of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (!!), Greta Lee (!!!) and Wagner Moura (!!!!). And the premise, which has a perfect family locked inside their house by a mysterious ‘something’ outside, makes it perfect for at-home viewing.
Hundreds of Beavers – in cinemas 27 August
Hundreds of Beavers premiered at Fantastic Fest back in 2022 and finally made its way to Dutch cinemas. Totally worth the wait and hearsay, because this utterly stupid and brilliant black-and-white, mostly silent DIY masterpiece will restore your faith in cinema whilst laughing yourself silly. Director Mike Cheslik and star/cowriter Ryland Brickson Cole Tews use every visual gag out of the slapstick playbook to bring to life the story of a vengeful applejack salesman battling hundreds (OR PERHAPS THOUSANDS!?!?) of feisty furry beavers. No need to spoil anything else, just go see this gem in the fullest house possible.
Inez (Specials Programmer)
Hokum – in cinemas July 23
The latest spooky tale from everyone’s favourite Irish director Damian McCarthy (Oddity). Adam Scott plays an American novelist visiting a deserted Irish inn (bad idea) next to a big dark forest (even worse idea) to scatter his parents’ ashes (worst idea). Cue folky vibes, skin-crawling tension and another parade of McCarthy’s very, very creepy doll-thingies.
Widow’s Bay – on Apple TV
Hey Mr King and Mr Spielberg, are those your ghosts haunting this must-see Apple TV series? Written by Katie Dippold (known for Parks & Rec), Widow’s Bay blends Fawlty Towers and Midnight Mass (if you can imagine such a thing) in a sleepy coastal New England town, where hapless major Matthew Rhys will do just about everything to keep his island’s supernatural secrets under wraps. How Amity Island–ey of him! We love the dinner party scene – it’s hilarious but also has one of the scariest visual mirror gags we’ve seen in a while.
Kiko (Programmer)
The Beach – on Disney Plus, Videoland, Amazon Prime en Apple TV
You know you’ll want to revisit Danny Boyle’s backpack trip from hell when it gets freaky hot outside. Misunderstood at first, gotten so much better with age. Based on Alex Garlands novel, it’s got young Leo, young Tilda, postcolonial undercurrents, actual tidal undercurrents, sharks, sex, cults, mushrooms and All Saints! How’s that for a throwback.
127 Hours – on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime en Apple TV
More Danny Boyle, please! In this scorching nailbiter, climber Aron Ralston (James Franco) gets stuck in a canyon and takes us to the depths of human existence in real-time, with an infamously horrible 8-minute scene you might need to look away from. Kiko dubbed it ‘a bit of a horror-in-the-heat type of film’, so save it for the next Boyle-ing hot day.
Stan (Programmer Expanded)
Jim Queen – in cinemas 13 August
Right on time for Dutch pride comes this very adult French animation about a virus in Paris turning all the gays straight (the horror!). Jim Perfect and his new twink friend to the rescue! Jim Queen made very happy waves at Cannes this year, and the creators encourage taking your clothes off in every introduction. Mai oui!
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – in cinemas 20 August
Director Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow) proves they’re here to stay with the Queer Palm winner of 2026. Hannah Einbinder plays a filmmaker asked to breathe new life into an old slasher series, who decides to meet up with the original’s scream queen (actual queen Gillian Anderson) at the summer camp the franchise was filmed at. A magical, pastel-hued breath of fresh queer slasher satire air.
1670, Season 3 – on Netflix 5 August
1670 is the razor-sharp, laugh-out-loud Netflix mockumentary you didn’t know you needed. Think of it as a 17th-century Polish take on the Norwegian comedy series Norsemen, but with fewer Viking raids and way more delusional aristocracy. Following a spectacularly out-of-touch nobleman desperately trying to become the most famous figure in Polish history, the show blends biting modern satire with hilariously casual fantastic occurrences. Between the routine exorcisms, bizarre folk magic, and supernatural superstitions that just happen to be real, 1670 brilliantly frames 17th-century peasant strikes and petty village politics as surreal workplace comedy.
Evrim (Programmer)
The Furious – in cinemas 9 July
In case you missed The Action Film of the Decade at Club Imagine in June (shame on you!), you need to gather a group of friends and experience this somewhere else this summer. It’s a bone–crunching, mind–blowing action epic the likes of which you’re not likely to see for a very long time. POW! (And if you’re up for more, check out The Shadow Stays, Rabia’s recommendation below).
The Rivals of Amziah King – in cinemas 13 August
From director Andrew Patterson (The Vast of Night) comes a different kind of experiment – a wild, character–driven journey that takes on everything from beekeeping and blues music to bloody murder. It also features an all–time performance by Matthew McConaughey, if all of that wasn’t hot enough for ya.
The Death of Robin Hood – in cinemas 3 September
Director Michael Sarnoski (whose Pig we absolutely adore) is back with a unique take on the legend of Robin Hood. Loosely based on the 12th Century anonymous poem The Death of Robin Hood, Hugh Jackman plays the world–weary titular bandit/hero who, approaching death, looks back on a life spent in violence. Jodie Comer also puts in a terrific performance as abbeyess Sister Brigid. Melancholy and unexpectedly beautiful! See it on the big screen for sure.
Eddy (Programmer Myths of the World)
The Odyssey – in cinemas 16 July
Had to include Nolan’s latest epic, of course, even though some would argue Ulysses’ story is 100% real and not Fantastic at all. Like us! We do! We believe in cyclopses and sirens and sea serpents and heroes played by Matt Damon! And in Hoyte van Hoytema.
Human Vapor – on Netflix 2 July
Netflix’s modern spin on Toho Studios’ sci-fi noir The Human Vapor from 1960, one of the studio’s weirdest tokusatsu films – live-action movies that rely heavily on special effects. The original was directed by the legendary Ishiro Honda, godfather of disaster cinema and co-creator of the kajiu genre. Back then it was critically acclaimed but bombed at the box office. Let’s see if Netflix can up the ante this time. The fact that the series was co-written by Yeon Sang-ho bodes well.
Elina (Junior Programmer)
Over Your Dead Body – on Amazon Prime
Who doesn’t want to watch dysfunctional couple Samara Weaving and Jason Segel hating each other’s guts (or doooo they?) for 105 minutes? Of course, you could debate whether Tommy Wirkola’s absolutely madcap movie The Trip (2021) really needed an American remake, but you could also just have fun with it and watch the original (it’s on Netflix) and this one back-to-back and debate the differences in tone and focus. Also, OYDB has everybody’s favourite dad Segel going dark, as well as Juliette Lewis and Timothy Olyphant, so yeah.
Rabia (Head of Marcom)
Leviticus – in cinemas 30 August
You know how desire can feel very, very dangerous? This new Australian queer horror romance takes that premise and rolls with it, as two teenage boys oppressed by their religious upbringing fall head over heels for each other, but also turn into each other’s worst nightmare – literally. Stay away from that demonic flame, boys!
The Shadow Stays – on Netflix
Fans of The Raid who also loved The Furious at the last Club Imagine – you’re in for a treat. Indonesian master Timo Tjahjanto will make you grit your teeth, shade your eyes, go ‘hell yes’ and ‘what the actual…’ and gasp for air for two hours and twenty-five minutes with this hard-as-nails actioner about a sword-wielding female assassin stopping at nothing to save a boy from a crime syndicate. If the summer heat won’t get your heartrate pumping this sure will.
