Pilgrimage, Wild, The Cry of the Guards… What are the films to see (or not) this week at the cinema?

Discover the reviews and interviews of our selection of films released in theaters on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

Published on April 11, 2026 at 06:10, Updated on April 11, 2026 at 09:49. Reading Time: 3min.

“Romeria” by Carla Simon will be in competition at the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, released on April 8, 2026. (QUIM VIVES / ELASTICA FILMS)

The communal utopia and mental illness of a child by Camille Ponsin, the identity quest of a Spanish teenager directed by Carla Simon, and the work of Bernard-Marie Koltès adapted for cinema by Claire Simon with a bonus interview with Isaach de Bankolé … Here is the program of cinema releases for Wednesday, April 8.

“Le Cri des gardes”: Isaach de Bankolé and Matt Dillon face off in a film resembling an ancient tragedy directed by Claire Denis.

The director returns to Africa with an intense drama that tells the struggles of a trio of expatriates faced with a man seeking justice. With this new film, Claire Denis reunites with Isaach de Bankolé, their fourth collaboration. By making this film, the filmmaker honors a promise made to playwright Bernard-Marie Koltès over 30 years ago to adapt his play “Combat de nègre et de chiens” for the cinema.

“Mon personnage est un homme très simple, tout ce qu’il réclame, c’est la dignité”: Isaach de Bankolé reunites with director Claire Denis in “Le Cri des gardes”.

Bernard-Marie Koltès, author of “Combat de nègre et de chiens” adapted by Claire Denis in “Le Cri des gardes”, and Isaach de Bankolé were like “brothers”. A Parisian meeting with the actor who dives into memories with the playwright, Claire Denis, and American Jim Jarmusch.

“Uncompromising”: an isolated rural community tested by the madness of one of its children.

Documentary filmmaker Camille Ponsin’s first fiction film immerses us in the wild nature of the Cévennes, a haven for utopians in the 1970s. Sam, Karl, and their daughter Anja live in a community in a remote hamlet in the Cévennes. Anja, a quiet teenage girl, gradually distances herself from the community and isolates herself in nature.

“Romeria”: the search for the origins of a fatherless and motherless orphan, dead from AIDS in silence and shame.

Spanish director Carla Simon continues her autobiographical film work by telling the story of the AIDS years from a family investigation perspective. Her third film explores the story of Marina, who lost her parents to AIDS when she was a child, now a young woman needing a document for a scholarship.

Context: – Highlighted films reviews and interviews from cinema releases on April 8, 2026. – Details about selected movies and their themes.

Fact Check: – Isaach de Bankolé and Matt Dillon star in a film directed by Claire Denis. – Claire Denis is known for collaborating with Isaach de Bankolé on multiple projects. – Carla Simon’s film “Romeria” competes in Cannes Film Festival.