What Do You Seek in the Dark?
A Thai short film that sneaks into your head and doesn't leave — 19 minutes, 2026 Cannes Critics' Week selection, directed by Tossaphon Riantong.
The actual premise (and why it matters)
A young man walks into an abandoned cinema. Not a multiplex. An old one — the kind that exists in half-whispers, known among gay men as a place where you go when the rest of the world doesn't have room for you. He's looking for connection. Maybe just warmth. The specific relief of not being alone in the dark.
But the building itself is watching him.
As he moves through the space, something shifts. The cinema seems to want something from him — to tempt him, to see him, to blur the line between desire and dread so completely you can't tell where one ends and the other begins. The tagline isn't decoration: "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SEEK…" The film means it.
What's striking is how Riantong refuses to separate the horror from the romance. They're the same thing here. That's harder to pull off than it sounds.
Why a Thai short film at Cannes matters (and how to find it)
Cannes has a whole section called Critics' Week — Semaine de la Critique in French. It's the oldest independent arm of the festival, historically the launchpad for Roman Polanski and Ken Loach. Getting selected for the short film competition there isn't a sidebar achievement. It's a big deal.
For a debut or early-career work from Thailand to land that slot? Even bigger.
AlloCiné confirmed the film's placement in the 2026 lineup, sitting alongside other internationally competitive shorts. The production came together through Silverbelt Films and TUD YOU Co., Ltd., with Thai filmmaker Tossaphon Riantong writing and directing. Lead performances come from Johnparot Wongthes and Thananchakorn Kamolhirankul — two actors doing most of their work through stillness and gesture rather than dialogue.
Riantong has been open about what he was after. In an interview with Le Polyester, he described the film as a "sensual, dreamlike exploration" of people who "immerse themselves in the dark to love one another." That's the whole approach right there. It's not trying to shock. It's trying to be honest about intimacy that rarely gets this much care.
Where the performances do the heavy lifting
Johnparot Wongthes carries the emotional weight as the protagonist. There's a moment — somewhere in the film's middle section — where he simply stands still in the dark. The camera holds on him. And you feel both the desire and the fear radiating off him simultaneously. That kind of stillness is hard to fake. It doesn't feel acted.
Thananchakorn Kamolhirankul's presence works almost like a mirror, reflecting back what the protagonist brings into the space. Neither performance is showy. Both are essential.
What I keep thinking about is how Riantong uses the cinema itself as a character — sound design, the quality of projected light hitting a decaying wall, the way a building can feel inhabited even when it appears empty. The three genres listed (Romance, Horror, Drama) aren't contradictory. They're simultaneous. The 19-minute runtime is tight enough that nothing overstays its welcome. The film doesn't try to resolve what it's raised. Hard to say if that ambiguity will satisfy every viewer, but it feels intentional rather than evasive.
How to actually watch this (and where it's going)
Streaming availability is still developing — normal for shorts making their way through the festival circuit before wider distribution locks in. As of mid-2026, French and Thai sources confirm festival screenings, but a permanent home hasn't been announced yet.
Check the where-to-watch widget on Movie OTT for current platform listings. The site aggregates streaming data across services in real time, so if the film moves to new platforms or becomes available in additional regions, you'll see it there before most other sources catch up. Festival shorts often disappear into distribution limbo — Movie OTT's tracking system catches the ones that don't.
If you liked this, you're looking for...
If you're drawn to queer cinema that doesn't soften its edges, this lands. If you want horror that earns its dread through atmosphere instead of violence, this works. If you've seen Ari Aster's short films or the intimate dread in Karyn Kusama's work, you're in the right headspace.
Think less jump-scare, more "you can't quite name what you're afraid of, but it's in the room with you." The film trusts the audience to sit with that discomfort.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who made this?
Thai filmmaker Tossaphon Riantong wrote and directed. Produced by Silverbelt Films and TUD YOU Co., Ltd.
Q: Is it horror or romance?
Both. That's the entire point. Desire and dread operate at the same frequency here.
Q: How long is it?
19 minutes. Short film, not a feature — which makes the Cannes selection more notable.
Q: Where can I watch it right now?
Streaming availability is still being finalized. Movie OTT tracks festival shorts as they move into distribution, so check there for the most current listings.
Q: Was this actually at Cannes?
Yes. 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Critics' Week short film competition. That's a real credential.
Nineteen minutes. That's all Riantong needs to build a world that stays with you. Watch for it when it moves beyond the festival circuit — Movie OTT will have the where-to-watch info the moment it's available.
