Mubi has officially released the first trailer and promotional materials for Rosebush Pruning, a provocative dark comedy and psychological drama from acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker Karim Aïnouz. The film, which features an ensemble cast led by Callum Turner, Riley Keough, and Jamie Bell, arrives following its world premiere at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival. Despite garnering a polarizing reception during its festival run, the film is positioned as a significant addition to the 2026 arthouse cinematic calendar, marking a distinct stylistic shift for Aïnouz as he explores the intersection of inherited wealth, isolation, and domestic dysfunction.
The narrative of Rosebush Pruning centers on a highly affluent but deeply eccentric family residing in a luxurious villa in Catalonia, Spain. The story follows four siblings—Jack (Jamie Bell), Ed (Callum Turner), Anna (Riley Keough), and Robert (Lukas Gage)—who live in a state of self-imposed seclusion, shielded by their massive family fortune. Their lives are characterized by a detachment from social norms, an obsession with high fashion, and a complex, often incestuous web of internal dependencies. The family’s fragile equilibrium is shattered when Jack, the eldest brother and the group’s perceived leader, announces his intention to move out and live with his girlfriend, Martha (Elle Fanning). This catalyst forces the remaining siblings to confront their shared history, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding their mother’s death, portrayed in flashbacks by Pamela Anderson.
Production Background and Creative Pedigree
Rosebush Pruning represents a high-profile collaboration between Aïnouz and screenwriter Efthimis Filippou. Filippou is widely recognized for his work within the "Greek Weird Wave," having co-written several of director Yorgos Lanthimos’s most celebrated films, including Dogtooth, The Lobster, and Kinds of Kindness. His involvement suggests a narrative structure defined by absurdist dialogue, rigid social hierarchies, and surrealist undercurrents.
The film is loosely inspired by Marco Bellocchio’s 1965 masterpiece, Fists in the Pocket (I pugni in tasca). While Bellocchio’s original work was a visceral critique of the Italian bourgeoisie and traditional family values in the mid-1960s, Aïnouz and Filippou have reimagined the premise for a contemporary globalized context. By shifting the setting from the Italian countryside to a sun-drenched, opulent villa in Catalonia, the production highlights the contrast between the aesthetic beauty of the Mediterranean landscape and the moral decay of the protagonists.
Karim Aïnouz’s direction follows a string of critically noted projects, including the 2019 Cannes Un Certain Regard winner Invisible Life and the 2023 historical drama Firebrand, which starred Jude Law and Alicia Vikander. Rosebush Pruning continues Aïnouz’s exploration of marginalized or insular communities, though it trades the historical grit of his previous works for a stylized, satirical lens.
A Distingished Ensemble Cast
The film’s marketing campaign has heavily emphasized its high-profile cast, which brings together established dramatic actors and pop-culture icons.
- Callum Turner: Fresh off his lead role in the high-budget miniseries Masters of the Air, Turner portrays Ed, a character whose obsession with fashion and social etiquette masks a deeper psychological instability.
- Riley Keough: Known for her roles in Daisy Jones & The Six and Zola, Keough plays Anna, a character central to the family’s internal power dynamics.
- Jamie Bell: Bell takes on the role of Jack, the catalyst for the film’s central conflict.
- Lukas Gage: Following appearances in The White Lotus and Smile 2, Gage continues his streak of portraying complex characters within satirical frameworks.
- Supporting Cast: The film also features veteran actor Tracy Letts as the siblings’ blind father, Elena Anaya, and a notable appearance by Pamela Anderson as the deceased matriarch. Anderson’s casting follows a recent career resurgence and adds a layer of meta-commentary to the film’s themes of celebrity and public perception.
Chronology of Development and Release
The path to the 2026 release of Rosebush Pruning has been marked by significant international interest and a deliberate festival-first strategy.
- Late 2024: Production commenced in Spain, with principal photography taking place on location in Catalonia to capture the specific "Catalonian sun" aesthetic required by the script.
- February 2026: The film premiered in competition at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. The premiere was one of the most talked-about events of the circuit, though it divided critics sharply. Some praised its uncompromising vision and Filippou’s sharp script, while others found its "wacky" and "messy" tone difficult to navigate.
- March 2026: Mubi, the global distributor and streaming service, released the official trailer and poster, confirming a theatrical rollout.
- April 23, 2026: The film is scheduled to make its theatrical debut in Germany, a key market for European arthouse cinema.
- Summer 2026: Mubi plans a limited theatrical release in the United States, followed by an exclusive streaming window on their platform.
Critical Reception and Industry Analysis
The reception at the Berlin Film Festival serves as a precursor to the film’s commercial prospects. Rosebush Pruning has been described by some early viewers as a "tedious" exploration of the ultra-wealthy, a theme that has become increasingly prevalent in contemporary cinema through works like Triangle of Sadness and Saltburn. However, proponents of the film argue that its "extra kooky" nature is a deliberate stylistic choice intended to alienate the audience, mirroring the isolation of the characters themselves.
From an industry perspective, the film represents a significant risk for Mubi. While the distributor has found success with divisive titles, the sheer narrative density and "perverse" nature of Rosebush Pruning—including themes of incest and extreme domestic violence—place it in a niche category. The inclusion of Pamela Anderson and Elle Fanning, however, provides a level of star power that may attract a broader audience than the typical Filippou-penned project.
Market analysts suggest that the film’s performance will likely depend on its ability to generate "word-of-mouth" through its shock value. In an era where "prestige" television and cinema often focus on the moral failings of the one percent, Rosebush Pruning enters a crowded field but distinguishes itself through its surrealist pedigree and the specific visual language of Karim Aïnouz.
Thematic Implications and Satirical Scope
Rosebush Pruning functions as a critique of the "parasitic" nature of inherited wealth. By depicting the siblings as being entirely dependent on a fortune they did not earn, the film explores the atrophy of the human spirit when removed from the necessity of labor or social interaction. The title itself suggests a violent curation of growth—a metaphor for how the family "prunes" any external influence (like Jack’s girlfriend) that threatens their insular ecosystem.
The use of fashion as a primary character trait for Ed (Callum Turner) serves to highlight the superficiality of their existence. In the trailer, Ed is seen lecturing a friend on the "tenets of fashion," treating aesthetic choices with the gravity usually reserved for moral or philosophical debates. This fixation on the surface level is contrasted with the visceral nature of their mother’s death—purportedly being "ripped apart by wolves"—a plot point that injects a sense of primordial horror into the otherwise sterile environment of the villa.
Broader Impact on Arthouse Cinema
The release of Rosebush Pruning comes at a time when the "Greek Weird Wave" influence is expanding into larger-budget international co-productions. The collaboration between a Brazilian director, a Greek writer, and an Anglo-American cast exemplifies the increasingly globalized nature of independent cinema.
For Karim Aïnouz, the film is a testament to his versatility. Transitioning from the lush, emotional melodrama of Invisible Life to the cold, satirical distance of Rosebush Pruning demonstrates a director unwilling to be pigeonholed. For Mubi, the film reinforces their brand identity as a curator of "challenging" cinema that provokes strong reactions.
As the film prepares for its summer 2026 US release, it remains to be seen whether the general public will embrace its peculiar brand of dark comedy or if it will remain a cult curiosity. Regardless of its box office performance, the film’s pedigree and the polarizing nature of its content ensure that Rosebush Pruning will be a point of discussion in cinematic circles for the remainder of the year. The official trailer, now available on major platforms, provides the first glimpse into this opulent, disturbing world, inviting audiences to decide for themselves if the "blood that sets you free" is a journey worth taking.
