Comedy Icons Pivot to Poignancy: Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Seth Rogen Take ‘Tangles’ to Cannes

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In one of the most unexpected yet emotionally resonant projects at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, comedy heavyweights Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Seth Rogen have officially unveiled their animated collaboration, Tangles. Based on Sarah Leavitt’s acclaimed graphic memoir, the film explores the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s disease through a lens that is as heartbreaking as it is visually distinct.

The film, which had a high-profile “Special Screening” slot at the festival on May 13, 2026, marks a major dramatic pivot for both stars, who also serve as producers on the project.

A Story of “Knotting” Memories

Adapted from Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me, the film tells the story of Sarah (voiced by Abbi Jacobson), an artist and activist in 1990s San Francisco. When she receives news that Alzheimer’s is rapidly erasing her mother Midge’s vibrant personality, Sarah flees her progressive city life to return to her eccentric family in a conservative small town.

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus delivers a powerhouse voice performance as Midge, capturing the terrifying transition from a sharp Harvard-educated intellectual to someone struggling to find the simplest words.

  • The Cast: The ensemble is a “who’s who” of modern comedy and drama, including Bryan Cranston as Sarah’s father, Beanie Feldstein, Samira Wiley, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, and Bowen Yang.

Animation as a Narrative Tool

Directed by Leah Nelson and produced by Giant Ant Films, Tangles uses animation to go where live-action cannot. The film mimics the sparse, candid aesthetic of Leavitt’s original graphic novel, using visual “tangles” and fading backgrounds to represent the internal disorientation of the disease.

The choice of medium allows the filmmakers to maintain a cohesive visual world where the magic of memory and the harsh reality of the present can coexist. Composer Dan Romer (Beasts of the Southern Wild, Luca) provides the score, which critics at Cannes have already called “masterfully understated.”

The Road to Oscar Glory?

Early buzz from Cannes suggests that Tangles is a frontrunner for the 2027 awards season. If it resonates with the Academy, it could provide Louis-Dreyfus and Rogen—two of the most decorated figures in television history—with their first Academy Award nominations.

Following its Cannes debut, the film is scheduled to compete at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.

“Initially, I thought this was a dream,” said author Sarah Leavitt regarding the cast. “But seeing Julia Louis-Dreyfus bring my mother to life—capturing that specific mix of wit and loss—has been the most profound experience of my life.”

watch a clip here