Firstman’s directorial debut became the festival’s hottest ticket item, rght after its Friday premiere.

Mubi, Focus Features, Searchlight, A24 and Netflix were all in the race for “Club Kid,” throwing down offers in the seven-figure range at first. The price tag escalated and landed at $17 million.

The film also drew interest from Warner new indie label Clockwork, though they bowed out early. Neon was a potential suitor, but the Cannes-dominating studio already has a packed slate for 2026.

Firstman serves as the star as well as the director of Club Kid, which follows a queer party promoter who has long outgrown his time on the scene.  When the 10-year-old son he never knew he had shows up at his door, he must choose to finally enter the adult world as a father or keep dancing the years away.

My Book:

Gay Directors, Gay Films?  Emanuel Levy (Columbia University Press).

The film is produced by Oscar winner Alex Coco (Anora) and Galen Core (“Lurker”), alongside Topic’s Ryan Heller (“A Real Pain,” “Splitsville”) and Michael Bloom. Stay Gold co-financed.

Firstman also serves as an executive producer alongside Ian Stratford, Charles Croft and Jasmine Daghighian for Topic, Olmo Schnabel and Topic’s Daniela Taplin.

Club Kid marks the first major sale at this year’s Cannes, one that’s notably void of Hollywood starpower or blockbuster muscle.

The market has been further dampened by the fact that a significant number of titles arrived at the festival already with distribution.