Rami Malek plays dying queer artist in Ira Sachs’ new Cannes competition film

Rami Malek and Ira Sachs will premiere The Man I Love at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, one of the few American films in this year’s main competition, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Set in New York City during the 1980s AIDS crisis, the film stars Malek as Jimmy George, a queer entertainer and theatre artist determined to continue creating despite facing a terminal illness. Directed and co-written by acclaimed independent filmmaker Ira Sachs, the project explores themes of mortality, love, artistic ambition, and identity within New York’s underground creative scene.

According to Sachs, The Man I Love was deeply influenced by his own experiences living in New York during the 1980s, as well as the emotional impact of the AIDS epidemic on artists and the LGBTQ community. The filmmaker described the project as one of his most personal works to date.

The film also stars Tom Sturridge, Rebecca Hall, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and newcomer Luther Ford. Sachs explained that the story centers on a complicated emotional triangle while capturing the atmosphere of experimental theatre and queer nightlife in 1980s Manhattan.

Malek said he viewed the film as a significant creative risk and praised Sachs’ unique filmmaking style and emotional storytelling approach. The Oscar-winning actor described Jimmy as a character driven by defiance, creativity, and the desire to keep living fully despite uncertainty.

The Man I Love blends romance, music, and drama, with live musical performances woven throughout the narrative. The film is scheduled to premiere at Cannes on May 21 and is already generating strong attention within the international film community.