How do you prepare for the worst when a family member is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease? Premiering at Cannes and nominated for Best Feature at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Leah Nelson’s gorgeous adaptation of Sarah Leavitt’s tender graphic novel about exactly that is a salve for sore hearts.

2026
Tangles
Tangles
Director
Runtime
103 Minutes
Country
United States
Classification
Unclassified 15+
If you’ve ever lost anyone dear to you, prepare to be ruined and rebuilt by director Leah Nelson’s astonishingly generous debut feature, Tangles. Relocating Sarah Leavitt’s best-selling graphic novel of the same name from Canada to the US, it features the vocal talents of Broad City star Abbi Jacobson as Sarah. An awkwardly cute illustrator, she’s landed a dream gig with a queer magazine and her big feels for biker Donimo (Samira Wiley) appear to be mutual. But on a trip home to see the parents, Sarah notices that her mum (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) appears uncharacteristically confused. While her dad (Bryan Cranston) thinks it’s nothing, Sarah’s worst fears are soon confirmed: her mum has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Brought to life in lush greyscale animation, Nelson’s emotional rollercoaster was rightly nominated for the Camera d’Or for best first feature at Cannes. Also featuring Wanda Sykes, Seth Rogen, Bowen Yang and the world’s worst/best rendition of Chrissie Hynde’s I’ll Stand by You, Tangles is a balm for broken hearts.
“Deeply humane and frequently hilarious.”
The Saturday Paper
“For all the sorrow that marks and bruises Tangles, it’s not a depressing film — coloured as it is by warmly detailed familial observation and bittersweet humour.”
Variety
“Tangles will prove cathartic to plenty of viewers who have lived through something similar, the film acting as a hand held out in support, comfort and understanding.”
The Hollywood Reporter
“Tangles is first and foremost the stuff of life, the stuff of many lives, especially people living through it personally with their families and who likely will shed a tear or two at this tender, heart-wrenching treatment.”
Deadline
“While never shying away from the reality of this horribly cruel yet incredibly mundane condition … Tangles is also wonderfully funny and sage.”
Little White Lies
Cannes
Annecy
Toronto
Sydney
Melbourne
Film Credits
Director
Leah Nelson
Year
2026
Country
United States
Language
English
Type
Feature Animation
Program Strand
Animation
Producer
Seth Rogen, Vicky Patel, Lauren Miller Rogen, Steve Barnett & Leah Nelson
Writer
Leah Nelson, Sarah Leavitt & Trev Renney
Cinematographer
Manddy Wyckens
Editor
David Avery
Cast
Abbi Jacobson, Beanie Feldstein, Bowen Yang, Bryan Cranston, Julia-Louis Dreyfus, Pamela Adlon, Samira Wiley, Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen & Wanda Sykes
Music
Dan Romer
Film Source
Umbrella
Genre
Animation, Biographical, Drama, Family & Health & Mindfulness
