Australian horror continues to be one of the country’s best film exports. Dangerous Animals, the latest feature from cult director Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones, The Devil’s Candy), is set to make its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight – marking the first Australian title to screen in the prestigious sidebar in over a decade.
Starring Yellowstone’s Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney (American Primeval) and Josh Heuston (Heartbreak High), the survival horror was shot on the Gold Coast and produced by the powerhouse team behind Boy Swallows Universe.
Byrne’s long-awaited return to the director’s chair sees Harrison as Zephyr, a surf-savvy free spirit abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer (Courtney) and trapped aboard his boat. As the killer prepares for a ritualistic shark-feeding, Zephyr must fight to escape – while her new love interest Moses (Heuston) becomes entangled in the nightmare.
ScreenHub: Dangerous Animals: Australian horror starring Jai Courtney in cinemas June 2025
Also featuring Ella Newton, the film is written by Nick Lepard and produced by Brouhaha Entertainment’s Troy Lum and Andrew Mason, alongside Pete Shilaimon and Mickey Liddell for LD Entertainment, Chris Ferguson for Oddfellows Entertainment and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones for Range Media Partners.
Dangerous Animals is one of just 18 feature films selected for the 2024 Directors’ Fortnight program – an independent parallel section that champions bold, contemporary filmmaking. It’s the first Australian film to screen in the Fortnight since Zak Hilditch’s These Final Hours in 2014.
The section will open with Enzo from French director Robin Campillo (120 BPM) and close with Sorry, Baby from Eva Victor.
The 77th Cannes Film Festival runs from 13–24 May, with Dangerous Animals landing in Australian cinemas via Kismet Distribution on 12 June.
