Queen at Sea

Queen at Sea is a 2026 drama film written and directed by Lance Hammer. Starring Juliette Binoche, Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall, it follows a middle-aged woman struggling with her mother's dementia.

The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on February 17, 2026, where it won the Silver Bear Jury Prize and the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance for Courtenay and Calder-Marshall.^[3][4] It received positive reviews from critics.^[5][6][7]

Amanda walks in on her step-father Martin having sex with her mother Leslie, which shocks her. Leslie has advanced dementia, and Martin has previously been told by Leslie's doctor that, due to her mental incapacity, she can no longer consent to sex. Amanda, intending to teach her step-father a lesson, calls the police on him. The police end up arresting Martin for sexual assault.

Amanda, who lives in Newcastle and is a tenured professor at a university there, moves in to her parents' house to look after her mother while Martin is investigated. Meanwhile, her teenage daughter Sara, strikes up a relationship with a local boy, James.

Martin insists on staying in his own house, despite his bail conditions. When she realises her mother is restless when Martin isn't in bed with her, Amanda reluctantly lets Martin stay in Leslie's room - under the condition he not engage in sex with her. Martin protests, noting it is often Leslie who initiates sexual contact, but relents after an argument with Amanda.

A court-appointed assessor visits to investigate Leslie's living conditions, and is taken aback when she sees Martin present in the house. Amanda saves him by saying she invited him for the visit.

Ultimately, Leslie is moved into a care home, devastating Martin, but the care home staff send Amanda updates showing Leslie having a nice time. A few days later, Amanda is called by the care home saying she went into another resident's room for some time, and was found leaving the room half naked. When Martin and Amanda come to the home to see Leslie, she is found holding the hands of the man who's room she went into. A distraught Martin agrees that Leslie does not understand consent and won't have sex with her any further. They take Leslie back to Martin's place. Meanwhile, Sara's relationship with James is getting serious, and Amanda buys her condoms.

Amanda and Martin hire a home nurse to care for Leslie, giving Martin a break. Martin and Amanda repair their relationship, but Martin is clearly tired and sad at how far Leslie has deteriorated.

Amanda and Martin agree to have dinner one evening, and he opts to take a walk prior while the home nurse looks after Leslie. Martin returns to find the home nurse attempting to wash Leslie, who has soiled herself. Leslie is shouting and is scared of the nurse. Martin tells the nurse she can go home and he would help Leslie for the rest of the afternoon. Martin manages to calm Leslie down enough to get in the shower-bath, but when he attempts to wash her backside she startles, and hits him away, causing him to slip over the edge of the bath and onto the tile. Leslie realises something is wrong when Martin is motionless on the ground, blood pooling from his head.

Amanda returns to Martin's apartment for dinner and finds her mother naked at the top of the stairs. Meanwhile, Sara leaves James' house after having sex for the first time.

• Juliette Binoche as Amanda
• Tom Courtenay as Martin
• Anna Calder-Marshall as Leslie
• Florence Hunt as Sara
• Cody Molko as James
• Steven Cree as Jonathan Reid
• Michelle Jeram as DC Emma Walker
• Marie-Elle Vooijs as Anneke
• Jean Pemberton as Gemma
• Liani Samuel as Frida
• Lolabelle Backus as Julien
• Noah Hunt Basden as Victor
• Yasmin Campbell as Tessa
• Joe Horsford as Luke
• Alison Pargeter as Janise
• Elizabeth Rushbrook as PC Kate Brooks
• Mohammad Amiri as PC Ali
• Michelle Kelly as Julie

After releasing the Ballast (2008), which had also been nominated for the Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlinale, Hammer entered an 18-year-long hiatus, working mainly as an academic professor.^[8]

Principal photography for Queen at Sea began on 18 April 2023 in London.^[9][10] Adolpho Veloso served as director of photography, shooting the film on 35mm.^[6]

Queen at Sea premiered at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on February 17, 2026.^[11][12] The Match Factory is handling sales for the film.^[13]

After its premiere, Queen at Sea earned widespread critical acclaim.^{[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]} On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 20 reviews are positive.^[21]

The performances received particular praise. Time Out asserted, "Some films are hung on performances so remarkable, they simply must be seen, even if it destroys you," calling Juliette Binoche's turn "towering."^[22]

• Queen at Sea at IMDb