Queen at Sea (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Queen at Sea is a 2026 drama about a family confronting the legal and moral questions surrounding dementia, consent and personal autonomy. Directed and written by Lance Hammer, the film stars Juliette Binoche, Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall in a story about choices whose consequences extend beyond the household.

Queen at Sea places a family dispute at the center of a difficult ethical question: what happens when dementia may affect a person’s ability to make important decisions? The drama follows Amanda and her stepfather Martin as they confront that uncertainty involving Amanda’s mother, Leslie.

Written and directed by Lance Hammer, the film is led by Juliette Binoche, Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall. It is a United Kingdom–United States production with a reported runtime of two hours and one minute, and its subject matter is reflected in keywords including dementia, autonomy and consent.

Queen at Sea movie details

Story without spoilers

Amanda and Martin disagree over whether Leslie, who has dementia, can still make critical decisions in her own best interests. Their conflict expands into a broader question of responsibility: should such decisions belong to a spouse, a child or an institution?

As the two are pushed toward increasingly consequential choices, the situation moves beyond a private family disagreement. Queen at Sea focuses on the moral and practical pressures created when questions of capacity, consent and care collide.

What to expect

This is a serious family drama built around ethical conflict rather than a conventional action-driven premise. The supplied story points to a tense examination of dementia, decision-making and the competing responsibilities of relatives and institutions.

Viewers can expect a character-centered film dealing with difficult choices and their repercussions. Its two-hour-one-minute runtime allows the central issue to unfold as a sustained drama, while the English and French language mix gives the production a bilingual context.

Cast and creative team

Juliette Binoche plays Amanda, while Tom Courtenay portrays Martin and Anna Calder-Marshall plays Leslie. Florence Hunt appears as Sara, with Steven Cree as Jonathan. The supporting cast also includes Michelle Jeram as DC Emma Walker, Elizabeth Rushbrook as PC Kate Brooks, Noah Hunt Basden as Victor, Liani Samuel as Frida and Jean Pemberton as Gemma.

Lance Hammer wrote and directed Queen at Sea.

• Juliette Binoche as Amanda
• Tom Courtenay as Martin
• Anna Calder-Marshall as Leslie
• Florence Hunt as Sara
• Steven Cree as Jonathan
• Michelle Jeram as DC Emma Walker
• Elizabeth Rushbrook as PC Kate Brooks
• Noah Hunt Basden as Victor
• Liani Samuel as Frida
• Jean Pemberton as Gemma

Release and production context

Queen at Sea is listed as a 2026 release, with a release date of September 18, 2026. The film runs for 2 hours and 1 minute and is produced across the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Its spoken languages are English and French. Production companies include The Bureau, MIAO Productions and Greenwich Entertainment.

At the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival, Queen at Sea won the Silver Bear Jury Prize. Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall won the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance.

Production companies: The Bureau, MIAO Productions, Greenwich Entertainment

Queen at Sea official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

Movies Dock view

Queen at Sea approaches dementia through the connected questions of autonomy, consent and responsibility. With its family-centered premise, established cast and recognition at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival, it presents a focused drama about the consequences of deciding who should speak for someone else.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb