Next up from this year’s Locarno Film Festival is an offering from the “Fuori Concorso” section with Bloody Tennis.
Title: Bloody Tennis
Director: Nikias Chryssos
World Premiere: August 7, 2026 (Switzerland – Locarno Film Festival)
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Sophie (Sandra Guldberg Kampp) is a talented tennis player from Detroit, Michigan. She’s excited to learn that she’s been accepted to an elite tennis academy in the south of Spain, albeit as a replacement.
Upon arriving, Sophie learns that the academy is made up of five other girls: the nepobaby standout Nelly (Lily Taïeb), her shadow Frida (Juliana Vieira-Guerra), the laser-focused Bana (Tracy Gotoas), the young phenom Xue (Lucie Zhang), and the pill-loving Heidi (Helena Zengel). All six train under academy coach Stavkos (Zlatko Burić), with head of the academy Mary (Elina Löwensohn) overseeing everything.
It doesn’t take long for Sophie to realize that something sinister is at play here. With a wildcard spot in Wimbledon on the line, she’s going to need more than skill to graduate at the top of the class.
Bloody Tennis wastes no time in grabbing your attention. The opening scene lets you know right away that this is not going to be your typical tennis movie. While it worked in grabbing my attention, I both loved and hated it.
On the one hand, you immediately know that something is up with this academy. You aren’t sure the how or the why, but you know that there’s evil present. On the other hand, the scene sort of ruins a big reveal about the academy. Rather than leaning into the atmosphere and having to sit with uncertainty, you’re instead just waiting for the reveal to happen.
Fred (Vincent Romeo) is a character not mentioned above that just might be the creepiest in the film. He doesn’t have an official title at the academy but he’s essentially the academy’s gopher. Whether it’s driving the girls around, keeping score of the matches, or acting as an equipment manager of sorts, Fred is the go-to guy. Romeo plays him with a sincerity that is downright unsettling.
As for the girls at the academy, unfortunately what you see is what you get. Nobody ever really receives any kind of significant development outside of Sophie.
While I had my issues with how the characters are written, I did appreciate other details in the script. For example, I thought the use of black tennis outfits was clever, especially when we learn how Fred makes the rackets. I also enjoyed the way DP Constantin Campean shot the tennis matches. We’re not focused on the sport but rather the athletes and how the match is impacting them, both physically and mentally.
It’s those moments that focus on the mental anguish where Bloody Tennis is at its best. The amount of stress that can be placed on athletes, especially at elite training academies, has been well-documented. Taking that, amplifying it, and adding a twist of horror creates an anxiety-filled atmosphere that lingers the entire runtime.
Ultimately, Bloody Tennis is sort of a mixed bag. There’s a lot to enjoy, there’s just as much to roll your eyes at, but it remains entertaining throughout.