The French Film Festival Begins: don't miss these must-sees!

Lights...Camera... Action! The French Film Festival has officially begun and it's now time to be swept away by an exquisite selection of films. With so many to choose from, here are just some that we think are must-sees for this edition. Don't miss out!


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Family Day Out Family Day Out Hidden Gems Hidden Gems Familiar Faces Familiar Faces For fans of... For fans of...


 

Family Day Out

For young learners of French, here are some films that are fun, appropriate and relatable so that the whole family can enjoy a day out to the cinema together!


All Stirred Up!

Sonia, an intractable customs officer, must enlist the help of chef Victor, whose knives and gourmet food she unfairly confiscated, to help her daughter, Lili-Beth, who has entered a Mini Chefs competition to stick it to her bullies. A deliciously heartwarming story that will leave you hungry for more!

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Like a Prince

When champion boxer Souleyman gets in a bar fight, he sentenced to 400 hours of community service at the decadent Château de Chambord. He's resigned to his fate until he's surprised by foster kid Mélissa. With an inherent gift for boxing, she might just be the ticket to Souleyman's official comeback.

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Speak Out

Colin, a 14-year-old with a stutter, is content to remain invisible if it means avoiding attention...until he meets Monsieur Devarseau, who challenges Colin to take on the lead role of Cyrano de Bergerac in their school production. Every leap of faith begins with someone who believes in us!

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Hidden Gems

With 42 films in the line-up, we've selected three films that we believe are the hidden gems that deserve to be uncovered and put in the spotlight so you don't miss the opportunity to experience these rich and powerful stories. Take a chance on these undiscovered treasures!

Being Maria

Based on Vanessa Schneider's book My Cousin Maria Schneider, this true story offers a powerful and damning exploration of the monstrous side of art, and the women left to pick up the pieces as it follows the actress' fallout in the wake of a film so lewd that she was criminally charged by Italian courts.

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Juliette in Spring

Featuring a fantastic ensemble cast, this charming new dramedy follows a young woman’s efforts to reconnect to herself and her family during an unexpectedly eventful trip home. Finding pathos and humour in even the worst behaviours of these richly captured protagonists, Juliette in Spring is a gem to be treasured.

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The Kingdom

Corsica, 1995. Lesia is desperate for a normal teenage life. However, amidst the island's gang politics, she’s not just the daughter of notorious mafioso – she’s a potential target. Premiering in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, this powerful debut film is a rich and sensory experience.

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Familiar Faces: Double Duty

Big names on the big screen: watch the latest from these stars of French cinema as they pull double duty and feature in two films at this year's Festival!


François Civil

As seen in:
The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires)
AF FFF24
The Wolf's Call (Le Chant du loup)
AF FFF20
Back to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie)
AF FFF18

Beating Hearts

François Civil and Adèle Exarchopoulos – French cinema’s brightest young talents – devour the screen in Gilles Lellouche’s vibrant, genre-spanning romantic epic of starcrossed lovers tested by social boundaries, betrayal and things beyond all control. A box office smash in France!

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The Good Teacher

Inspired by true events, this gripping new morality thriller stars François Civil as a dedcated young educator whose world is upended when he is accused of misconduct by one of his students. An enthralling, nuanced and conversation-starting exploration of the complexities of human behaviour.

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Sandrine Kiberlain

As seen in:
November (Novembre)
AF FFF23
Hear Me Out (On est fait pour s'entendre)
AF FFF22
In Safe Hands (Pupille)
AF FFF19


Love Boat

Justine (Kiberlain) is tasked with organising a showstopping romantic weekend for her boss, Franck, and the woman of his dreams. Along with her husband, Albin, they devise the ultimate love boat experience. But when Franck reveals that Justine is the woman of his dreams, it looks like this love boat is about to get a little crowded...

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The Divine Sarah Bernhardt

Sumptuous, rapturous, and full of drama, Sarah Bernhardt’s life is here to be experienced in all its theatrical glory – just as La Divine intended. This decadent biopic is an experience like no other as it vividly recounts Bernhardt’s tempestuous story and is a dazzling chronicle of a chameleonic actress who defined her generation.

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Kad Merad

As seen in:
King of My Castle (Le Larbin)
AF FFF24
The Big Hit (Un triomphe)
AF FFF21
Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis
The highest-grossing French film of all time at the French box office!


At the End of the Day

Lino (Merad), a Parisian lawyer fed up with his bourgeois life, has left everything behind to escape to the countryside. Perfect for those wanting to laugh at the absurdity of life, At the End of the Day will take you on a cinematic road trip through France's most beautiful regions.

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Before What Comes After

What begins as a routine checkup evolves into a profound friendship between acclaimed philosopher, Fabrice Toussaint (Denis Podalydès), and the head of palliative care, Augustin Masset (Merad). A deeply moving exploration of mortality and meaning.

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For fans of...

Bonnard, Pierre et Marthe

You may like...


Niki

Selected for Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, this powerful debut is an introspective spotlight on one of the world's most iconoclastic artists. Sculptor, painter, author, filmmaker: who was Niki de Saint-Phalle before becoming the woman who refused to conform?

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Divertimento

Check out...


Prodigies

What we are willing to sacrifice to achieve greatness? Twin pianists Claire and Jeanne have been trained for greatness. But while they might have been prodigies at home, at the Karlsruhe Conservatory of Music, they're nothing. An unmissable film of obsession and sibling rivalry.

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Jeanne du Barry

Go and see...


The Deluge

Drawn from the diaries of Louis XVI’s personal valet, this historical drama evocatively depicts the last days of the French Revolution and the fates of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI with marvellous production design, transfixing cinematography, and exceptional costumes.

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More Festival Blog Posts

See more from the Festival, including some of our other recommendations and our local French Film Festival page.


Festival Highlights

With 42 films in this year's Festival line-up, it can be hard to know where to start. We have curated some categories to get you on track and discover some of the hidden gems of this year's Festival to add to your Festival watchlist!


L'amour toujours

Dive into a romantic collection of this year's line-up. From passionate epics to charming romantic comedies, our 2025 line-up is full of heart and desire. There's a reason French is known as the language of love!


French Film Festival

See more about all of our local special events; our regional screenings in Mt Gambier, Renmark and Victor Harbor; Festival trailer and raffle; school screenings; volunteering opportunities and so much more!


About the Alliance Française French Film Festival

The 36th Alliance Française French Film Festival continues a thriving annual celebration of French cinema as a cornerstone of cultural exchange, fostering a deeper appreciation of the French language and Francophone cultures. With its diverse film lineup and a vibrant program of special events, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is the perfect launchpad for another extraordinary year of cultural activities in Australia.

From our Opening Night film, Monsieur Aznavour, to our Closing Night film, In the Sub for Love, and the 40 other films in between - there's something for everyone. We invite you to join us in an unforgettable cinematic journey, celebrating the art of French storytelling and the enduring friendship between France and Australia!


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