25 French films worth watching

Oscars are due in just over two weeks, on 26 April. This year, there will be a total of 23 Academy Awards. Of those, the one I’m most excited about is the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (previously known as Best Foreign Language Film). So far, the most awarded foreign country is Italy (with 14 Oscars won), while France is the second most awarded one (12 Oscars), as well as the foreign country with the most nominations (37). Today, I’d like to take the opportunity to discuss some of my favourite French films.

Portrait de la jeune fille en feu

‘Portrait de la jeune fille en feu’ (‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’, 2019) is one of the best French films I’ve watched in recent years. I watched it at the Leeds Film Festival in November 2019. Directed by Céline Sciamma, it is a modern adaptation of the ancient legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, which is actually referenced in the film.

Grâce à Dieu

‘Grâce à Dieu’ (‘By the Grace of God’, 2019) is one of the latest films by François Ozon, one of the best known contemporary French directors. Based on true events, Ozon tells the story of several men who were sexually abused by a Catholic priest as children, and years later decided to bring him (and the Catholic Church) to justice. A powerful film that raises awareness of crimes committed by the Clergy and that the Catholic Church turned a blind eye on.

Other recent films by Ozon include ‘Été 85’ (Summer of 85, 2020), ’L’ Amant double’ (‘Double Lover’, 2017), ‘Une nouvelle amie’ (‘The New Girlfriend’, 2014), and ‘Jeune & Jolie’ (Young & Beautiful’, 2013), which I watched at Leeds Film Festival a few years ago. In all these films, Ozon explores human sexuality, like he also did in the ‘Swimming Pool’ (2003), a film that I admit I didn’t enjoy the first time I watched (still a teenager at the time). On the contrary, ‘8 femmes’ (8 Women’, 2002) was much more fun to watch. Featuring an ensemble cast of high-profile French actresses including Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart and Fanny Ardant, it was the first film by Ozon that I’ve watched (in the company of my parents).

Celle que vous croyez

‘Celle que vous croyez’ (‘Who You Think I Am’, 2019) is one of the most recent French films starring Juliette Binoche, one of my favourite French actresses. Directed by Safy Nebbou, it tells the story of a middle-aged woman who creates a fake profile on social media to connect with a younger man she’s become obsessed with.

La Vérité

‘La Vérité’ (‘The Truth’, 2019) is another film starring Binoche. It is written and directed by the Japanese film-make Hirokazu Kore-eda and also stars Catherine Deneuve (who plays Binoche’s mother) and Ethan Hawke. It is a film about motherhood and specifically about the mother-daughter relationship.

Doubles Vies

I watched ‘Doubles Vies’ (‘Non-Fiction’, 2018) by Olivier Assayas at the BFI London Film Festival in 2018. Starring Juliette Binoche, it takes us on a journey to the publishing world, as it transitions from print to digital format. At the same time, the protagonist transitions through middle age.

Un beau soleil intérieur

‘Un beau soleil intérieur’ (‘Let the Sunshine In’, 2017) by Claire Denis is another recent French film starring Juliette Binoche. Here, Binoche plays a middle-aged woman having a string of unsuccessful relationships after her divorce. Gérard Depardieu also appears in the film but only plays a small role.

La Vie d’Adèle

Another film exploring human sexuality is ‘La Vie d’Adèle’ (‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’, 2013) directed by Abdellatif Kechiche and starring Léa Seydoux. I watched it at the Leeds Film Festival in November 2013, a few months after it won the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or. I may have felt uncomfortable watching some scenes, but at the same time I applaud Kechiche for making this film about lesbian sexuality, a theme rarely talked about let alone explored in mainstream cinema.

De rouille et d’os

Another French film I watched at the Leeds Film Festival is ‘De rouille et d’os’ (‘Rust and Bone’, 2012). Directed by Jacques Audiard, it stars Marion Cotillard, who plays a woman in a wheelchair struggling to come to terms with losing her legs in an accident.

Amour

‘Amour’ (2012) is one of my favourite films; I watched it at the Leeds Film Festival in November 2012. Set in Paris, it tells the story of an elderly couple whose love is tested when one of them suffers a stroke. Directed by Michael Haneke, ‘Amour’ won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (for Austria, not France) and the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or.

Although German-born Haneke is an Austrian national, he is best known for his French-language films such as ‘The Piano Teacher’ (‘La Pianiste’, 2001), which won the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix, ‘Caché’ (‘Hidden’, 2005), starring Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche, and ‘Happy End’ (2017) starring Isabelle Huppert.

Augustine

I watched ‘Augustine’ (2012) at the 7th European Psychoanalytic Film Festival which took place in London in 2013. Directed by Alice Winocour, it is a historical drama about a love affair between French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot and one of his patients, Augustine.

Intouchables

Directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, the ‘Intouchables’ (2011) stars François Cluzet and Omar Sy. The film is about the friendship between a middle-aged quadriplegic man and his carer, a much younger man with a criminal record. Several remakes have been released, including an American one, called ‘The Upside’ (2017). Directed by Neil Burger, it stars Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman, and Julianna Margulies.

The Artist

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, ‘The Artist’ (2011), is a black-and-white silent film taking us back to an era when movies were silent. A successful actor struggles personally and professionally when he falls in love with a younger actress, while the ‘talkies’ start taking over. At the Oscars, ‘The Artist’ received ten nominations, and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Jean Dujardin.

Les petits mouchoirs & Nous finirons ensemble

Directed by Guillaume Canet and starring Marion Cotillard, Jean Dujardin, and François Cluzet, ’Les petits mouchoirs’ (‘Little White Lies’, 2010) is a drama about a group of friends going on holidays together. The long-awaited sequel, ‘Nous finirons ensemble’ (‘Little White Lies 2’), was released in 2019.

L’ Arnacœur

Set in Monaco, ‘L’ Arnacœur’ (‘Heartbreaker’, 2010) is a rom-com by the late director Pascal Chaumeil. It stars Romain Duris and Vanessa Paradis. Duris is hired by Vanessa’s father to seduce her and prevent her from getting married to an Englishman.

Paris

‘Paris’ (2008) by Cédric Klapisch stars Juliette Binoche and Romain Duris. Set in Paris, it follows the lives of a number of Parisians; Duris plays a dancer waiting for a heart transplant, while Binoche plays his divorced sister (and mother of three).

La Vie En Rose

Named after one of the most known songs by Édith Piaf, ‘La Vie En Rose’ (2007) is a biography of the legendary singer. It is directed by Olivier Dahan and stars Marion Cotillard, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Paris, je t’aime

‘Paris, je t’aime’ (2006) is an anthology consisting of eighteen short films, each directed by a different director. Most of these directors are not French, but all the films are set in Paris, but in different arrondissements. Some of the directors are Joel and Ethan Coen, Alfonso Cuarón, Alexander Payne, Gus Van Sant, and Olivier Assayas, whereas the short films feature a large number of actors, including Juliette Binoche, Fanny Ardant and Gérard Depardieu.

36 Quai des Orfèvres

Dealing with the theme of crime and punishment, ’36 Quai des Orfèvres’ (2004) is one of my favourite films. Directed by Olivier Marchal and starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu, it tells the story of two Parisian cops, rivals for promotion.

Jeux d’enfants

‘Jeux d’enfants’ (‘Love Me If You Dare’, 2003) is a rom-com directed by Yann Samuell and starring Marion Cotillard. The film tells the story of two childhood friends as they paddle along through life.

Callas Forever

‘Callas Forever’ (2002) by the recently deceased Italian director Franco Zeffirelli preceded ‘La Vie en Rose’ by 5 years. Starring Fanny Ardant and Jeremy Irons, it is a biographical film about Greek soprano Maria Callas. Set in Paris, it introduces us to Callas during the last year of her life. Ironically it is the last film that Zeffirelli made.

Three Colours: Blue/White/Red

Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski is best known for the ‘Three Colours’ trilogy, which includes two films in French (‘Blue’ and ‘Red’) and one in Polish (‘White’). The three critically acclaimed films were released sequentially in the early 1990s, and are based on the national motto of France: Liberté, égalité, fraternité. They are named after the colours of the French flag. Even though they are part of a trilogy, their stories are largely independent of each other. ‘Red’ (1994) was nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Screenplay).

Le Grand Bleu

Directed by Luc Besson, the iconic ’Le Grand Bleu’ (‘The Big Blue’, 1988) takes us back to the 1960s and to the Greek island of Amorgos, where a friendship between two children, who are to become established free-divers, is formed. From the blue waters of the Aegean, the story follows them to adulthood and to Sicily.