French film is known for producing some of the world's most thought-provoking, visually sumptuous, and emotionally electrifying cinematic works, especially when it comes to romances and dramas. In contrast to American audiences, French and other European viewers as a whole are more tolerant of artistic nudity and explicit sensual scenarios, allowing for boundary-pushing experimentation that is often not possible in mainstream Hollywood projects. French films also typically steer away from gratuitous violence, instead creatively eliciting a reaction through psychological elements.
Because film is primarily a visual medium, with quality works expressing the story first and foremost through body language and expression, French-language films can fortunately be understood and enjoyed by all, with subtitles elevating the experience. International film fans wondering what to watch should dive in to one of these bold creations.
9 'La Vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 & 2'
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Blue is the Warmest Color NC-17 DramaDocumentaryRomance
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*Availability in US Release Date October 9, 2013 Director Abdellatif Kechiche Runtime 180minutes Cast Lea Seydoux , Adèle Exarchopoulos , Salim Kechiouche , Aurélien Recoing , Catherine Salée , Benjamin Siksou
Better known by its English title Blue Is the Warmest Color, this 2013 release chronicles the mournfully romantic relationship saga of Adèle, a 15-year-old high schooler played by Adèle Exarchopoulos, who becomes mutually enamored with a captivating art student who is a few years older. The film garnered rave reviews from critics, winning the coveted Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
'Blue Is the Warmest Color' Puts Grit Over Glamor
The NC-17 film artfully incorporates hyperrealistic scenes of sensuality without distracting from the solid narrative that spans approximately a decade. The exquisite camera work aims for truth rather than flattery, showing every detail of the starring actresses' often makeup-free faces and capturing human vulnerability in close-up shots of Adèle carelessly eating messy foods as if she were alone in private. The meandering project's best quality is the way it puts viewers in the mindset to soak in the unexpected beauty that is often overlooked in the unfiltered mundane.
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Posts 8 'Une Fille Facile' (2019) Close
The movie, whose title translates to An Easy Girl, features a quartet of stars comprised of Mina Farid, Zahia Dehar, Benoît Magimel, and Nuno Lopes. The two actresses play older and younger cousins who are invited by a pair of wealthy pals to join a series of leisurely excursions on the French Riviera. The project is an indulgently decadent take on a quintessential "Summer I Grew Up" story.
'An Easy Girl' Is a Perfectly Balanced Realistic Fantasy
The film allows viewers to get lost in a world of wealth and luxury, living vicariously through the girls as they sip champagne on a yacht with their glamorous new friends in Cannes. However, the audience is pulled back to reality with the stark acknowledgment that fairy tales seldom last forever. A useful gem of life advice can be gleaned from Dehar's character, who engages in unconventional arrangements to her benefit, and runs her romantic life by an essential golden rule: she never texts first.
7 'Jeune & Jolie' (2013) Close
François Ozon's Young & Beautiful stars Marine Vacht as a 17-year-old student who embarks on a daringly secretive spree as a high-end escort until one disastrous encounter puts an abrupt halt to her misadventures. Not wanting for money, she simply seeks to satisfy her curiosity and chase the thrill of the experience.
Art Is the Message
Like many art films, the movie doesn't aim to relay a moral lesson. Instead, it primarily serves as an aesthetic snapshot into a character's life. The movie elegantly humanizes prostitution, and although it doesn't push an agenda, it admirably relays the idea that sometimes wanting to do something is good enough reason to.
6 'Curiosa' (2019) Close
Curiosa is a 2019 drama that tells the tale of the erotic relationship between 19th-century French poets Pierre Louÿs and Marie De Régnier. Based on true historical occurrences, the movie contains themes of self-awakening and sexual liberation against the backdrop of 1890s Paris.
A Visual Feast
While the film contains plenty of beautiful shots, some critics complained that the storyline lacked the impactful punch they would have liked to see. However, perhaps director Lou Jeunet meant the film as a piece of entertainingly erotic visual art, rather than an intellectual academic exercise.
5 'Grave' (2016)
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Raw R DramaHorror
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*Availability in US Release Date March 15, 2017 Runtime 99 Minutes Cast Garance Marillier , Ella Rumpf , Rabah Nait Oufella , Laurent Lucas , Joana Preiss
Grave's title, which translates in English to Raw, references the film's cannibalistic themes. The gritty film stars Garance Marillier as the youngest daughter in a family cursed by an insatiable craving for human flesh. Although the overarching feeling is one of tragic loss, the film interweaves romance, particularly in the reveal of the father's astounding sacrifice for his wife.
A Tense, Atmospheric Adventure
The film, which scored an impressive 93% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, is marked by a bleak eeriness that is broken up by enough startling twists to keep viewers captivated by the well-paced project. Many fans call the movie, which drifts into horror territory in several scenes, their favorite French drama.
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Posts 4 'iʁevɛʁsibl' (2002)
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Irreversible NC-17 CrimeDocumentaryDramaMysteryThriller Release Date May 22, 2002 Runtime 97 Cast Monica Bellucci , Vincent Cassel , Albert Dupontel , Jo Prestia , Philippe Nahon , Stéphane Drouot
Written and directed by Gaspar Noe, Irreversible is an early aughts art thriller that details two men's plan to take revenge on a third man who has attacked the woman they are both in love with. The story is uniquely presented in backwards chronological order, creating a refreshing style of suspense.
Daringly Violent
The film is known for employing extreme levels of realistic violence, a trait which turned away the more sensitive subset of viewers. However, other viewers praised the film for the way its explicit scenes elicited a profound sense of empathy for the attack victim by strongly immersing the audience in the story's events.
3 'Passages' (2023)
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Passages NR RomanceDrama
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*Availability in US Release Date June 28, 2023 Runtime 92 Minutes Cast Franz Rogowski , Ben Whishaw , Adèle Exarchopoulos , Erwan Kepoa Falé , Théo Cholbi
2023's Passages is a romantic drama about a male couple whose relationship becomes treacherous when one of them develops affections for a woman and begins cheating on his husband. The story of love and loss is full of entertaining surprises, and Franz Rogowski's sizzling performance has been particularly praised.
Sensual and Sad
The film's lustful beauty is realistically balanced with tones of tragedy, making for a well-balanced work that won over critics.
2 'Lila Dit Ça' (2004) Close
Lila Says is a 2004 French film directed by Ziad Doueiri, based on a 1996 novel by an author called Chimo. The scenes are set in a poor, mostly Arab neighborhood in post-9/11 Marseille. The plot's focus is on the complex relationship between Chimo, a 19-year-old self-described loser, and Lila, a 16-year-old blonde newcomer with a provocative demeanor.
Dirty and Sweet
The film brings a delicious angle to the ever-popular coming-of-age/sexual awakening genre. It is made great by its cross-cultural themes, and has drawn comparisons to the Romeo & Juliet style of romance. While it features some explicit scenes, it also maintains a cute tone of romance.
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Posts 1 'La Pianiste' (2001)
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The Piano Teacher R DramaMusic
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*Availability in US Release Date September 5, 2001 Runtime 131 Minutes Cast Isabelle Huppert , Annie Girardot , Benoît Magimel , Susanne Lothar , Udo Samel , Anna Sigalevitch , Cornelia Köndgen , Thomas Weinhappel
Called The Piano Teacher in English, this musically themed movie is directed by Michael Haneke, who is also known for his highly acclaimed 2012 marriage drama Amour. It is an intensely raw character study of an isolated middle-aged female music instructor who lives a boring life until a much younger student sets out to win her affections.
Ingeniously Uncomfortable
Many viewers describe feeling uncomfortable while watching the film, but somehow being unable to look away. This audience reaction should be seen as a triumph, since the ultimate goal of a movie is to entertain, and it is very difficult to feel bored when one is uncomfortable. Starring actress Isabelle Huppert shines in her role, helping to make the project a must-watch.