Discoveries from France World Cinema

Arnaud Mustier, lawyer and brilliant philosopher, arouses the annoyance of his younger brother Jules, age sixteen. One day, Arnaud is a victim of a late adolescent crisis. Helped by Jules, he is going to catch up this phase of the life which he did not live.

The story of the cross destiny of George Orwell (1903-50) and Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), the genius authors of the two most groundbreaking novels of anticipation of the 20th century: 1984 and Brave New World; two lucid witnesses of the maledictions of the modern world whose novels have found a considerable echo with our time.

A Palestinian family living in the north of Galilee gathers to celebrate the wedding of one of their daughters, as war rages between Israel and Lebanon. Internal conflicts explode between the family - secrets are revealed and lies are unmasked. The battles between different family members become as merciless as the outside war once their father falls into a coma and inches toward death.

Life story of a charming scoundrel, with little dialogue other than the star/director's witty narration. As a boy, only he survives a family tragedy when he's deprived of supper (poisonous mushrooms!) for stealing...concluding that dishonesty pays. Through years of dabbling in crime and amusing adventures, two women appear and reappear in his life, a dazzling blonde jewel thief and a stunning brunette gambler. Finally, he meets the mysterious Charbonnier who had saved his life in World War I, leading to the surprising next phase in his career...

Achille, a handsome Parisian teen from a well-off family, falls victim to a violent attack. After being sent to the seaside for a holiday to get himself back on track, he meets Brian, an angry young man. Their showdown will reveal their true nature, and their struggle will give rise to a killer…

Klaus murders women. After killing another girl, Klaus is spotted by his friend Kersten as he leaves his latest victim's house. Kersten gives him a ride and Klaus begins to plot the man's death. He's a witness, after all. Nobody else can say Klaus was there except Kersten. They decide to head to a party. Klaus' unhappy wife is there. So are a bunch of other people. Killing Kersten will be difficult. Then they all play a game called... Murder Party!

Paul Lamiani, a wizened mobster, is asked to return to duty following the disappearance of secret documents of extreme importance. It is assumed that they are in the hands of a friend of Paul. But the case becomes even more delicate when Lamiani's son is kidnapped.

Hong Kong, 1978. South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee is kidnapped by North Korean operatives following orders from dictator Kim Jong-il.

In Paris, two dysfunctional dealers use family ties to try to boost their small drug business in this crass comedy based on the webseries.

Catherine and Yann, happily married for many years, should have spent the year travelling abroad. But since he sold his business, Yann has been too busy with his bonsai trees and keeps postponing the big trip. Things go from bad to worse when their 27-year-old broke daughter and her boyfriend lose their apartment and come knocking on the door to stay. With Yann’s mid-life crisis spinning out of control, their couch surfing daughter and partner getting increasingly invasive and their stay becoming indefinite, Catherine will try everything to kick them out of the parental home and get her life back on track!

Christophe Merignac, a youngESCP graduate with a law degree but still unemployed, gets a job as a concierge in a luxury building. Using charm and cunning, he makes himself indispensable. He makes a fortune and marries a young, pretty and rich tenant, whom he happily deceives. The conclusion is bittersweet: he's "made it", but he doesn't love anyone. What's more, a young concierge who looks like a brother has just arrived in his building.

Phillipe and Esther live an apparently idyllic life with their daughter, Elise. In an attempt to preserve this bliss, Phillipe decides that he and Esther should each have affairs, being sure to tell each other openly about them. The plan backfires with tragic results as Phillipe becomes engulfed in jealously.

After yet another rape, a young woman kills her partner. Behind her back, out of her sight, her skin slowly necrotizes, as if the trauma she thought she had buried is slowly taking her with it.

Daniel leaves prison. He returns to Marseilles where Mathilda, his daughter, has just given birth. Nicolas, her spouse, a self-employed driver, is exhausted while Mathilda is a sales assistant on a trial basis. But, one night, Nicolas is assaulted by taxi drivers determined to reduce unfair competition.

At the Vynnyky Medical Center, located in the suburbs of Lviv, Ukraine, the staff treats exclusively war casualties: amputees and those who have been disfigured. An internationally renowned surgeon, Chloé Bertolus is one of the leading specialists in facial reconstruction. Several times a year, she visits the wounded to repair tissue damaged by bullets and shrapnel from the Russian army.

An old man crosses the boundless Kazakh steppe, driving alone. Haunted by memories of a lost love, he stops by Bartogay Lake, flowers in hand. But as he tries to step out, his car door refuses to open, trapping him between past and present.

This is a story of a seemingly quiet and unobtrusive man, author of a colossal and partly unfinished literary work. We will try to trace back to the origins of his inspiration so as to understand why his work met and still meets with so much success. How did JRR Tolkien manage, through the power of words alone, to so widely instill wisps of magic in the midst of a particularly disenchanted 20th century?

Benjamin and Aude have loved each other for 7 years. They live together on a small island in Brittany. Benjamin dreams of starting a family but the couple learns that Aude is sterile. So Benjamin has an idea. He is the one who will bear their child because before being Benjamin, his name was Sarah.

Set in post-colonial India, Qissa tells the story of Umber Singh, a Sikh who is forced to flee his village due to ethnic cleansing at the time of partition in 1947. Umber decides to fight fate and builds a new home for his family. When Umber marries his youngest child Kanwar to Neeli, a girl of lower caste, the family is faced with the truth of their identities; as individual ambitions and destinies collide in a struggle with eternity.

The story takes us to an island with no future, given that it’s already partly submerged underwater. A woman is caring for ten or so very elderly individuals, but the arrival of five travellers turns their lives upside down…

The notorious and mysterious criminal Furax steals France's famous monuments, replacing them with replicas.

When Colonel Chabert returns from the war, he discovers that he has lost everything.

Hidden away in the heart of the Château de Fontainebleau, the Théâtre de l’Impératrice Eugénie is one of the most secret treasures of this jewel of French heritage. Closed to the public, this exceptional venue is reopening its doors for a concert given by Les Talens Lyrique and soprano Marie Lys.

Gilles, who operates a money losing garage, teams up with his friends Max, who operates a scrap yard, and lawyer Xavier to open a brothel catering to women. They get the idea from Gilles' secretary Irma, a former prostitute. They are assisted in the implementation by Max's wife Juliette and Sabine who is mad for Gilles. Unfortunately Gilles has fallen for Florence the daughter of the conservative Prime Minister and his wife. When the Prime Minister tries to shut down the brothel Gilles decides to stand against him in the election.

A playwright of note, Darius developed a drinking problem after his first major hit, and has taken time out from writing his follow-up to go to a clinic and dry out. After his release, Darius finds his producer has hired a leading lady for his next show, booked the theater and advertised the starting date -- all without Darius writing so much as a word of this new play. Darius desperately tries to come up with ideas, but nothing comes to mind, with an inflexible deadline staring him in the face. One day, Darius kills a neighbor's cat by accident; terribly depressed, he swallows some sedatives and falls asleep at his computer -- only to awake with the beginning of his play glowing on the screen. Darius is now convinced he must kill in order to create, and starts murdering an ever-expanding variety of creatures in order to satisfy his now bloodthirsty muse.

The battle of the sexes? The forces of despair and seduction? On S. Miguel in the Azores, Rogério, a young man with old money, and his enigmatic wife Leonor host a garden party at their villa. The intriguing guests are an older unmarried couple, the philosophical and observant Irene, and Michel, a roué. While Rogério and Irene talk, Michel and Leonor go down to the sea. The conversations upset Rogério and capture Leonor's imagination. Five years later, the four dine at the villa. Michel and Leonor again leave the other two. Intentions and undercurrents are subtle. One of the four proves strong, one weak, and two must choose. Wind and rain bring down the curtain on both acts.

A crime story set in Paris about a Bonnie-and-Clyde couple -- how they got together and how they are pursued for a murder they never committed.

Two prisoners in complete isolation, separated by the thick brick walls, and desperately in need of human contact, devise a most unusual kind of communication.

Magali plays in a brass band. Guillaume drives a small tourist train. Both spin a perfect love, they share modest dreams and their baby is about to come. But an unexpected news upsets their routine: a man appears and announces that he is Guillaume's estranged father and also reveals that Guillaume is his legitimate heir of a kingdom offshore of France and England. Guillaume and Magali start to dream of a life as monarchs, surrounded by faithful subjects in their castle, enjoying their wealth. But reality is often different to what you can imagine.

Grace Dalrymple Elliot is a British aristocrat trapped in Paris during the French Revolution. Determined to maintain her stiff upper lip and pampered life despite the upheaval, Grace continues her friendship with the Duke of Orléans while risking her life and liberty to protect a fugitive.

Alison Flesh, a rebellious and intrepid Nice police captain, is forced by her superior, Commissioner Djiba, to work in tandem with Parisian lieutenant Leïla Balani, an expert in criminology but a real drag in the field. On the trail of a serial killer, Flesh and Balani will have to team up even if it means turning over the entire Riviera.

LOURDES, a small village where the Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl about 150 years ago. Still today LOURDES is more alive than ever. And Our Lady remains active and attentive to each of her children. About 6 million people visit it every year. After the pandemic, her devotion is increasing. The multitudinous processions of people seeking a miracle feed a small army of caregivers (nurses, volunteers, hospitalists) who accompany them. These pilgrims are an amazing display of humanity: accident victims, the terminally ill, an overweight teenager being bullied at school, a group of prostitutes and trans people from Paris, etc. LOURDES is an insightful meditation on the human capacity for empathy and hope, and especially a journey into the mystery of religious faith in the face of life's profound tribulations.

At a wedding where the husband runs away, everyone has his own story to tell about the trivial misfortune of a person in love with someone that slips away. The guests paint a full picture of clumsiness, lies, and bad luck, that makes impossible, whatever the age, all attempts of seduction... or close enough !

They are possessive, benevolent, clumsy, absent, omnipresent, overwhelmed, guilty, indulgent, loving, fragile, in full possession of their wits, or losing their heads. Alive or already a memory. They are mothers, and it’s their party.

During the colonial period in Algeria, Sergeant Bouvard helps Broussole and his two daughters, Alise and Julie, settle in Hassi Ben Okba. Demobilized, he plants vines with them. Seduced by Julie's charms, he nevertheless marries Alise because she owns the land. He protects Julie from all her lovers but cheats on Alise with Adèle, a settler's wife. Unable to bear it any longer, he runs away with Julie to Oran. The death of his father brings him back to Bou-Okba. He stays with Alise until the day when, selling his wine in Oran, he is taken over by his passion. It is Julie who will tell him to resume married life and start a family of settlers.

Jérémie, 34, wakes up in an apartment he doesn't know, next to a woman he doesn't know. She is Adna, a stunning Swedish woman who is as funny as she is sweet. Is this the beginning of a fairy tale? Not quite, since Jérémie is about to get married—to Antoine.

Bastien Grimaldy, a man driven to heightened anxiety as the plot against him begins to take effect. Bastien's personal relationships give him enough cause for anxiety -- between his new lover Laura and a feisty mother, life provides its own insecurities. When he goes to the police with his problems, Bastien is assigned an off-beat inspector to protect him but is still faced with skepticism about his dilemma.

Through this documentary, Emmanuelle Béart aims to uncover the truth about incest. The actress, accompanied by director Anastasia Mikova, breaks her silence and confronts her reality with that of others, shedding light on a taboo subject.

In a Mediterranean country plunging into armed conflict, a doctor tries to do his duty against all odds, until the day his destiny is turned upside down…

Renart is a sly fox who can always chit-chat his way out of sticky situations. In his quest for an elusive treasure, Renart has ample opportunity to demonstrate how a quick mind can triumph over brute strength.

The life of Vincent de Paul, the 17th-century author and priest who founded two religious orders.

Saint Tropez. Julie Wormser and her lover, writer and neighbour Jeff Marle, plan the murder of her wealthy husband Louis, an alcoholic impotent. She hits him, and leaves the rest of the task to Jeff. Julie finds herself alone the following day, and becomes therefore the prime suspect. Where is Louis' body? Where is Jeff? Is there any secret beyond a door?

Michel Jussieu, a film producer, returns one morning to the cabaret where he forgot his sweater. He discovers the corpse of an extreme right-wing journalist, but immediately he is knocked out. He wakes up in the police station ...

FBI Agents Bullit and Riper investigate the murder of a young dancer called Pamela Rose, found dead in her motel room in Bornsville, a small american town. Despite their differences, they must team up: the local police is hostile and they can only count on themselves to solve the crime. They meet Ginger, Pamela's best friend, and discover soon enough she knows more than she says.

Three prisoners are on a leave for a week end. 48 hours to come back down to earth. 48 hours to reconnect with their close friends. 48 hours trying to make up the lost time.

1962. Joseph, 13 years old, a choirboy and a true "light" of religion, set out to become Pope. Not less. Of Spanish origin, Angela and José, her parents, fled their country and misery to settle in a small village around Perpignan. Angela, sensual and beautiful to damn a saint, is an attentive and possessive mother. Joseph, this only son, she feels that she has received him as a gift from heaven. So she puts all her energy and maternal love overflowing to encourage the vocation of her son, unlike José who wishes for him a "normal" life, a life of man, simply.

The film is a wonderfully accurate portrayal of the three stories: The stories are tied together with original dialogue and scenes by Martha / Anne / Freda / Judith (Valérie Stroh) and René Feret which follow a Golden Notebook/Anna Wulf theme: she is "writing" the stories and has a boyfriend named Paul who is a psychiatrist. A Man and Two Women: Anne, a young woman, a slightly bohemian painter: "in love" with her newborn, she abandons her husband while Isabelle, her best friend, attracted by to him and becomes little by little her rival. Each Other:Fréda finds her brother every morning in the secret of her bedroom,they leave themselves and incestuous effective becomes the only possible relationship for both. Our Friend Judith: Judith, a cold and warm intellectual, secret and complex - Beautiful, Judith is careful not to show it, she knows interment and that is enough. Intelligent, she does not bend to the rules of fashion nor seduction.

This is the sprawling saga of Honoré de Balzac, a man who created a great literary oeuvre from the dramas and adventures of his own life - a life that he shaped into one spectacular and unforgettable blaze of passion. At the heart of the story are the women in Balzac's life. Although gruff, unsophisticated, and far from handsome, Balzac exerts an irresistible fascination on women.

The Three Musketeers (French: Les trois mousquetaires) is a 1959 French TV film based on a play adaptation of the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is notable for featuring Jean Paul Belmondo in the lead.

Perceiving life as something shared by two. Through a split (dual) narrative, identical twins Omar and Wesam, recount their shared memories: from their time in the womb of their mother to the moment they are tragically separated. Written and directed by twin brothers, Saad and Abdelrahman Dnewar, My Brother, My Brother, combines 2D animation with live-action cinematography to chronicle a deeply affectionate and tender narrative about existing without the other.

After the discovery of an ancient stone depicting a majestic flight of their ancestors, the last survivors of the species of dodos will try their hardest and craziest to fly, up to the last one …

In the summer of '75 Pier Paolo Pasolini's film, "Salò", is stolen from the lab where he is editing it. This is just the first step of an intricate plan that will bring the great poet to his violent death.

Set in France at the end of World War II Albert Dehousse finds out his father wasn't a war hero and his mother is a collaborator.

In a prehistory for operettas that is seemingly doomed never to evolve, a conflicted father and daughter disrupt the Stone Age routine. After a tragic-comedy round-trip to the future, they accidentally bring back an Ikea “bent key”, which will at last trigger Evolution, for better or for worse… Writing, religion, politics… who will be capable of putting an end to these disasters?

A group of mourners travels by train to bury a recently deceased artist in Limoges. As they journey, secrets and desires unfold, with relationships shifting, past loves resurfacing, and personal connections revealed. At the funeral and afterward, tensions rise among the group, leading to further emotional complexities at the artist’s family home.

I can tell you about my father's voyage on his boat, because I was with him all the time. It was a rather strange voyage, with no ocean or sea crossing, not even a lock to pass through... The boat stayed at home and so did my father. But that does not mean there was no adventure...

Émile Durand, an insecticide manufacturer, is appalled to learn that his son Gérard has fallen in love with Suzy, the daughter of a travelling theatre company. Realising his father will never favour the union, Gérard joins the company on their next tour. In an attempt to heal the rift, Durand’s wife goes after Gérard and ends up performing in their next play…