There’s nothing quite like watching a great movie: cozying up on your couch with a warm blanket, in your pyjamas with a bowl of popcorn and maybe a nice glass of wine. If you want to broaden your horizon and watch award-winning movies that aren’t Hollywood films, we’ve compiled a list of 14 French movies from all over the world that can help you learn more about the cultures from these countries.
French Movies to Learn About French Cultures
French culture is not unique to France. You’ll learn about the Quebec workman, the Algerian independence movement, and the immigrant crisis in France. All these French movies tell beautiful stories about their country’s history or their current social, political, or economic realities. Let us know which one you watch!
Guelwaar (1993)
Guelwaar is a French/Senegalese political drama about the death of Pierre Henri “Guelwaar”, a Catholic man in a mostly Islamic country, who many suspects was assassinated. Pierre Henri constantly criticised the current regime and had radical political beliefs that many didn’t agree with. After the body is stolen, Detective Gora investigates and learns that this political man was more complicated than people might have believed.
You’ll learn about modern (at least, the Senegal of 25 years ago) Senegal and how the Islamic and Catholic Senegalese live side by side, and how any controversy can immediately divide these two religions into segregated identities. It won The President of the Italian Senate’s Gold Medal at the 49th Venice International Film Festival.
La Haine (1995)
This black and white drama film is about the life of three 20 something friends from immigrant families living in very impoverished housing projects in a suburb of Paris. A riot erupts and Vinz, who is Jewish, wants revenge by killing a policeman since his friend, Abdel, was struck by a policeman and died. After Vinz finds a .44 Magnum revolver left behind by a policeman, and with his friends, Hubert (an African-French boxer and drug dealer) and Saïd (an Arab Maghrebi) go to Paris after running into trouble with police officers but find even more trouble in Paris.
This troubling story is a real depiction of the violence and hostility between police and immigrants from poor neighbourhoods. It won numerous awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the César Awards, and other film ceremonies from Europe.
Tabataba (1988)
This Malagasy-French film chronicles the story of a village during the 1947 independence uprising in Madagascar. Since Madagascar used to be a French colony, the 1947 uprising was a very important event in this country’s history. The Malagasy revolted against the French causing lot of bloodshed mostly from the French because of their arrests, various kinds of torture, and fires against the people of the country. In the film, Solo is too young to fight but his brother and other people from the village join in the revolt. Unfortunately, things don’t go very well. If you love history and you want to learn more about the political history of Madagascar.
Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (2008)
Now for something much lighter! Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis is a light French comedy that broke almost all box office records in France.
A postal service manager, Philippe Abrams, in the south of France with a depressed wife. In order to make her happy, he pretends to be disabled to get a job on the Mediterranean seaside but his boss finds out and sends him to Northern France. Northern France is known as ‘the sticks’ (cold, rainy, with people that speak a strange language). He ends up loving the place and tells his wife (who stayed in the south) but she does not believe him so he tells her that his life is wretched there, that the people are all crazy. Unexpectedly, she changes her mind and tells him she wants to join him. Abrams has to figure out a way to make his wife leave. It’s one of the most famous French movies.
Les intouchables (2011)
This French comedy-drama is a feel good film based on a true story, where you’ll learn a lot about French humour. It was the second biggest box officer hit after Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis. The story chronicles the story of a caretaker, Driss, and a quadriplegic man named Philippe. Flashbacks allow the viewer to understand how they became friends after a few bumpy roads. They both help each other: Driss does not judge Philippe and learns about Opera, modern art and painting, and Philippe does not feel any pity from Driss which makes him feel like a normal person for once. Y
ou will see great scenes from France and learn about the French and their particular humour. You also learn about the socio-economic differences between immigrants like Driss, and white, millionnaire typical Frenchman Philippe. Their differences are more similar than they expect. Les Intouchables has even be adapted in the US!
Un homme qui crie (2010)
This Chadian-French film depicts the story of Adam, an ex African swimming champion who sends his son to fight in the Chadian civil war (2005-2010) in order to regain his position as a pool attendant at the hotel where he works. Since his son was promoted to pool attendant and him demoted to a security guard, Adam lets the local chief take his son for the war effort so he can resume his job as the pool attendant. After the conflict worsens and their village is compromised, Adam realizes what he did and goes to find his son to be forgiven for his selfishness. This movie’s main themes are fatherhood and war although the director, Mahamat Saleh Haroun, decided to keep the story focused on the relationship between father and son rather than the relationship between war and the Chadian people. This movie won the Cannes Film Festival’s Jury Prize, making Haroun the first Chadian director to win any award from Cannes.
La Vie en Rose (2007)
La Vie en Rose tells the true story of the French singing icon Édith Piaf. This musical film chronicle the key events in this woman’s life. From her difficult childhood where her mother left her with her father to become an artist, to her affair with the French national boxer Marcel Cerdan, and her morphine addiction, you will learn a lot about her life which was very short-lived since she died at the young age of 47. The sad story of this world-renowned singer is heart-wrenching but Marion Cotillard’s performance is incredible. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress, a Golden Globe for Best Actress, a César for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and other awards.
Va, Vis et Deviens (2005)
Va, Vis et Deviens is a French drama film set in Ethiopia. The mother of Schlomo, a young Ethiopian boy, gives him away to a Jewish woman who lost her son to save him during Operation Moses in 1984. He leaves Ethiopia with his adoptive mother and lives his life in Israel, carrying the secret of his real identity. Operation Moses was an operation where approximately 8,000 Ethiopian Jews were transported to Israel. Since Ethiopian Jews were forbidden to leave Ethiopia, the Israeli government had to keep the operation clandestine.
This great film about an important part of the Jewish and African history will allow you to learn more about an important event that maybe you didn’t know about.
Monsieur Lazhar (2011)
This Quebec drama film tells the story of Bashir Lazhar, an Algerian refugee living in Montreal, who claims to have a teaching degree from Algeria after an elementary school teacher hangs herself and the school needs a quick replacement. Lazhar learns how to coexist with his students even though there is an evident culture gap between them. His students have no idea about his difficult past in Algeria, where his wife and children died in an arson attack because of his wife’s controversial book. The students warm up to Lazhar and end up liking him a lot and one student, Simon, confides in him since he blames himself for the teacher’s suicide. This film was critically acclaimed internationally. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.
L’homme sur les quais (1993)
L’homme sur les quais is a Haitian-French film depicting the story of a young girl (Sarah) and her family during the tyrannical regime of Francois Duvalier in Haiti during the 1960s. When Duvalier rose to power, his very powerful army enforced his evil doings completely. Sarah’s father is friends with Janvier, a man who responds with violence to those who oppose him. The rise of Duvalier makes Janvier inflict punishment on people as he likes. Her parents flee the country since the father becomes a discredited officer but leave Sarah and her siblings behind to stay with their grandmother. The grandmother refuses to bend to Janvier’s rules.
This is a great movie to learn about Haiti’s difficult past, and what normal, everyday people had to go through under this tyrannical regime.
La grande séduction (2003)
La grande séduction is a French-Canadian film set in the tiny fishing village of St. Marie-La-Mauderne in Quebec. The village people try to convince a doctor to stay permanently in their town since he’s their only hope for a plastic container factory to be built nearby. They need to collect $50,000 to bribe the owner of the company, have a resident doctor, and double their population of 120 people. It went on to win the Audience Award at 2004 Sundance Film Festival. An English remake was even made in 2013 because of the huge French success. It starred Taylor Kitsch, Brendan Gleeson, Cathy Jones and Gordon Pinsent.
This movie will give you a glimpse of what small Quebec towns are like and you’ll see beautiful sceneries from this small fishing village.
La dentellière (1977)
This French drama film is based on the award-winning novel by Pascal Lainé. This story chronicles the life of Béatrice, a young woman working in a hairdressing salon and who lives with her mother. One day, she meets a girl, Marylène, and after they become good friends, she suggests they go away for a holiday by the sea at Cabourg. There, Marylène leaves Beatrice after meeting a man she runs off with. Beatrice, all alone, meets a young intellectual, François, they fall in love, and she moves in with him in Paris. Their very different backgrounds make them incompatible and they split up. Distraught, Beatrice ends up in a mental hospital where she finds peace. Even after François visits and begs for forgiveness, she found a place where she is happy living in her own little world. This movie won a few prizes but try reading the book before watching the film.
Hors-la-Loi (2010)
This action-packed drama depicts the story of three Algerian brothers during the Algerian independence movement and the Algerian War. It is a sequel to Days of Glory, a film by the same director. In Hors-la-Loi, the three brothers react very differently to the liberation movement happening in Algeria after they are driven away from their country and divided. One lives in Indochina, the other in Paris, and the third in Pigalle. Their deep love for their mother reunites them in Paris.
This might not be the most orthodox portrayal of what happened during the Algerian independence but these three great actors make it work. If the subject of the film interest you, you’ll be happy to know there are other great movies and books on the subject.
Les petites fugues (1979)
Les petites fugues is a light Swiss comedy. It tells the story of an old farmer named Pipe. He doesn’t want to retire because he can’t imagine his life without his work. One day, he takes possession of a moped. His part-time worker, Luigi, teaches him how to drive it, and starts driving around his town. After driving under the influence, he loses his driver’s licence. He wins a camera and starts taking pictures of everything around. You will be amazed by the beautiful scenes of the Swiss Alps and meadows. It will make you dream of settling down in this peaceful and quaint place on earth.
What are YOUR favorite French movies? Would you rather watch some romantic French movies?
