What To Watch At The French Film Festival UK 2025

Between 6 November – 14 December 2025, the 33^rd edition of the French Film Festival UK excitingly unfolds with 265 films to explore! Cities such as London, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Warwick and more are participating of French cinema culture. Francophone films alongside this from Luxembourg, Switzerland and Quebec will feature within the festival’s programme as a demonstration of the wide scale of French language films. 

Audiences can therefore enjoy a combination of festival hits from Cannes and Venice alongside newer films specifically designed for inclusion within this festival. Plus, festival segments such as the discovery section will enable audiences to enjoy spotlighted films by first or second time directors. 

The announcement of the inclusion of François Ozon’s latest film, The Stranger, has already created a buzz alongside that of Vie Privée (A Private Life) starring Jodie Foster. 

The opening night film, in Edinburgh, will be A Magnificent Life about Marcel Pagnol. Additionally, new films from Cédric Klapisch (Pot Luck trilogy), Julia Ducornau (Titane), Richard Linklater (Before trilogy) and more will be screening at venues such as Glasgow’s Film Theatre, the Watershed in Bristol and Ciné Lumière in London. There is also the opportunity to catch up on French classics such as Jean de Florette! 

We are just as excited as you are to delve into this rich programme. We have selected some of our highly anticipated films below, in no particular order. 

Nouvelle Vague – directed by Richard Linklater 

A love letter to the experimental era of French cinema known as the nouvelle Vague (new wave), which included directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut and Agnes Varda.

Linklater captivates the period’s style and energy beautifully in this behind the scenes tale of the making of the timeless classic – Breathless. 

Vie Privée (A Private Life) – directed by Rebecca Zlotowski 

Jodie Foster is pitted against French acting stalwarts within her first lead role to be spoken completely in French. This is a stylish tale of a psychiatrist investigating the unexplained but suspicious death of one of her patients. 

Colours of Time – Cédric Klapisch 

Klapisch’s latest film is a period drama set in Normandy exploring family dynamics. Due to inheriting a property, four cousins are thrust together and encounter their family history and secrets, which sounds intriguing. 

It Was Just an Accident – directed by Jafar Panahi 

A road trip that straddles a dark comedy with political strands, It Was Just an Accident unveils a tale of deep seated memories of a traumatic past.

A compelling combination of shared pain and catharsis amongst a disparate group with tense political issues simmering. 

The Stranger – directed by François Ozon

François Ozon’s stylish flair provides a modern day interpretation of Albert Camus’ renowned novel. Shot in black and white, the film also captures the absurdist spirit of the novel set in 1930s Algeria. 

Where There is Love, There is No Darkness – directed by Stevan Lee Mraovitch

Highlighting the journey and ups and downs in the life of a migrant delivery worker, Where There is Love, There is No Darkness explores the perils of such working conditions by night. Paris is transformed to expose its underground nightlife in a tale of humanity. 

The Richest Woman in the World – directed by Thierry Klifa 

Isabelle Huppert stars in the role of her life within this moving drama inspired by the real life billionaire heiress, Françoise Bettencourt- Meyers, who is in line to receive the L’Oréal fortune. Family secrets and drama are interwoven within the film’s rich tapestry. 

There are many films capturing our eye within this programme line up which will appeal to French film enthusiasts. We can’t wait to hear which films will now be included within your French Film Festival lists.