Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026
Following a record-breaking 2025 edition with almost 199,000 attendees, the Alliance Française French Film Festival (AF FFF), Australia’s largest national film festival and the biggest festival of French cinema outside of France, has announced its 2026 return. Ahead of its arrival the festival has revealed a trailer and teases an “avant-goût” (“foretaste”) of seven bold new films set to screen from 3 March - 26 April, 2026 nationwide, including Melbourne from 4 March - 8 April.
This year’s line-up promises once again a journey through the very best of contemporary French cinema. Audiences will be enthralled by Jean Valjean, a stirring adaptation of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, starring Grégory Gadebois, Bernard Campan, Alexandra Lamy and Isabelle Carré. François Ozon presents a daring vision of Albert Camus’ existential masterpiece in L’Étranger (The Stranger), with Benjamin Voisin portraying one of literature’s most iconic antiheroes. Fabien Gorgeart brings laughter and heart in C’est Quoi L’amour ? (What Is Love?), featuring the irresistible duo Laure Calamy and Vincent Macaigne. Alice Winocour delivers a gripping new drama, Coutures, set against the backdrop of Paris Fashion Week and led by Oscar winner Angelina Jolie.
Other highlights not be missed by festivalgoers include Cannes-opening drama Partir Un Jour (Leave One Day), the adrenaline pumping sci-fi thriller Chien 51 (DOG 51) starring Gilles Lellouche and Adèle Exarchopoulos, and the darkly comic social satire Classe Moyenne (The Party’s Over!), featuring a stellar ensemble cast including the iconic Laure Calamy, Laurent Lafitte, Élodie Bouchez, and Ramzy Bedia. (please see full film synopses below)
Set to showcase more than 6,000 screenings of the crème de la crème of the French silverscreen across 17 cities, the anticipated 37th edition continues its prestigious partnership with Palace Cinemas, with additional venues to be announced shortly, to meet the growing Aussie appetite and curiosity in French culture.
Alliance Française French Film Festival CEO Frédéric Alliod said: “As we look ahead to the 2026 edition of the Alliance Française French Film Festival, I am proud to unveil a selection of titles that invite Australian audiences to travel through French cinema, across time, continents and emotions. From powerful true stories and bold contemporary voices to comedies, period dramas and unforgettable romances, this year’s programme reflects the extraordinary vitality and diversity of French cinema.
“We remain deeply committed to championing women on screen and behind the camera, celebrating new talents alongside cinema legends, and offering films that move, surprise and inspire. More than ever, the festival is a celebration of French storytelling in all its richness, openness and emotion, and a platform for intercultural exchange and dialogue with our loyal Australian audiences.”
The full festival line-up will be announced on Wednesday, 28 January, with tickets available from Thursday, 5 February. Follow Alliance Française French Film Festival for the latest updates at: affrenchfilmfestival.org or on socials.