French Cinema
The influence of France on the world screen is undeniable. From early inventors and pioneers such as the Lumiere Brothers, George Melies and Alice Guy Blache, the birth of cinema can virtually be traced back to French shores. Cinematic innovators such as Jean Renoir and Michael Carne followed. By the 1960s New Wave directors like Truffaut, Godard and Chabrol had an indelible impact on fledgling American film makers such as Scorsese, Coppola and Bogdanovich who revolutionised the way films were made in the US; studios fell, auteurs ruled. With the advent of television, French film budgets shrank but thanks to government intervention and a good deal of imagination, French cinema is still going strong with contemporary talents like Jean-Jaques Beineix, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Luc Besson and the controversial Gaspar Noe.
At Alice we're very proud of our extensive French collection, covering all genres from French farce to period drama, magical realism to mystery and suspense. Viva la France!
Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974)
7.8/10
Director: Jacques Rivette
Starring: Juliet Berto, Dominique Labourier, Bulle Ogier
An accomplished dreamlike mood piece with reverberations of 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Orpheus' as two girls change the outcome of a drama played dail... Read more
Certified Copy (2010)
7.3/10
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Starring: Juliette Binoche, William Shimell
From the acclaimed Iranian director of 'Taste of Cherry' comes the story of a couples apparent chance meeting in beautiful Tuscany which provocativel... Read more
Chabrol Collection: Vol. 1 ( Bad Girls / The Unfaithful Wife / This Man Must Die / The Butcher ) (2013)
Director: Claude Chabrol
Starring: Jacqueline Sassard, Jean Yanne, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Michel Bouquet, Stephane...
Celebrated member of the 1950s and 60s French New Wave, alongside filmmakers Truffaut, Rohmer, Godard, Demy, Varda, Bazin and Rivette, prolific auteur... Read more
Change of Plans (2009)
5.8/10
Director: Daniele Thompson
Starring: Emmanuelle Seigner, Karin Viard, Pierre Arditi, Patrick Chesnais, Christopher Th...
Two's company, three's a crowd and eight is definitely way more than enough in writer-director Daniele Thompson's ("Orchestra Seats") comic ensembler,... Read more
Chaos (2001)
7.1/10
Director: Coline Serreau
Starring: Catherine Frot, Vincent Lindon, Rachida Brakni
Seething dark comedy from writer/director Coline Serreau ("Romuald and Juliette") centers on a middle-class Parisian woman (Catherine Frot) who witnes... Read more
Chicas (2010)
5/10
Director: Yasmina Reza
Starring: Andre Dussollier, Carmen Maura, Emmanuelle Seigner
In the Autumn of her life, widowed Pilar (Carmen Maura, 'Volver') finds love with Fernand (Andre Dussollier, 'Micmacs') and decides to introduce him t... Read more
Children of Paradise ( Les Enfants du Paradis ) (1945)
8.3/10
Director: Marcel Carne
Starring: Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur
Poetic realism reaches sublime heights with "Children of Paradise" ("Les Enfants du Paradis"), the ineffably witty tale of a woman loved by four diffe... Read more
Children of the Marshlands (1999)
Director: Jean Becker
Starring: Jacques Villeret, Michel Serrault, Jacques Gamblin
AKA 'Les Enfants Du Marais'. A charming, beautifully told tale set in a provincial French community in the 1930s which recalls the warm friendship of... Read more
Chinese Puzzle (2013)
7/10
Director: Cedric Klapisch
Starring: Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Cecile De France, Kelly Reilly
Following on from "The Spanish Apartment" and "Russian Dolls", Romain Duris reprises his role as writer Xavier Rousseau. Having reached the age of 40,... Read more
Chocolat (1988)
7.4/10
Director: Claire Denis
Starring: Mireille Perrier, Emmet Judson Williamson
An elegant and extraordinarily beautiful film set in the expansive golden countryside of Cameroon. A young French woman returns to Africa and is haunt... Read more