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!
Heartbeats (2010)
7.2/10
Director: Xavier Dolan
Starring: Monica Chokri, Niels Schneider, Xavier Dolan
Francis (Xavier Dolan) and Marie (Monia Chokri) are best friends and seemingly have it all youth, good looks and style in abundance. One night they... Read more
Heartbreaker ( L'arnacour ) (2010)
6.8/10
Director: Pascal Chaumeil
Starring: Romain Duris, Vanessa Paradis, Julie Ferrier
Featuring two of France's biggest stars, 'HeartBreaker' has been hailed by critics as a "crowd-pleasing piece of work with engaging performances by Ro... Read more
Heat Wave (2015)
6.1/10
Director: Raphael Jacoulot
Starring: Karim Leklou, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Carole Franck, Gregory Gadebois
Aka 'Coup de chaud'.Heat kills. Just ask Camuss Meursault. Its not great for crops either. An unseasonable warm spell will set in motion a chain of... Read more
Hell ( L'Enfer ) (2005)
5.9/10
Director: Danis Tanovic
Starring: Emmanuelle Beart, Karin Viard, Marie Gillain, Guillaume Canet, Jacques Gamblin,...
Three sisters, Sophie (Emmanuelle Beart), Celine (Karin Viard) and Anne (Marie Gillain) have drifted apart since a traumatic childhood incident. Plun... Read more
Henry the 4th (2011)
Director: Jo Baier
Starring: Julien Boisselier, Joachim Krol
A portrait of Henry of Navarre (later the much-loved King Henry IV of France) whose life defining act was declaring religious freedom for all in 1598... Read more
Hey Good Looking! (2006)
Director: Lisa Azuelos
Starring: Michele Laroque, Aure Atika, Andrew Lincoln, Geraldine Nakache, Alexandre Astier...
Aka 'Comme t'y es belle!' 'Desperate Housewives' meets 'Sex in the City' in this steamy smash-hit French comedy about four savvy women and their chaot... Read more
Hidden ( Cache ) (2005)
6.4/10
Director: Michael Haneke
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Juliette Binoche, Maurice Benichou, Annie Girardot
George (Daniel Auteuil) and his wife Anne (Juliette Binoche) seem to have the perfect middle-class lifestyle until one day mysterious videotapes and d... Read more
High Tension (2003)
6.8/10
Director: Alexandre Aja
Starring: Cecile De France, Maiwenn Le Besco, Philippe Nahon, Franck Khalfoun, Andrei Fint...
This stalk-and-slash fright-fest from French director Alexandre Aja starts with two friends, Marie and Alexa, visiting family in the country. When ni... Read more
Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959)
8/10
Director: Alain Resnais
Starring: Emmanuele Riva, Eiji Okuda, Stella Dassas
Alain Resnais has created a magnificent mood piece in his telling of the unique love story of a French cinema actress and a Japanese architect who mee... Read more
Homeland (2013)
6.2/10
Director: Mohamed Hamidi
Starring: Tewfik Jallab, Jamel Debbouze
A.k.a. "Né quelque part". 26-year-old law student Farid has lived in France his whole life. When his father falls ill and sends him to Algeria to save... Read more