After bringing you the official announcement of the first 7 films, and painstakingly decrypting every film snippet shown in the festival trailer in late December 2025, we can now reveal the full Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026 program.
It’s the second program curated by festival CEO Frédéric Alliod, and as with his first, it shows a festival that is “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.”
In a slightly smaller line-up of 38 films compared to last year’s 42, the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026 program is comprised of stories for all: excellent comedies, thrillers, romances, films based on true stories, a documentary, and films for the family.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Opening night film
The opening night film will be Cédric Klapisch’s acclaimed La Venue De L’avenir (Colours Of Time), a playful homage to France’s rich artistic heritage and changing social mores. Starring Suzanne Lindon, Vincent Macaigne, Cécile de France and Paul Kircher, the comedic drama follows the lives of cousins who inherit an old house in rural Normandy and retrace the steps of their ancestors in 19th century Paris.
Special events will also be held with the screenings of some of the films:
- the ‘Centrepiece’ premiere of The Richest Woman In The World (La Femme La Plus Riche Du Monde);
- ‘Taste of France’ selection Redress (La Réparation) from Oscar winner Régis Wargnier;
- ‘Classic Movie’, A Man and a Woman (Un Homme et une Femme) a timeless masterpiece directed by Claude Lelouch and starring Anouk Aimée and Jean-Louis Trintignant – it appears that this has replaced The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les demoiselles de Rochefort) that we see in the final seconds of the festival trailer; and
- ‘Ladies Night’ French time-travel comedy showcase Cycle Of Time (C’était Mieux Demain).
Closing Night Film
The film chosen to close the festival is Johann Dionnet’s Rodrigue In Love (Avignon), a romantic comedy is set in the heart of the country’s most famous theatre festival, Avignon, and stars Baptiste Lecaplain, Alison Wheeler and Lyès Salem.
We have already seen and highly recommend The French Job (Les Règles de l’art) which is inspired by the 2010 theft of five masterpieces from Paris’ Museum of Modern Art, the moving road-trip comedy Bon voyage, Marie (On ira). We also enjoyed the light-hearted comedy Le Routard (The Rookie Guide) in which a man on his debut voyage for a travel guide publisher together with local guide Sofia, amid luxurious riads and desert hikes, tries to prevent a terrible art trafficking operation led by the infamous Dr. Charoux.
We’re especially looking forward to seeing:
- Jodie Foster in her first French-speaking role in Private Life (La Vie Privée), in which she plays a psychologist who believes her client has been murdered and embarks on her own investigation;
- The Money Maker (L’affaire Bojarski), a thriller starring Reda Kateb as Bojarski, a real-life Polish refugee who became the most ingenious counterfeiter of his time. For over 15 years, he secretly produced near-perfect banknotes in his own backyard—so authentic they could fool the Bank of France itself. Commissioner Mattei (Bastien Bouillon), becomes obsessed with capturing the counterfeiter and it turns into a thrilling game of cat and mouse;
- The Richest Woman in the World (La femme la plus riche du monde) starring Isabelle Huppert (who will be in Australia for her solo stage performances of Mary said what she said at Adelaide Festival). It’s about the unlikely friendship between the richest woman in the world and Pierre-Alain, a dandy-writer-photographer in Paris who meet on a photo shoot and become inseparable. A loving friendship that surprises, amuses, intrigues, makes people talk and eventually unsettles the billionaire’s entourage and family, in particular her daughter.
- Treasure Hunters: On the tracks of Khufu (Le Secret de Khéops) in which Fabrice Luchini and Julia Piaton play father and daughter hunting for a hidden Egyptian treasure in Paris
- The Son Of (Fils De), a political satire starring Jean Chevalier, Karin Viard, François Cluzet, Emilie Kahn and Alex Lutz. After the French elections, young attaché Nino is drawn into a ruthless political power struggle when he’s tasked with persuading his estranged father, a reclusive senator, to become prime minister. But he isn’t the only candidate for the coveted position, and in the race for power absolutely nothing is off-limits
- The Stranger (L’etranger), director François Ozon’s take on Albert Camus’ novel in which Mersault (played by the wonderful Benamin Voisin) a quiet employee attends his mother’s funeral without shedding a tear, then begins an affair with a work colleague before slipping back into his usual routine. His daily life is soon disrupted by his neighbour who draws him into his shady dealings until one blisteringly hot day, a tragic event occurs on a beach.
- Once Upon A Time Michel Legrand (Il etait une fois Michel Legrand), a beautifully crafted documentary on one of France’s greatest composers, Oscar-winner Michel Legrand. He left his mark on the history of cinema, including the films of Jacques Demy, especially The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the 60th anniversary of which was celebrated in Cannes last year. Using never-before-seen archives and personal accounts, the film looks back on a lifetime dedicated to music, and the career of a man who served it masterfully to the very end.
- Class Reunion (T’as Pas Changé), a bittersweet and hilarious tribute to the 1990s; directed by and starring Jerôme Commandeur alongside Laurent Lafitte, François Damiens, Vanessa Paradis to name just a few. Three old friends organise an elaborate 30-year high school reunion, but when their idealised memories collide with apathy and sabotage from former classmates, they’re forced to confront the possibility they’ve always been pretentious jerks and set out to prove they can be better men.
- Yann Gozlan’s psychological thriller, Guru (Gourou) starring Pierre Niney and Holt McCallany where a once high school dropout, now charismatic life coach Matt Vasseur rises to fame through dazzling motivational events. That is until a new senate inquiry questioning his credentials threatens to unravel his carefully built empire; and
- The Great Arch (L’inconnu de la grande arche), tells the story of when President François Mitterrand launched an international competition for his landmark Grande Arche de la Défense project in 1982 and little-known Danish architect Otto von Spreckelsen unexpectedly won and is thrust into leading this monumental Parisian construction, only to see his grand vision collide with practical constraints and political twists and turns.
The Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026 line-up promises a vibrant mix of comedies, thrillers, true stories, and tributes to French cinema legends under Frédéric Alliod’s curatorship, blending fresh talents with stars like Jodie Foster and Isabelle Huppert across 38 films. This year’s program invites audiences to rediscover the power of French storytelling, from political intrigue and heartfelt reunions to architectural dreams and counterfeit empires Which films are you most looking forward to?
The full program will be revealed on the festival website today, 2 February 2026. Tickets will be available to purchase from this Thursday 5 February.
KEY INFO FOR ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2026
WHAT: Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026
WHERE & WHEN:
Adelaide, SA: 18 March – 22 April
Venues: Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Ballarat, VIC: 5 Mar – 8 Apr
Venue: Palace Regent Cinema Ballarat
Ballina, NSW: 7 Mar – 2 Apr
Venue: Ballina Fair Cinemas
Bendigo, VIC: 17 Apr – 19 Apr
Venue: Star Cinema
Brisbane, QLD: 5 March – 8 April
Venues: Palace Cinema James Street, Palace Cinema Barracks
Bunbury, WA: 25 Mar – 29 Mar
Venue: Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre
Byron Bay, NSW: 6 Mar – 2 Apr
Venue: Palace Byron Bay
Canberra, ACT: 5 March – 8 April
Venue: Palace Electric Cinemas
Darwin, NT: 23 Apr- 26 Apr
Venue: The Deckchair Cinema
Dubbo, NSW: 16 Apr- 19 Apr
Venue: Reading Cinemas Dubbo
Geelong, VIC: 16 Apr – 28 Apr
Venue: The Pivotonian Cinema
Gold Coast, QLD: 19 Mar – 8 Apr
Venue: Dendy Cinemas Southport
Hobart, TAS: 9 Apr- 19 Apr
Venue: State Cinema
Katoomba, NSW: 19 Mar – 29 Mar
Venue: United Cinemas The Edge
Melbourne, VIC: 4 March – 8 April
Venues: Palace Cinema Como, The Kino, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema, The Astor Theatre, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Church St
Perth, WA: 12 March – 15 April
Venues: Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Luna Leedeerville, Windsor Cinema
Rhodes, NSW: 9 Apr – 19 Apr
Venue: Reading Cinemas Rhodes
Rouse Hill, NSW: 3 Apr – 12 Apr
Venue: Reading Cinemas Rouse Hill
Sydney, NSW: 3 March – 8 April
Venues: Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne,
Roseville Cinemas, Warriewood
Victor Harbour, SA: 25 Mar – 1 Apr
Venue: Victa Cinema
Warrawong, NSW: 3 Apr – 14 Apr
Venue: Gala Twin Cinema
HOW: The program will be on sale from 5 February so you need to wait until then to buy your tickets.
HOW MUCH: Ticket prices vary per city. You may want to buy yourself a film pass for 5, 10 or 20 films if you are planning on seeing several.
