Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026 gave everyone a Christmas present with the release of its trailer. As always, it’s a mash-up of a second or two from many films coming to the festival, without identifying the films. The festival has managed to pull together 21 films in this 30-second clip! We have decrypted all 21 films from the trailer to give you another sneak peek of what’s coming to the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026. Read on to discover them.
Before we start to tell you the films, watch the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026 trailer below.
We tell you about the films in the order of appearance in the trailer.
Treasure Hunters: On the Tracks of Khufu/Le secret de Khéops
Those first few shots you see of Paris are from this film, as are the shot of the Pyramids later in the trailer.
The film stars Fabrice Luchini as Christian Robinson, an archaeologist with unorthodox methods, who embarks on a quest from Cairo to the iconic places of Paris to see if the treasure of Khufu was discovered during Napoleon’s wars in Egypt and hidden secretly somewhere in Paris. Julia Piaton plays his neglected daughter, and joins the race against a group of ruthless art smugglers.
Colours of Time/La venue de l’avenir
The lady in white sitting on the lawn, and also in a pink dress in a big French hall are from this Cédric Klapisch film.
Starring Suzanne Liindon, Abraham Wapier, Julia Piaton, Vincent Macaigne, just to mention a few, this film tells of four estranged cousins who are united by an unexpected inheritance of a house in Normandy, which has been untouched since the 1940s. They excavate the life of their ancestor Adèle Vermillard, a 20 year old woman who lived there in 1895, at a time which saw both the birth of both photography and the Impressionist movement, which profoundly changed painting.
The Party’s Over/Classe Moyenne
That stunning aerial shot of the giant swimming pool and of Élodie Bouchez doing some tai-chi are from this film. As is the photo of Ramzy Bedia, Mahria Zrouki and Laure Calamy sitting at a yellow table with a Happy Birthday in gold letters on a door behind them.
Mehdi, played by Sami Outabali, had planned to spend a quiet summer in his in-laws’ sumptuous home. But as soon as he arrives, a conflict breaks out between his girlfriend’s family and the villa’s janitor couple. As Mehdi comes from a modest background, he thinks he can lead the negotiations between the two parties and bring everyone back to their senses. But things start to escalate…
The Richest Woman in the World/La femme la plus riche du monde
A man in a pale pink suit holds a camera, and in the next image, photographs a woman with red shoulder length hair. The man is Laurent Lafitte in the role of Pierre-Alain, a a dandy-writer-photographer in Paris. The redhead is the wonderful Isabelle Huppert, who plays Marianne, the richest woman in the world.
After meeting on a photoshoot, the two become inseparable. Their loving friendship surprises, amuses, intrigues, makes people talk and eventually unsettles the billionaire’s entourage and family. Marianne’s daughter, Frédérique Spielman, played by Marina Foïs. in particular, struggles with her mother’s sudden complicity with this younger man insatiable for money.
Ride away/À bicyclette !
Two men on bicycles riding through the countryside, and also later in the trailer sitting at a table with sunglasses with a dog also with sunglasses sitting between them are from this film directed by and starring Mathias Mlekuz.
From the Atlantic to the Black Sea, Mathias and Philippe (played by Philippe Rebbot), two old friends, embark on a bicycle journey that Mathias’s son made before his tragic death. The two men ride through the ordeals with tenderness, humour and emotion.
A Private Life/Vie privée
The image of Jodie Foster is from this film that we have been impatiently awaiting since its Cannes debut with Foster in her first French language role!
When renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner, played by Jodie Foster, learns of the death of one of her patients, played by Virginie Efira, she is deeply troubled. Convinced that it was murder, she decides to investigate…
Redress/La Réparation
That fancy dish, a female chef tasting her food, the glance from a male chef, and the couple kissing later in the festival trailer are from this film.
It stars Clovis Cornillac as the chef, who, together with his sous-chef, played by Julien de Saint Jean, disappears, while hunting hours before the chef is due to be awarded his third Michelin star. His daughter Clara, played by Julia de Nunez, inherits the restaurant amid media frenzy. Two years on, she’s invited to a food congress in Taiwan.
The Money Maker/L’affaire Bojarski
The images of money being printed and Reda Kateb holding up and inspecting a note are from this film, which is based on the real-life counterfeiter nicknamed “the Cézanne of fake money”, who eluded police for 15 years.
Set in post-war France, Reda Kateb stars 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. But his illusion catches the relentless attention of Commissioner Mattei, played by Bastien Bouillon, whose obsession with capturing Bojarski turns into a thrilling game of cat and mouse.
13 days 13 nights/13 jours 13 nuits
The image of a gun being cocked is from this film which is based on true events during the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021, which was directed by Martin Bourboulon (read our interview with him about the series Carême here), and stars Roschdy Zem and Lyna Khouri.
The Taliban’s march towards the capital plunges the city into chaos. In the heart of the panic, the French Embassy, the final Western stronghold, prepares for evacuation. Commander Mohamed Bida, played by Roschdy Zem, and his elite police team find themselves trapped alongside 500 civilians. Determined to save every life, they devise a plan to evacuate the stranded masses and reach the airport. Time is against them. Over 13 harrowing days and nights, the struggle to reach the airport unfolds. They suffer failures, attacks and setbacks. Yet, amid the chaos, one thing remains unwavering: hope.
Leave One Day/Partir un jour
A man, Tewfik Jallab, who is standing, takes Juliette Armanet, who is sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen, by the hand.
Cécile, played by Armanet, is about to open her own gourmet restaurant, finally making her dream come true, when suddenly her father has a heart attack and she is called back to the village where she was born. Far from the hubbub of Paris life, she runs into her teenage crush, played by Bastien Bouillon. The memories come flooding back, destabilising her certainties.
The French Job (The Rules of Art)/Les règles d’art
The image of Melvil Poupaud in a suit with a blue cap sitting in a large chair with big lamps and curios around him is from this film, which is based on the other massive art theft that happened in Paris, and is extra timely with the Louvre robbery that happened in October 2025.
On the night of May 19th, 2010, five priceless paintings were stolen from the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. This is the true story of the theft and of what became of the missing masterpieces. A thief. A receiver who quickly finds himself out of his depth. And above all, a watch expert who has no idea what he has got himself into…
I thoroughly enjoyed this film when I had a mini-French film festival on a recent Emirates flight.
The Stranger/L’étranger
Benjamin Voisin with his head on a woman in a swimsuit’s stomach is from director François Ozon’s take on the Camus novel.
Algiers, 1938. Meursault, a quiet and unassuming employee in his early thirties, attends his mother’s funeral without shedding a tear. The next day, he begins a casual affair with Marie, a work colleague. He quickly slips back into his usual routine. However, his daily life is soon about to be disrupted by his neighbour, Raymond Sintès, who draws Meursault into his shady dealings ‘ until one blisteringly hot day, a tragic event occurs on a beach…
Rebecca Marder, Pierre Lottin, Denis Lavant and Swann Arnaud star alongside Benjamin Voisin.
Enzo
From the beach in the above film to the pool in this one where Malou Khebizi sits poolside taking a selfie of her and Eloy Pohu in this still from this film written and directed by Laurent Cantet and Robin Campillo.
Enzo, 16, played by Eloy Pohu, defies his bourgeois family’s expectations by starting a masonry apprenticeship, a path far removed from the prestigious life they had envisioned for him. In their chic villa in the sun-drenched South of France, tensions simmer as relentless questions and pressures weigh on Enzo’s future and dreams. On the construction sites, however, Vlad, a charismatic Ukrainian colleague, played by Maksym Slivinskyi, shakes up Enzo’s world and opens the door to unexpected possibilities.
Les Misérables: The Story of Jean Valjean/Jean Valjean
Grégory Gadebois stars in this film as Jean Valjean, who is released from prison after 19 years of hard labour, violence, and suffering. Filled with anger and a deep sense of injustice, he has become a dangerous man who trusts no one and nothing.
When he arrives in a small village in Provence, he is repeatedly turned away. Desperate, he unknowingly finds refuge at the house of Bishop Bienvenu, played by Bernard Campan, who lives simply, with his sister and a single servant. There, he is surprised by their warm welcome, and his inner demons start to waver.
But the temptation to be what society sees in him still haunts him, and he steals the Bishop’s silverware. When the police ultimately catches him, the Bishop forgives him and gifts him the candlesticks. This act becomes the starting point of Jean Valjean’ transformation into a new man who reclaims his humanity.
The Son Of/ Fils de
Olivier Broche, Alex Lutz and Karin Viard are in this shot of three people walking. Broche is on the phone and Lutz is eating what appears to be a kiwi fruit.
In this satire of the political and media world, it’s the week after the French elections, and the President must appoint his prime minister. In exchange for a higher position, ambitious young parliamentary attaché Nino, played by Jean Chevalier, is charged with persuading his long- estranged father, a reclusive senator, to accept the post. But Lionel Perrin, played by François Cluzet, isn’t the only candidate for the coveted position, and in the race for power absolutely nothing is off-limits… Nino embarks on a high stakes adventure risking everything, his love life and political ambitions alike.
Dog 51/ Chien 51
The image of the large SUV with the backdrop of the twinkling Eiffel Tower is from this sci-fi thriller. So too is the image of Gilles Lellouch holding a torch in a tunnel.
Directed by Cédric Jimenez who also directed Gilles Lellouche and Adèle Exarchopoulous in November, this film also stars Louis Garrel, Romain Duris, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and rapper Artus. In the near future, Paris is segregated into three zones which separate the social classes, and no one can escape ALMA, a powerful predictive AI which has revolutionised the police system. When ALMA’s creator is assassinated, Salia, an elite agent from Zone 2, played by Exarchopoulos and Zem, a disillusioned cop who lives amongst the outcasts in Zone 3, played by Gilles Lellouche, are forced to team up to lead the investigation.
Alpha
A child’s hand against the palm of an adult with red fabric in the background is from the latest film from Julia Ducournau who brought us Titane.
Alpha, a troubled 13-year-old, played by Mélissa Boros, lives with her single mom played by Golshifteh Farahani. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.
The Ice Tower/ La Tour de Glace
The images of Marion Cotillard in white on a stage and of Clara Pacini sitting in the darkened theatre are from this Lucile Hadžihalilović film.
Colder than ice, her kiss pierces the heart… The 1970s. Runaway Jeanne, played by Clara Pacini, falls under the spell of Cristina, played by Marion Cotillard, the enigmatic star of The Snow Queen, a film being shot in the studio where she has taken refuge. A mutual fascination grows between the actress and the girl. Does Jeanne love the Queen enough to make the sacrifice she demands?
Guru/Gourou
The images of Pierre Niney looking shocked and blonde Marion Barbeau looking scared are from this Yann Gozlan film about a superstar life-coach, whose celebrity status is at risk when a senate committee demands coaches have credentials.
The poster reads “méfiez-vous de vos idoles” which means “beware of your idols”
The Young Girls of Rochefort/Les demoiselles de Rochefort
The image of Catherine Deneuve and her real-life sister Françoise Dorléac wearing big sunhats are from this 1966 Jacques Demy film. This will be the 4K restoration film shown at Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026.
Delphine (Deneuve) and Solange (Dorléac) are two sisters living in Rochefort. Delphine is a dancing teacher and Solange composes and teaches the piano. Maxence (Jacques Perrin) is a poet and a painter. He is doing his military service. Simon (Michel Piccoli) owns a music shop, he left Paris once month ago to come back where he fell in love 10 years ago. They are looking for love, looking for each other, without being aware that their ideal partner is very close…
Il était une fois Michel Legrand/Once upon a time Michel Legrand
The image of a man in glasses and a brown jacket and yellow shirt conducting is that of musician and composer extraordinaire 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. 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.
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So, there you have it 21 films from the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2026 program. Which films are you keen to see?
Also, you may like to read our previous article about the festival which told you about the 7 films officially announced which includes a few films not included in this article.
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.
