Melbourne International Film Festival 2024 (MIFF 2024) starts this week. As always, we’re letting you know about the films in French, films from France, and multinational films with French links in the program. In this article, we let you know specifically about the films in French at MIFF whether they be solely French productions, multinational productions solely in French, or multilingual productions where French is one of the languages .
FILMS FROM FRANCE IN FRENCH AT MIFF 2024
Country: France
Language: French
Drama, Horror
Director: Emma Benestan (read our interview with her about her previous film Hard Shell Soft Shell)
In this visually striking genre-bender from Cannes Critics’ Week, a young woman wants to rise the ranks of bull-running – but a rogue animal is on the loose.
Country: France
Language: French
Drama, Comedy
Director: Alain Guiraudie
If you go into the woods today, you’re in for a darkly comedic surprise from French provocateur Alain Guiraudie.
Country; France
Language: French
Drama, Comedy
Director: Olivier Babinet
A father–daughter dramedy with a distinctive flavour, this tale of dispiriting social services and living with disability is a true crowdpleaser.
Suspended Time (Hors du Temps)
Country: France
Language: French
Drama, Comedy
Director: Olivier Assayas
Personal Shopper (MIFF 2016) director Olivier Assayas proves it is possible to make a beautiful lockdown-set film in this bittersweet, intimate comedy.
The Most Precious of Cargoes (La plus précieuse des marchandises)
Country: France
Language: French
Animation
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Best Director Oscar winner Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) delivers a stirring Holocaust fable – the first animated film to screen in Cannes competition since 2008.
The Story of Souleymane (L’histoire de Souleymane)
Country: France
Language: French
Drama
Director: Boris Lojkine
Winner of the Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, this nerve-shredding portrait follows a Guinean delivery rider zipping across Paris in hopes of attaining legal residency.
Country : France
Language: French
Fantasy
Director : Niki de Saint Phalle
A debauched, exuberant French art fairytale stuns all over again in a luscious new 4K restoration.
MULTINATIONAL FILMS SOLELY IN FRENCH
Countries : Gemany, France, South Korea
Language : French
Documentary
Director: Guillaume Cailleau, Ben Russell
Winner of the Berlinale’s Encounters Award for Best Film, this bold and vital documentary explores the militant activist community in France
Countries: France, Canada
Language: French
Drama
Director: Philippe Lesage
Egos clash in this tense coming-of-age tale set in an isolated cabin in the Canadian wilderness, which won the Berlinale Generation 14plus Grand Prix.
DIALOGUELESS FILMS FROM FRANCE AT MIFF 2024
Countries: France, Belgium, Latvia
No dialogue
Animation
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
A menagerie adrift on a boat must work together to survive a catastrophic flood in this animated wonder arriving from Cannes Un Certain Regard.
MULTILINGUAL FILMS WHERE FRENCH IS ONE OF THE LANGUAGES
A Traveler’s Needs (Yeohaengjaui pilyo)
Country: South Korea
Languages: English, French, Korean
Drama. Comedy
Director: Hong Sang-Soo
MIFF favourite Hong Sang-soo reunites with Isabelle Huppert in this mysteriously tricksy comedy that won the Berlinale’s Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
Countries: France, Senegal
Languages: English, French
Documentary
Director: Mati Diop
As the restitution conversation gains momentum worldwide, this striking Berlinale Golden Bear-winning documentary follows a stolen statue home.
Countries: Germany, France
Languages: English, French, German
Documentary, Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Animation
Directors: Marion Burger, Ilan J Cohen
PART OF MIFF XR
An interactive and surrealist voyage into the mind of a father experiencing aphasia.
Country: France
Languages : French, Arabic
Drama
Director : Jonathon Millet
From Cannes Critics’ Week, this portrait of justice-seeking Syrians in European exile is a deftly calibrated spy thriller propelled by stand-out performances.
Countries : Sweden, Belgium
Languages : French, Flemish
Drama
Director : Leonardo Van Dijl
When her coach is accused of misconduct, a tennis prodigy decides for her own complex reasons –not to return serve
Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros
Country: USA
Languages: English, French
Documentary
Director : Frederick Wiseman
Frederick Wiseman’s 44th feature documentary turns the lens on the kitchens of a Michelin three-star French restaurant and the family that runs it.
Countries: France, Greece
Languages: French, Greek
Fantasy
Director: Yannis Veslemes
Three brothers attempt to lure their mum back from the dead in this bizarre and strangely beautiful nightmare tale.
Countries: France, Belgium
Languages: English, French, Dutch
Documentary
Director: Johan Grimonprez
US jazz collides with Cold War colonial crimes in this electrifying film examining the CIA’s complicity in state-sanctioned murder – and its use of popular music to cover its tracks.
Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other
Countries: USA, UK, Denmark
Languages: English, French, Italian
Documentary
Directors: Jacob Perlmutter, Manon Ouimet
The complex relationship between two married artists is laid bare in this searing and joyful portrait of love and creativity in autumn.
Country: Canada
Languages: French, Farsi
Drama, Comedy
Director: Matthew Rankin
This zany transformation of Canada’s beigest city into the site of a classic Iranian film won the first ever Audience Award at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
FILMS THAT AREN’T FROM FRANCE THAT ARE IN FRENCH
A Special Gala Screening of the film on 10 August
Country Australia
Languages: English, French, Indonesian
Documentary
Director: Justin Kurzel
Legendary Australian musician Warren Ellis takes us on a guided tour through his world and one very special animal sanctuary.
Green Border (Zielona granica)
Country: Poland
Languages: English, French, Arabic, Polish
Drama
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland returns with this devasting Venice Special Jury Prize-winning drama that follows Middle Eastern and North African refugees trapped as pawns in a political game
FILMS AT MIFF 2024 STARRING FRENCH PEOPLE
Countries: Germany, Canada
Language: English
Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson
A gigantic brain in a forest, masturbating bog zombies, Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander and Charles Dance all collide in Guy Maddin’s audacious latest film.
LINK: Denis Ménochet plays the President of France in the film
Country: USA
Language: English
Experimental
Director: Yvonne Rainer
An acerbic, whip-smart account of a womanising professor at the breaking point of his marriage to a fed-up artist.
LINK: An enigmatic appearance by French filmmaker Jackie Raynal
KEY INFO FOR MIFF 2024
WHAT: Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF 2024)
WHERE: A variety of cinemas and locations in Melbourne and surrounds.
WHEN: 8 – 25 August 2024
HOW: Purchase your tickets via the festival website. If purchasing individual tickets you can purchase them via the relevant film’s link provided above. Or if you wish to purchase a pass to see multiple films at a discount, then you can do so here
HOW MUCH:
There are a variety of ticket options depending on how many films you choose to see and when you choose to see them
Individual film tickets
- Full $27
- Concession $22
- Group of 10+ $20.50
- Blaktix (discounted tickets for members of the First Nations community) $13
Off-Peak Individual film tickets (off-peak weekdays before 5pm)
- Full: $23.50
- Concession: $20.50
- Members: $18
- Blaktix (discounted tickets for members of the First Nations community) $13
U26 Pass: 3 films on weekdays before 5pm $30
Bright Horizons Pass: 3 standard film screenings from the Bright Horizons competition strand of the festival program (See the films included in that here)
- Full $57
- Concession: $46.50
- Member: $43
Multipass 6: 6 standard film screenings
- Full Price: $146
- Concession: $119
- MIFF Members $111
Multipass 12: 12 standard film screenings
- Full Price: $259.50
- Concession: $211.50
- MIFF Members $197
Deluxe Membership / Festival Passport– attend every standard film screening at the festival $650
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Which films do you want to see at MIFF 2024?
Plan your month with our What’s on in August article
Also, it’s your last chance to watch these French films, documentaries and series before they leave SBS on Demand this month
