Top 10 Movies from France

While the bizarre makeup and overwrought acting may have dated this film, director Jean Cocteau’s adaptation of the traditional fairytale is still studied today for its beautiful visual effects. As the innocent Belle is drawn into the Beast’s lair, every room comes alive with meticulously designed sets, which more often than not include human-like statues. These subtle, but effective touches make this French flick one timeless romantic fantasy.

One of the most influential silent films of all time, Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer’s portrayal of the French heroine illustrated just how powerful images on the big screen can be. The most mesmerizing element of “The Passion of Joan of Arc” may be Renée Jeanne Falconetti’s turn as the saint-to-be in her last days before being burned at the stake. Her emotive performance, combined with Dreyer’s innovative use of close-up, produced a film which is as powerful today as it was in 1928.

A film that would be famous for its production history alone, Marcel Carné’s masterpiece is a testament to the fact that trying circumstances often produce great art. Filmed under the German occupation of France during World War II, and cast with French freedom fighters acting alongside Nazi sympathizers, Carné’s elaborate drama of Parisian stage performers was rated the number one film of all time by the Cannes Film Festival. Sometimes making something beautiful in the face of tragedy is an act of patriotism in itself.

A kind of love letter to the silent film era, Michel Hazanavicius’ pleasing 2011 Oscar winner was one of the most unlikely candidates for the trophy to date. The first silent film to win since the very first Academy Awards, and the firstFrench film to win Best Picture ever, “The Artist” also offered Jean Dujardin’s charming performance as an aging silent movie star, which captivated audiences worldwide and earned him an Oscar for Best Actor. A movement even surfaced to nominate the main character’s dog, played by a Jack Russell Terrier named Uggie, for award recognition.

One of the most famous movies about movies, Jean-Luc Godard’s 1963 film stars French movie goddess Brigitte Bardot, who is surrounded by an international cast, including German-Austrian directing legend Fritz Lang and…the director himself. With a crazy production story that mirrored Godard’s own life, “Contempt” sees Bardot’s character and her husband, played by Michel Piccoli, navigate their floundering relationship amid the surreal world of movie-making on the Italian coast. One of the most visually stunning films of all time!

This charming tale of a shy Parisian woman, who spends her time doing anonymous good deeds, burst onto the world stage in 2001, and propelled Audrey Tautou into our hearts. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s vivid, idyllic depiction of modern Paris was an American box office hit, despite limited release, and opened the door for films like “The Artist” to find large audiences overseas. “Amélie” was also nominated for five Academy Awards!

One of the films that signaled the French New Wave, Jean-Luc Godard’s free-form escapist drama through the streets of Paris is one-part thriller, and one-part something that hadn’t been seen before. The main character, played by frequent Godard collaborator Jean-Paul Belmondo, isn’t the least bit sympathetic. And yet the crime drama’s story still manages to compel based on innovative camera work and editing, and the style and grace of the now-iconic Jean Seberg.

Made on the cusp of the Second World War, this drama sees master director Jean Renoir deciding to turn his lens backwards in time on what was then known as the Great War. Instead of vilifying the German side, Renoir sought to humanize all characters, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or class, as each finds their own ways to cope inside a prisoner of war camp. The result is one of the bravest and most stirring war films of all time.

Being a kid is tough, and few films illustrate this quite so eloquently as director François Truffaut’s 1959 debut. Known in English as “The 400 Blows,” this drama’s French title is an idiom meaning “to raise hell,” and it tells the story of Antoine, a young boy who faces off with strict teachers, parents, and society at large. Another film that defined the French New Wave, it also launched Truffaut’s legendary career, as well as that of actor Jean-Pierre Léaud, who would play the same character in four subsequent films.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “Au revoir les enfants” (1987)
- “Les yeux sans visage” (1960)
- “La Maman et la Putain” (1973)
- “Les Diaboliques” (1955)
- “La Haine” (1995)

Following the success of our number three pick and that of his other films, Jean Renoir was thought to be able to do no wrong when this film hit theaters in 1939. Unfortunately, its candid depiction of French bourgeoisie behavior during a getaway at a country estate was too much for audiences and critics of the day. The film was ultimately banned in wartime France, and wasn’t truly acknowledged until the 1950s. Since then though, it has been hailed as one of the most precise black comedies of all time. With its complex camera work, strong acting and clever writing, it’s now considered one of cinema’s greatest movies as well as a major influence on later filmmakers.

Do you agree with our list? Which French film brings you joie de vivre? For more great top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com!