Dear Festival Enthusiasts,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 edition of the Alliance Française French Film Festival (AF FFF).

Last year, the festival reached a historic 199,000 admissions, confirming its place as one of Australia’s most vibrant and cherished cultural events. This success reflects both the passion of Australian audiences for French cinema and the dedication of the Alliances Françaises who bring the festival to life across the country.

French culture thrives in Australia: in 2025, we celebrated dance with Ballet Preljocaj, daring animation creativity with Anim’Action, and a fresh round of French Sounds of Summer in Canberra. In the visual arts, FACEF (FrenchAustralian Cultural Exchange Foundation) announced its new Resonance Grants program, the National Gallery of Victoria showcased French Impressionism (Monet, Renoir, Degas), and the National Gallery of Australia delivered a memorable Cézanne to Giacometti, while contemporary French and Australian works graced the Melbourne Art Fair. And of course, all across Australia, 29 Alliances Françaises were open to teach French and to promote francophone cultures!

The Alliance Française French Film Festival remains the largest celebration of French language and culture in Australia. With a lineup of 38 films and 18 participating cities in 2026, we are looking forward to yet another exceptional edition.

I extend my sincere thanks to all our partners and sponsors for their generous support, and to Australian filmmaker Gracie Otto, patron of this edition, for embodying the spirit of French-Australian friendship.

I wish you an inspiring festival experience and many memorable cinematic discoveries.

Once upon a time, 37 editions ago to be precise, the Alliance Française French Film Festival began as a bold cultural adventure. Today, it has become a landmark of Australia’s cultural calendar, welcoming 199,000 attendees in 2025 and offering a true rendez-vous for film lovers, francophiles and the simply curious.

At the heart of this success lies the remarkable Alliance Française network: 29 Alliances across the country, teaching French to nearly 18,000 students and presenting over 200 cultural events each year. From Perth to Melbourne, Adelaide to Brisbane, from Darwin to Sydney, these Alliances are places where people learn their first bonjour, discover French culture, debate cinema, taste fromage and wine, explore literature and technology, dream of travel and, once a year, celebrate French cinema together.

Nationally coordinated by the Board representing the six largest Alliances Françaises, the Festival benefits from shared strategy and vision. Yet it is the local passion, creativity and commitment of each Alliance that truly bring it to life, city by city and audience by audience.

Our longstanding partner Palace Cinemas has also been instrumental in this collective success. Their steadfast support has helped the Festival become the largest showcase of French cinema outside France, presenting 38 films across 18 cities in 2026.

This year, French cinema makes a powerful statement. In A Private Life, Jodie Foster performs entirely in French, while in Couture, Angelina Jolie embraces the language with elegance and confidence. When two Hollywood icons choose la langue française, it sends a clear message: French cinema is vibrant, relevant and beautifully global. And if they can try a little French… perhaps you can too!

We invite you to enjoy the Festival – laugh, be moved and share the experience. Because if there is one thing the Alliances Françaises excel at, it is bringing people together autour du cinéma.

It is always thrilling to unveil the programme we have shaped for months. Our 38 films celebrate the vitality and diversity of French cinema and invite audiences on a journey through continents, time and emotion.

The Festival becomes your passport to the world. Audiences will travel from Italy (What Is Love?) to Afghanistan (13 Days, 13 Nights), passing through Taiwan (Redress), Japan (Little Amélie), the United States (Guru), Egypt (Treasure Hunters: On the Tracks of Khufu), Algeria (The Stranger) and Morocco (The Rookie Guide). This international reach highlights France’s ability to tell stories that resonate far beyond its borders.

Time emerges as a central thread, beginning with our Opening Night film Colours of Time, continuing with the time travelling comedy Cycle of Time, Victor Hugo’s Jean Valjean and historical works such as The Money Maker. The journey culminates with the 4K restored classic A Man and a Woman, marking its 60th anniversary.

Emotion takes centre stage this year across comedies, dramas, thrillers, musicals, romance, family films and even science fiction.

Hollywood icons also bring an added touch of glamour, with Jodie Foster in A Private Life and Angelina Jolie in Couture, both powerful voices for the global reach of French culture and language.

Inspired by true events, films including our Centrepiece Premiere The Richest Woman in the World, The Great Arch, The French Job and the documentary Once Upon a Time Michel Legrand demonstrate how cinema can illuminate reality. We remain committed to championing women on screen and behind the camera, celebrating emerging voices alongside masters such as Julia Ducournau, Alice Winocour and Rebecca Zlotowski.

I would also like to thank our 2026 patron, Australian filmmaker Gracie Otto, for her meaningful contribution, as well as Palace Cinemas, our distributors, sponsors and partners, and of course the dedicated teams of the Alliances Françaises across Australia.

Bon Festival!

I am truly honoured to join the Alliance Française French Film Festival this year, a celebration that brings the richness, audacity and emotional resonance of French cinema to audiences across Australia.

France has played a meaningful role in my life. I lived there for a time, I speak a little French, and I have long been inspired by the artistry, elegance and fearlessness of its filmmaking. Being part of this festival feels like reconnecting with a place and a cinema that have shaped my creative journey.

As a filmmaker, I am passionate about stories grounded in heart and humanity. Whether in film, television or fashion, I have always been drawn to storytelling that embraces individuality, courage and emotional truth, qualities I deeply admire in French cinema.

This year’s lineup of 38 films reflects that spirit, offering a rich and diverse programme for audiences of all backgrounds. I am especially thrilled to see such a strong presence of female filmmakers, from exciting newcomers like Amélie Bonnin with Leave One Day and Enya Baroux with Bon Voyage, Marie to celebrated directors whose work continues to inspire.

Julia Ducournau presents the striking Alpha. Rebecca Zlotowski brings A Private Life, featuring the extraordinary Jodie Foster in her first French language leading role. Alice Winocour offers Couture with Angelina Jolie. Marion Cotillard shines in The Ice Tower by Lucile Hadžihalilović.

These storytellers, and the unforgettable women they bring to the screen, embody the creativity, sensitivity and boldness that make French cinema so influential around the world.

It is a joy and a privilege to celebrate these films with you. I invite you to immerse yourselves in this year’s programme and discover the artistry, passion and imagination that continue to define French cinema.