French Cinema
The influence of France on the world screen is undeniable. From early inventors and pioneers such as the Lumiere Brothers, George Melies and Alice Guy Blache, the birth of cinema can virtually be traced back to French shores. Cinematic innovators such as Jean Renoir and Michael Carne followed. By the 1960s New Wave directors like Truffaut, Godard and Chabrol had an indelible impact on fledgling American film makers such as Scorsese, Coppola and Bogdanovich who revolutionised the way films were made in the US; studios fell, auteurs ruled. With the advent of television, French film budgets shrank but thanks to government intervention and a good deal of imagination, French cinema is still going strong with contemporary talents like Jean-Jaques Beineix, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Luc Besson and the controversial Gaspar Noe.
At Alice we're very proud of our extensive French collection, covering all genres from French farce to period drama, magical realism to mystery and suspense. Viva la France!
The Wages of Fear (1953)
8.1/10
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Starring: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter Van Eyck
A thriller with surprisingly little violence which is, nevertheless, a hair-raising, hold-onto-the-edge-of-your-seat masterpiece of suspense. A young... Read more
The War of the Buttons (2011)
Director: Yann Samuell
Starring: Alain Chabat, Mathilde Seigner, Eric Elmosnino, Fred Testot
Director Yann Samuell's adaptation of Louis Pergaud's classic 1912 novel about the rivalry between the children from two villages. Set in the South of... Read more
The Wedding Speech (2020)
Director: Laurent Tirard
Starring: Benjamin Lavernhe, Julia Piaton, Kyan Khojandi
A recently dumped man awaits a reconciliation text message from his ex during a seemingly never-ending family dinner. Read more
The Well-Digger's Daughter (2011)
7.1/10
Director: Daniel Auteuil
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Sabine Azema, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Kad Merad, Nicolas Duvauch...
The beautifully-filmed, sun-soaked directorial debut of French actor Daniel Auteuil, who also assumes one of the film's main roles. The film is set at... Read more
The Widow Of Saint-Pierre (1999)
7.3/10
Director: Patrice Leconte
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Juliette Binoche, Emir Kusturica
1850 Saint-Pierre, a forgotten small island near Canada. Neel Auguste is found guilty and condemned to death, but in Saint-Pierre there is neither gui... Read more
The Wild Boys (Blu-ray) (2017)
6.8/10
Director: Bertrand Mandico
Starring: Sam Louwyck, Nathalie Richard
The tale of five adolescent boys enamored by the arts but drawn to crime and transgression. After committing a brutal crime aided by Trevor, a deity o... Read more
The Witnesses (Les Témoins) (2007)
6.8/10
Director: Andre Techine
Starring: Michel Blanc, Emmanuelle Beart, Sami Bouajila
Paris, 1984: A group of friends contend with the first outbreak of the AIDS epidemic. Read more
The Woman Next Door (1981)
7.4/10
Director: Francois Truffaut
Starring: Gerard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant, Henri Garcin
Fanny Ardant and Gerard Depardieu are swept up in a tumultuous affair in Truffaut's penetrating drama about a compulsive love-hate relationship. Truff... Read more
The Women on the 6th Floor (2010)
7.1/10
Director: Philippe Le Guay
Starring: Carmen Maura, Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain, Natalia Verbeke, Lola Duenas
Charming French comedy, set in early '60s Paris, tracing the effects of an unusual friendship that develops between a stodgy Parisian stockbroker and... Read more
The World Is Yours (2018)
6.4/10
Starring: Karim Leklou, Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Cassel
A small-time dealer dreams of another life but can't afford it. To escape, he must accept one last job involving Spain, drugs, the Illuminati and his... Read more