French Films and New Media Highlights in September

A world-famous orchestra conductor and a blue-collar cafeteria worker discover they are brothers who were separated at birth. Despite their differences, they develop a bond through their mutual love of music. A Cannes premiere and Audience Award Winner at Rendez-Vous with French Cinema.

Set on the eve of the 21st century, Tsai Ming-liang’s fourth feature turns a crumbling Taipei apartment block into one of cinema’s strangest and most tender end-of-the-world romances. Perennial muse Lee Kang-sheng (‘the man upstairs’) and Yang Kuei-mei (‘the woman downstairs’) are among the building’s last holdouts, refusing evacuation as a mysterious epidemic spreads outside and rain batters the city without end. When a plumber leaves behind an unfinished repair, the man’s floor opens into an accidental passage between two sealed-off lives, turning leaks, trash, pesticide, and petty territorial warfare into a strange form of courtship. Among the most disarmingly funny and cathartic entries in Tsai’s filmography, u003cemu003eThe Holeu003c/emu003e finds hope in a world that seems to be falling apart, breaking its deadpan plague scenario open with splendorous Grace Chang musical numbers and poker-faced slapstick. Still playing in theaters nationwide, this 1998 vision of isolation remains uncannily, exhilaratingly prescient. A Big World Pictures release.

Discover this month’s must-see programs available on the international French-language network, TV5 Monde.

A unique selection of films by leading African filmmakers, the Cinémathèque Afrique collection brings together restored works spanning from 1955 to today. Restored by the Institut français and made available by TV5MONDE+, these films offer a rare and essential overview of African cinema, highlighting its diversity, history, and enduring creative power.

This month on The Criterion Channel, discover a selection of contemporary and international cinema, including Hafsia Herzi’s acclaimed French film The Little Sister, following a young woman navigating her lesbian identity and her relationship with her French Algerian family.

A short documentary film uncovering Japanese photographer Akihiko Okamura’s extraordinary work in Ireland during the Troubles, and the artistic and emotional impact of its recent rediscovery. After a first trip in 1968 on JFK’s footsteps, Okamura moved to Ireland in 1969 with his family, and spent the next 15 years of his life photographing the north and the south of the island. Exploring his unique perspective as both an insider and an outsider, this short film offers a nuanced portrayal of the complexities and contradictions of human nature. Through interviews, archival footage, and Okamura’s own evocative photographs, we invite audiences to contemplate the universal themes of resilience, empathy, and the enduring quest for peace in the face of adversity. The Memories of Others is a testament to the power of visual storytelling in capturing the essence of human experiences amidst conflict. This film was made in collaboration with Photo Museum Ireland, Dublin, and the Akihiko Okamura Archive, Tokyo.

NYFF returns from September 25 – October 12 to celebrate a new slate of essential cinema from around the globe, once again, giving French filmmaking top billing.

Starting this September, university festivals supported by the Albertine Cinematheque begin across the country. Students can discover contemporary French and Francophone cinema through curated screenings, discussions, and special events at the following campuses:

-Bennington College
-Bucknell University
-Calvin University
-Middlebury College
-Rhodes College
-University of Central Florida
-University of Colorado Boulder
-University of Florida
-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
-University of South Alabama
-Utah State University

Metrograph celebrates French cinema this September with a rich selection spanning the work of Éric Rohmer, Robert Bresson, Jacques Tati, Claire Denis, Jean Cocteau, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Mathieu Kassovitz. Metrograph also highlights the work of legendary cinematographer Darius Khondji with a selection of French classics—including Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, a mesmerizing hypnotic look at the football icon Zinédine Zidane. Don’t miss the special screening featuring a live Q&A with Darius Khondji on Saturday, September 19th!

Anthology Film Archives celebrates the work of French filmmaker and longtime New York film programmer Jackie Raynal this September, welcoming her back to the city for three evenings of screenings and personal appearances. Highlights include her groundbreaking 1968 feature Deux fois, the rarely screened documentary shorts My Last Interview with Éric Rohmer and Gougnette, and Hotel New York, alongside Jim Jarmusch’s Permanent Vacation, a film Raynal admired and presented during her years as a programmer. The program offers a rare opportunity to revisit Raynal’s singular work and her lasting influence on both French and American avant-garde cinema.

Immigration was at the heart of the country’s evolution and transformation even before the founding of the United States 250 years ago. The pursuit of a dream—the American Dream—and the hope for a better future has come to define the lives of millions of people. This series highlights the illusions and disillusions of that dream: utopia and harsh reality, opportunity and mistrust, wealth and hardship. While the films in this series focuses on immigrants’ experiences in—and journeys to—the US, Immigrant Nation also looks abroad with many French films and co-productions including films by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche, Villa Albertine resident Alice Diop, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, Mati Diop, Laurent Cantet, Med Hondo, Ousmane Sembène, to capture the global nature of movement across borders. In the communal space of the theater, we discover a common thread: a universal longing for acceptance and dignity that transcends national boundaries, and the hope that people in transit will see future generations lead better lives.

As part of the Cinema Across Continents series, Columbia’s Maison Française hosts a special screening of early Lumière archival footage (1895–1905), tracing the global journeys of French cinema’s pioneer cameramen with live piano accompaniment.

Interested in nocturnal mysteries? Step inside Manhattan’s secret cabaret immersive experience. Directed by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus, this reinvention of The Phantom of the Opera transforms the Paris Opera House into a fully enveloping world where audiences move freely through the story: from the grandeur of the masked ball to the intimacy of backstage dressing rooms, down through mirrored passages into the deepest corners of the Phantom’s lair. Woven throughout, live performances, DJ sets, and intimate masked encounters unfold within a hidden, luminous speakeasy — a sensory plunge into music, mystery, and after-dark revelry, stranger and more fantastically than you’ve ever dreamt it.

Discover this September’s latest additions to IFCinema, featuring a selection of recent French films alongside the platform’s curated collections. New titles include Mon inséparable by Anne-Sophie Bailly, and À toute allure by Lucas Bernard, bringing together a diverse selection of contemporary French cinema, from intimate family dramas to warm and offbeat comedies.

IFcinéma also spotlights the ongoing digitization of the Cinémathèque Afrique, one of the world’s most significant collections of African cinema. Established in 1961, the collection comprises more than 1,700 films from 45 countries spanning nearly seven decades. Recently digitized works—including Recent additions—including Babatunde Apalowo’s All the Colours in the World Are Between Black and White, Cyrille Masso and Daniel Minlo’s animated feature La Grotte sacrée, and Sidney Sokhona’s restored Nationalité immigré—are gradually becoming available on the platform, expanding access to landmark films and preserving an invaluable cinematic heritage for future generations.

Villa Albertine and Unifrance are pleased to unveil the 2026 Young French Cinema selection, featuring six acclaimed French films still awaiting U.S. distribution. From intimate auteur stories to socially engaged dramas, these bold new works spotlight the most exciting voices in contemporary French cinema, with women directors behind five of the six films. Available à la carte, the program invites art-house theaters, festivals, universities, and cultural organizations nationwide to bring today’s best French films to their audiences.

Discover the 3rd edition of this unique educational platform! Developed by Ciné-Tamaris and INA, with the support of Villa Albertine, the program offers a rare hands-on dive into Agnès Varda’s iconic editing process. If you’re interested in participating, please contact Adeline Monzier – adelinemonzier@gleanersandi.com and for the West Coast, Gwenael Deglise – gwendeglise@gleanersandi.com

The 2026-2027 Albertine Cinémathèque grantees will organize French film festivals on their campuses as part of our long-standing program with US colleges and universities. This year, our selection committee has recognized 55 French film festivals from a highly competitive pool of applicants. These festivals stood out for their strong curatorial and artistic vision, thoughtful integration into academic curricula, and potential for significant impact within their institutions.

The We Are Human Festival launches its international Call for Films on June 1st. Dedicated to exploring human rights in the age of artificial intelligence, the festival invites creators aged 18 and over to submit short films (1 to 10 minutes) in any genre, including fiction, documentary, animation, video essay, or digital art. Participants are encouraged to use AI as a creative partner to interpret or challenge Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each submission must include an Ethics Notebook outlining the creative process, the role of AI, and its potential biases. Participation is free. Selected works will be showcased internationally across multiple cities, and three awards totaling €10,000 will be granted, including the Grand Prize (€5,000), Best Screenplay (€3,000), and Ethics Award (€2,000).

Celebrate diversity in film from February 24–28, 2027, with New York City’s 15th Annual Winter Film Festival! The festival seeks fresh voices and creative independent films across all genres, with a strong focus on supporting emerging filmmakers. The program also features a filmmaker education series, Q&A sessions with directors at every screening, and opportunities for selected films to receive press coverage, video promotions, and red carpet interviews. Use code WFF27GRP20 to receive 20% off your submission fee. Early Bird Deadline: September 14 · Regular Deadline: October 18 · Late Deadline: November 15.