French Films at NewFest 2026
Festival
La Gradiva by Marine Atlan
From the unsettling mysteries of adolescence in La Gradiva to an intimate exploration of vision and perception in The Hidden Face of the Earth, two French films offer distinctive perspectives on the body, identity, and our relationship with the world.
NewFest, New York’s annual LGBTQ+ film festival, returns for its 38th edition from October 15 through October 25, 2026, bringing together bold stories and diverse perspectives from around the world. This year’s program features two French films exploring desire, identity, art, and the ways we perceive the world: La Gradiva by Marine Atlan and The Hidden Face of the Earth by Arnaud Alain.
Feature Films
La Gradiva
Dir. Marine Atlan, 2026, 145 min
France, Italy
In French with English subtitles
Screening :Friday, October 16, 2026
A group of French high school students travel to Pompeii on a class trip to discover its ruins and the bodies petrified by Vesuvius in 79 CE. In this ghost town, they are suddenly overcome by an intense sensation and drawn into a dizzying descent. One by one, James, Toni, Suzanne, and their Latin teacher, Mme Mercier, are swept up in desire and anger—until they surrender to them completely.
The Hidden Face of the Earth
Dir. Arnaud Alain, 2026, 68 min
France | US Premiere
In French with English subtitles
Screening : Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Dimitri loves photographing friends, strangers, and lovers, but over time images have been slipping from his sight. He knows that one day he will no longer see. Unable to shoot as before, the film follows him as he captures the world through the streets of Paris and New York, and is captured in return through encounters, gazes, and memories, inviting us to discover the hidden face of the Earth.
Explore the full NewFest 2026 program and tickets.
The Hidden Face of the Earth by Arnaud Alain