French Films at the 60th Chicago International Film Festival

This year’s festival offers a vibrant mix of in-person screenings at various Chicago venues alongside virtual options, bringing the best of global cinema to your screen. With a rich array of French films featured across multiple categories, the festival continues its tradition of celebrating the artistry and diversity of French cinema. Don’t miss this unique cinematic journey!

Cabo Negro
DIR. Abdellah Taïa  |   France, Morocco
LANGUAGES Arabic, French
GENRES Drama, LGBTQ, Sex and Sexuality
Two young queer Moroccans seek refuge and human connection as they wait at a luxury villa for a wealthy American who is nowhere to be found.

Dahomey
DIR. Mati Diop  |   France, Senegal, Benin
LANGUAGES French, Fon, English
GENRES Art, Historical, Political
An imaginative, surreal chronicle of the return of 26 stolen artifacts from Paris to their rightful home in Benin. How should they be received?

Ghost Trail Les Fantômes
DIR. Jonathan Millet  |   France, Germany, Belgium
LANGUAGES French, Arabic, English
GENRES Drama, Political, Thriller
A Syrian exile in France hunts the man responsible for torturing him — and countless other political prisoners — in a tension-filled game of cat and mouse.

It’s Not Me C’est pas moi
DIR. Leos Carax |   France
LANGUAGES French
GENRES Art, Film on Film
Iconoclastic French filmmaker Leos Carax reflects on his work, life, and filmography in this playful, personal cinematic essay.

The Kingdom Le Royaume
DIR. Julien Colonna  |   France
LANGUAGES French
GENRES Coming of Age, Crime, Drama
A teenager’s bond with her outlaw father is tested during a hot Coriscan summer in this heart-pounding coming-of-age thriller.

Listen to the Voices Kouté vwa
DIR. Maxime Jean-Baptiste  |   Belgium, France, French Guiana
LANGUAGES French, Guianese Creole
GENRES Coming of Age, Family Affairs, Music
Melrick, 13, summers with his grandmother in French Guiana. After discovering his family’s tragic past, he searches for ways to connect to his history.

Misericordia Miséricorde
DIR. Alain Guiraudie  |   France
LANGUAGES French
GENRES Crime, Drama, Mystery
Jérémie returns to his sleepy hometown to attend a funeral. When a mysterious disappearance disturbs the community, a cloud of suspicion begins to form.

The Quiet Son Jouer avec le feu
DIR. Delphine Coulin & Muriel Coulin  |   France
LANGUAGES French
GENRES Drama, Family Affairs, Social Commentary
When his sons’ paths begin to radically diverge, a father must figure out how to love and support them both in this intimate, urgent family drama.

The Time It Takes Il tempo che ci vuole
DIR. Francesca Comencini  |   Italy, France
LANGUAGES Italian, French
GENRES Biopic, Coming of Age, Film on Film, Women Centered
A filmmaker immerses his daughter in the magic of cinema, where chaos meets fantasy. This creates a deep bond that will sustain them through good and bad.

The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire
DIR. Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich  |   United States
LANGUAGES English, French
GENRES Biopic, Film on Film, Literary Adaptation, Women Centered
An actress delves into the life of Suzanne Césaire, merging reality and memory to reveal the complexities of the pioneering writer and activist.

Emilia Pérez
DIR. Jacques Audiard  |   France
LANGUAGES Spanish
GENRES Crime, LGBTQ, Music
Through liberating song and dance and bold visuals, this Mexican odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women, each pursuing happiness.

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found
DIR. Raoul Peck  |   France
LANGUAGES English
GENRES Art, Historical, Political
A powerful reclamation of pioneering South African photographer Ernest Cole, whose astute, vivid portraits of racial injustice have been largely forgotten – until now.