Watch French movies to improve your French

February 17, 2019
Let's learn some French, Listenning, The French Toolbox

Watching French movies is a great way to get used to the “music of the French language” and work on your listening skills! You will find below a selection of great French movies, I am sure you will find something that you will like. To find them, I recommend that you use sites like Amazon prime or Netflix.

MY TIPS

If you are a beginner, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You won’t be able to understand everything and that’s ok. The idea is not that you look up each and every single word but that you have fun! Turn on French subtitles when available and try to pick up some words. Little by little you will realize that you will keep understanding more and more words. Just sit back and relax and enjoy the movies.
If you are a more advanced learner, you can have a different approach to watching movies in French. It is a great way for you to learn new vocabulary and “street French” expressions that you won’t learn in grammar books. Turn on the French subtitles when available and note down the words you don’t understand. Make a list of this new vocabulary and make sure to discuss it with your teacher during your next class.

GOING FURTHER

Write a short summary in French of the movie you have seen to work on your writing skills and send it to your French teacher for corrections.

So here we go for the selection. I have added the trailers of each movie so that you can better choose which one you are going to watch.

CARTOON

Les 12 travaux d’Astérix

Let’s start with a cartoon that all French people have seen when they were little kids: les 12 travaux d’Asterix. It is always a pleasure to follow the adventures of our favorite “Gaulois” ancestor and his best friend Obelix. This movie is actually available on Youtube. Click on the title to watch it for free. Enjoy!

DOCUMENTARY

être et avoir (2002)

This movie is the cutest movie I have ever seen. You will follow a class of French children over one year and their dedicated teacher. The kids are so cute and funny. I highly recommend this documentary. It is actually available on Youtube. Click on the title to watch it for free.

COMEDIES

Here comes a long list of French comedies. Some more recent that others. The French sense of humor is not always understood and appreciated by non French speakers but still I believe it is important to try and watch some of these movies if you want to be able to understand some cultural references or jokes your French friends might make some day… Who knows, you might actually enjoy these comedies 🙂

Intouchables

Les intouchables is an amazing movie about a very strong friendship between a handicapped man and the person who is helping him in his everyday life. It is not at all sad, just so funny and very moving at times. I highly recommend it!

L’auberge espagnole

We have all dreamt to go and study abroad for one year after watching this movie. Xavier goes to Spain for one year to study and shares an apartment with English, Spanish, Swedish, Italian people…

Le dîner de cons

Le dîner de cons is another very funny movie. They thought they were going to make fun of their guest but things took an interesting and unexpected turn…

Tanguy

Tanguy is over 30 and still lives with his parents. When they find out how much money he is actually making, they do all they can to kick him out of the house…

Les visiteurs

Les Visiteurs is one of my favorite movies of all times. Two characters from the middle ages end up in modern days after drinking a magic potion. As you can imagine, they will be confronted with some very funny situations as they try to adapt to this new world and make their way back home…

La cité de la peur

Even if you usually don’t like the French sense of humor, you might actually enjoy this movie. It is very hard to categorize this movie, the best thing is actually to watch it…

La chèvre

La chèvre is another classical French comedy that we have all seen when we were kids. Follow the adventures of the very absent minded Pierre Richard.

Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain

You might already know this movie under the name of “Amélie”, you probably even saw it already! Why not watch it again in French?

GREAT FRENCH CHARACTERS

La môme

La môme is the story of the amazing French singer Edith Piaf. French actress Marion Cotillard gave a wonderful performance of the iconic singer.

Coco avant Chanel

If you love French fashion and the world of Coco Chanel, watch this movie to learn more about this amazing lady who created one of the most famous haute couture brand in the world and understand how she became that iconic figure.