French Film Festival looks to broaden Filipino audiences’ cinematic horizons

As the Philippine film industry continues to grapple with declining cinema attendance and the challenge of encouraging audiences to support local productions, the 29th French Film Festival in Manila is looking beyond the exhibition of foreign films, highlighting how international cinema can help cultivate a more diverse and engaged moviegoing public.

Running from November 6 to 30, the festival will showcase 24 French films across six selected venues in Metro Manila, offering Filipino audiences a selection of contemporary releases, literary adaptations, historical dramas, feminist narratives, and animated films.

Beyond introducing French storytelling to local audiences, the French Embassy in the Philippines and Micronesia sees the annual event as an opportunity to encourage Filipinos to explore cinema beyond mainstream blockbusters and recognize the value of independent filmmaking.

In an interview, the Embassy acknowledged that declining theater attendance has become a global concern, with the pandemic accelerating audiences’ shift toward online viewing and streaming platforms.

In the Philippines, however, another challenge is the limited variety of films available in commercial cinemas, where a handful of blockbusters are often shown simultaneously across cinemas nationwide, leaving moviegoers with fewer choices.

French film festivals, the Embassy explained, can help address this by introducing audiences to different forms of storytelling, including films with slower narratives, artistic cinematography, and themes that go beyond conventional entertainment.

The exposure, it hopes, can also encourage audiences to become more receptive to Filipino independent films.

Ultimately, the goal is to develop an appreciation for the diversity of cinema, rather than limiting moviegoing experiences to commercially driven releases.

The Embassy also emphasized that rebuilding cinema attendance requires long-term efforts, particularly through film education and the promotion of different formats, including documentaries and short films.

It cited France’s “My Classroom at the Movie Theater” initiative, a film education program designed to introduce children to cinema and develop their appreciation for the medium.

Beyond audience development, the festival also underscores the growing cooperation between the French and Philippine film industries, particularly through international funding and co-production opportunities.

The Embassy pointed to French funding programs, including Aide aux cinémas du Monde, which has supported Filipino productions such as “Filipiñana” and “Magellan,” both included in this year’s festival selection.

Another significant development is the France-Philippines film co-production agreement, signed in Cannes in May 2025 and which entered into force in September 2026.

According to the Embassy, the agreement is expected to pave the way for more collaborative productions between the two countries, potentially giving Filipino filmmakers access to additional resources and opportunities to improve their films’ production values.

The festival will also highlight restored Filipino classics, including Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar” and “Ginauhaw Ako, Ginagutom Ako,” which were restored in France through the Cité de Mémoire and the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC).

These screenings reinforce the importance of preserving Filipino cinema while strengthening cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Representation remains another important dimension of this year’s festival, with selections examining women’s experiences, gender equality, and LGBTQIA+ narratives.

Two films, Mélissa Godet’s “La Maison des Femmes” (“A Place for Her”) and Agnès Jaoui’s “l’Objet du Délit” (“Crescendo”), explore women’s experiences and the institutions that shape their lives.

Their screenings will be accompanied by discussions involving Filipina film professionals and representatives of civil society organizations advocating women’s rights. A special public roundtable is scheduled for November 12 at SM Aura.

The festival is also strengthening its partnership with QCinema, which has provided a platform for critically acclaimed films exploring LGBTQIA+ experiences and representation.

Among this year’s selections is Pierre Le Gall’s “Flesh and Fuel,” a film about truck drivers who navigate solitude on the road and anonymous encounters. The film received the Queer Palm Revelation at the 2026 Cannes Critics’ Week.

Also featured is Marine Atlan’s “La Gradiva,” which explores the coming-of-age experiences of French high school students.

The Embassy cited previous festival selections and collaborations, including “120 Beats per Minute,” which was presented in 2022 with actor Nahuel Biscayart; Noémie Merlant’s “The Balconettes” and Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” both screened in 2024; and “Marinette,” presented in 2025 with actress Garance Marillier.

The continued partnership with QCinema reflects the festival’s commitment to providing space for stories that explore identity, gender, and experiences that are often underrepresented in mainstream cinema.

The 29th edition also brings literature and history to the big screen through cinematic adaptations of Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables,” directed by Fred Cavayé, and Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” directed by Alexandre Castagnetti.

Contemporary French author and filmmaker David Foenkinos will also be featured through adaptations of his novels “Délicatesse” and “Jalouse,” with a special screening scheduled for November 27 in his presence.

History takes center stage through a two-part biographical account of General Charles de Gaulle and his leadership during World War II. The films, “De Gaulle: L’âge de Fer (Résistance)” and “De Gaulle: J’écris ton nom (Liberté),” follow his refusal to accept France’s defeat in 1940 and his determination to rally resistance against Nazi Germany.

László Nemes’ “Moulin” provides another perspective on the period, focusing on French Resistance leader Jean Moulin. A special discussion with history professors will follow a November 11 screening at SM City Manila.

Animation is likewise part of the program, with French director Julien Chheng attending the festival for the screening of his film “Muyi.” Additional animated films will be presented during the Animahenasyon Festival on November 25 and 26 at the Likha Filipino Exhibition Hall in Pasay City.

For French Ambassador to the Philippines Donatienne Hissard, cinema remains an important bridge between cultures.

“Cinema is a language that does not need translation. It has the power to make audiences feel, reflect, and experience new worlds and perspectives,” she said in the festival’s press release.

The 29th French Film Festival will showcase its 24 films across six selected venues in Metro Manila, with screenings scheduled throughout November:

November 6–15: SM Aura BGC and SM City Manila

November 27: Special screening at SM Aura BGC

November 7–28: Alliance Française de Manille, Makati City

Special screenings: Heritage films at the Cinémathèque Centre, Intramuros

November 13–22: QCinema November Gateway at Araneta City and TriNoma, Quezon City

November 25–26: Animahenasyon Festival at the Likha Filipino Exhibition Hall, Pasay City

All festival screenings are free. For the full program and further announcements, audiences may follow the French Embassy in the Philippines and Micronesia on Facebook and Instagram.

Now in its 29th year, the French Film Festival continues to provide a platform for cultural exchange through cinema. This year’s edition also raises a timely question for the Philippine film industry: how can audiences be encouraged to embrace a wider range of stories, including those produced by Filipino filmmakers?

By bringing international cinema closer to local audiences while opening opportunities for collaboration, the festival hopes to contribute to a film culture that values not only commercial success but also diversity, artistic expression, and the stories that deserve to be seen.