The Beginner’s Guide to French Cinema: C’est Facile!

Summary

Bonjour! Ready to boost your French skills the fun way? This guide hand-picks the best beginner-friendly French movies—a perfect mix of hilarious comedies (like the record-breaking Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis) and gentle animated features (such as Ernest et Célestine). Watching these films is a low-stress way to soak up culture, catch regional accents, and make the French language feel truly accessible. C'est facile! Get ready to press play and start enjoying great French cinema today!

Bonjour readers!

The Internet provides a plethora of options to learn a language for passionate learners. While it is essential to read, write, and practice speaking the language, immersing yourself in the culture and truly enjoying the experience is equally important. For all the French enthusiasts out there, this article has been specially curated for you. If you're someone who enjoys visual learning, witty dialogues, and is looking for a fun way to enrich your language learning experience, then watching French movies is an amazing way to elevate and improve your language skills.

Not only do these movies offer a taste of the French life you've been dreaming about, but they also make the language feel less intimidating and much more accessible. Several popular genres are mentioned below, allowing you to pick a movie based on your taste and preferences. I guarantee that these movies will be right up your alley! So, let's dive right in!

COMEDIES

Watching comedies is an excellent way to escape the everyday stress of life. French comedies offer the perfect blend of witty, dry humor that keeps you coming back for more. These movies take you on a thrilling rollercoaster ride that only goes up!

Filled with hilarity, regional accents, and cultural tidbits, these films are incredible for immersing yourself in the language while having a hella good time!

1) Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis (Welcome to the Sticks)

This French comedy film by Dany Boon is one of the highest-grossing French films of all time. It revolves around the life of a post office manager in Southern France who tries to get a transfer to the Mediterranean coast to please his wife. Instead, he is sent to Bergues, a small farming town situated in the North of France. The film uses humor to break stereotypes and focuses on unexpected friendships, cultural differences and acceptance between the North and South France. A fantastic comedic family film and a must-watch for comedy seekers!

2) Le Dîner de Cons (The Dinner Game)

Based on a play of the same name by Francis Veber, it is one of the most successful French films of all time. It follows a Parisian publisher who participates in a weekly ‘idiots’ dinner, where each guest invites an idiot to ridicule. He goes through several humbling yet entertaining moments when he meets François Pignon, a passionate man who builds matchstick models. This social satire, through a series of ludicrous mishaps, offers an unforgettable experience. Perfect for a weekend watch!

3) Tanguy

This hilarious black comedy by Étienne Chatiliez shows the life of a 28 year old man who still lives at home. Well-educated, fluent in Chinese and Japanese and fully capable of supporting himself, he still refuses to leave home. His parents devise a series of schemes to get him to move out as they are quite tired of him. One of the favourite films of all time!

4) Il a déjà tes yeux (He even has your eyes)

A film by Lucien Jean Baptiste that revolves around a couple who cannot have children and are trying to adopt. When they are suddenly offered a 4 month old baby boy, it leads to a chain of farcical events that changes their lives. They are faced with opposition from their families and have to fight back against a social worker who will do anything to stop them. Make sure to add this to your watchlist!

ANIMATION AND CHILDREN’S FILMS

Now, for the ones who love animation and children's films, this next section is for you. These 2 films are often the most recommended to language learners because of their slow pace, clear dialogues, captivating visuals and straightforward plots— perfect for beginners. Enjoy!

1 ) Kirikou et La Sorcière (Kirikou and the Sorceress)

This 1998 adventure-fantasy film by Michel Ocelot is inspired by West African folklore. It explores themes of bravery, autonomy through Kirikou, a magical newborn boy, who goes on a quest to save his village from the evil witch Karaba. The film also provides a cross-cultural experience as the French is spoken with an African accent. Its simple dialogues, and easy vocabulary make it one of the must-watch films for beginners!

2) Ernest et Celestine (Ernest and Celestine)

This wonderful, heart-warming film follows the friendship between Ernest, a musician bear, and Celestine, a mouse, who loves to draw, but must take up dentistry as that's what all rodents do. Their friendship is tested when they are on their own and go through various chaotic events. The watercolor style animation, touching messages about friendship and life, along with natural spoken French truly make this a masterpiece of French cinema. Do give this crowd-pleaser a try!

French cinema explores various genres and truly offers some unmissable gems. The films mentioned above are some of the masterpieces of French cinema, selected specifically for French learners. So, get cozy, grab your snacks, and get ready for your French movie marathon!

Hope you have fun watching these!