Recommended French films for quarantine days – recommendations from Francophiles

There is no doubt that the never-ending Corona period is increasing the level of sadness and depression. It is not enough that you cannot travel toFrance But the lockdown forces us to stay at home and makes us feel like we're in prison. One of the things that does my soul good and helps me deal with the general feeling of being stuck is watching French movies (especially comedies).

Why is a French movie a better morale booster than a Prozac pill? Well, that's a very subjective question, but I'm sure the Francophiles who follow this site can easily answer it.

Some will note the films' leisurely pace, which allows the plot to unfold slowly without you being bombarded with 20 jokes per second (like in Hollywood comedies).

Add to that amazing actors like Jean Gabin, Louis de Funes, Audrey Tautou, Gerard Depardieu, and Fanny Ardent. Their mere presence can turn a mediocre film into a great one (although sometimes it wasn't enough, but bear with me here 🙂 ).

And finally, we must not forget that a very large part of these films takes place in France, which is a huge bonus on days when it is not possible to physically get there. Hence, if we cannot get toParis We'll bring Paris to our living room!

In order to boost your morale, I decided to bring you a list of French films, which I believe will do you good and help you pass the many hours you are stuck at home. Since a good mood and escapism were the two most important criteria for me, I decided to bring here only recommendations for comedies or, at most, optimistic dramas. As a result, big but “heavy” films, such as “The 400 Lashes” or “Jean de Florette” remained off the list (I promise to dedicate a separate article to them in the future).

All the recommendations you'll see here are based on both films that I particularly liked and films that the Francophiles in the Facebook group liked. Paris and Ile-de-FranceI hope you will like these recommendations and bring you a few smiles during this difficult time. However, before we begin with the list of recommendations, it is necessary to address an important question that will surely arise down the road.

Where can I get French movies and how can I watch them?

Until so and so years ago, the answer to that was very simple. I would refer you to the video library of The third ear, where you could find almost any movie I recommended. However, nowadays we can hardly find video libraries (certainly not of high quality) and most of us have already given up on DVD players (not to mention VCRs). So how can you still find French movies?

Using BitTorrent

BitTorrent software has been around for quite a few years and allows for file sharing and downloading at high speeds. The big problem here is that downloading movies to your computer may be illegal, which is why I don't recommend specific Torrent sites.

However, if you decide at your own risk to download French movies using BIT TORRENT, I would recommend using the service Bit PortThis is a service that allows you to “download” the movie into the cloud and watch it from there (simply take the Torrent link and copy it there).

This has several advantages. First, because you are not downloading the movie to your computer, you are not breaking the law. Second, there is no chance of you getting viruses (and there are quite a few of those on all kinds of download sites). And third, because the movie is in the cloud, you can watch it from anywhere.

If all of this sounds a little complicated to you, don't worry, there are a few more options.

The VOD of the Walla website

Not everyone knows, but the Israeli website Walla has a free video library where you can watch quite a few movies for free. The downside is that the number of French movies there is not large and there is a high chance that the movie will be interrupted many times due to commercials. However, despite all this, it is definitely worth checking out and seeing if there are some movies there that you will like.

Link to the French films on the Walla website

Netflix

Netflix took Israel by storm because it brought a lot of quality content (some of it unique to them) and at a low price. This is why I believe that a large number of you already have this service, which makes it available and easy to operate. The disadvantage is that the number of French films on Netflix Israel is relatively low. On the other hand, there are some important series there and later in the article I will give you some recommendations.

Amazon Prime

Amazon decided a few years ago to go head-to-head with Netflix and offers a VOD or subscription viewing service. As you can see, you can find quite a few classic and new movies there. As you can see, the price is not sky-high and you can definitely find quite a few recommended movies there.

So now that we've finished dealing with the logistics, let's get started and help you find great French films that will help you survive the Corona days. The recommendations here are completely subjective and it's very possible that there are excellent films that didn't make the list. If a film you really like isn't on this list, you're welcome to contact me and provide me with the following information:

• Movie name
• Why did you like him?
• Where can I find it (I will not post movies that cannot be easily and legally obtained)

I promise to update this page with your recommendations, so it's definitely worth "cutting and saving" the page and returning to it from time to time to learn about more recommended films.

So get the popcorn ready, dim the lights and let's get going!

Classic French films

Amelie (Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain)

I want to start with my favorite French film of all time. It’s “Amelie,” starring the lovely Audrey Tautou. For those of you who don’t know the film (are there any others?), I’ll tell you that it’s a sensitive comedy about loneliness (very appropriate in times like these) that takes place entirely in Paris.

Jean Jeanne, the film's director, brings us the City of Lights in all its glory, and some would even say that he even created a Paris that doesn't really exist (there's no crime, dirt, or other less-than-nice things to be found in Paris). But who cares? We want escapism, and the film "Amelie" will provide us with it in generous portions.

Watching the movie Amelie via Amazon Prime

And by the way, if you liked “Amelie” and would like to visit some of the places where the film takes place, you are welcome to visit the article. Tour of Paris following the film Amelie.

Rabbi Jacob

In my opinion, this is the best comedy of לואי דה פינס And not just because it concerns our people.

Louis de Pins plays a Catholic misanthrope with heavy racist tendencies who finds himself unwillingly involved in international intrigues while traveling to his daughter's wedding.

Here you will find Louis de Pins in all his glory with the many faces and voices that made him famous. Since this is a travelogue, you can see what France looked like in the 70s, including Marais District וPalais des InvalidesIn short, a wonderful combination of laughter and nostalgia in one film.

To watch Rabbi Yaakov via Amazon Prime

The Madness of Grandeur (La Folie des Grandeurs)

Well, I couldn't resist recommending just one comedy by Louis de Pins, so here is his second best comedy (in my opinion).

This is an adventure comedy by Gerard Ury, set in 17th-century Spain and based on the book by Victor Hugo “Roy Blass.” This comedy stars, alongside Louis de Pins, the great actor and singer Yves Montaigne, and I promise you that you won’t find a single dull moment here. Simply pure pleasure!

To watch the movie via Amazon Prime

The blond with the black shoe (Le grand blond avec la chaussure noir)

https://youtu.be/WdqBHvsFqJA

One of the most classic comedies of French cinema, created by Francis Weber, the greatest writer of cinematic comedies (in my opinion, of course).

Pierre Richard plays a down-on-his-luck musician named François Perrin, who unfortunately becomes a pawn in a fierce struggle between the head of the Counter-Security Service (the French Shin Bet) and his deputy who is trying to replace him. This is a comedy that has provided French cinema with some of its most famous scenes, including, of course, the scene in which Mireille Darc Her sexy black dress to seduce Francois Perrin.

In short, a classic. French It is mandatory to watch it at least once a year.

To watch “The Blonde with the Black Shoe” via Amazon Prime

Dinner with an idiot (Le diner de cons)

As we have seen, Francis Webber is undoubtedly one of the greatest comedy writers in France, so I couldn't resist bringing you another film by him, this time from 1998.

This is a tear-jerking comedy starring Jacques Villeret and Thierry Lhermite. In it, Pierre Broshan (Thierry Lhermite), a wealthy publisher from Paris, invites François Pignon, an income tax official who likes to make models of matchstick buildings, to dinner. It's not just any dinner, but a "dinner with idiots" to which each participant invites a different strange person, and the one whose type is the strangest wins.

What Pierre Broshan doesn't know is that his "idiot" is going to ruin all his plans (without noticing it), which will create a long series of incredibly funny comic situations for all of us.

To watch “Dinner with an Idiot” on Amazon Prime

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg)

And we'll end the list of classic films with Umbrellas of Cherbourg, because if there's anything that manages to bring back a little of the mood, it's good music.

This wonderful musical by Jacques Demy starring Catherine Deneuve is just what you need to forget about all your troubles. Great acting and wonderful music by Michel Legrand. True, the plot is not comic and even a little tragic, but the music and songs definitely make up for it.

To watch Umbrellas of Sherbour via Amazon Prime

And by the way, if you're looking for a slightly more comedic musical by Jacques Demy with wonderful music by Michel Legrand and acting by Catherine Deneuve (this time with her sister Françoise Durlac) then I highly recommend Les Demoiselles de Rochefort.

https://youtu.be/atgHEhyJAnw

To watch The Maidens of Rochefort via Amazon Prime

New French movies

Welcome to the North (Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis)

One of the most successful French films ever released, starring Cad Merad and Danny Bon.

Cad Merad plays a post office manager who is forced to move to the Nord pas de Calais region, which for the average French person is considered a desert country because of its cold and rainy weather. Danny Boon plays a local postal worker and the conflict between the two cultures creates comic situations that are hilarious to the point of tears.

The film was very successful in Israel, so there's a good chance you've already watched it, but even if you have, it's not too bad, because the film is able to raise everyone's morale even if they've seen it 100 times.

Divine Comedy

Unfortunately, there was never a sequel to Amelie, and perhaps that’s a good thing, because it’s rare for a sequel to surpass the original. Fortunately, in 2015, a film was created that is a kind of spiritual sequel to Amelie, called “The Divine Comedy.”

According to the movie, God, it turns out, is alive! He lives in Brussels and is a bit of a character, misbehaving with his wife and daughter. Yes, we heard he has a son, but it turns out he also has a daughter. Her name is Aya and she is ten years old. One day the girl gets fed up and decides to take revenge. She hacks into God's computer and sends every person in the world a text message with the date he will die. The chaos is rampant and we are treated to a series of comic situations that create an existential comedy for us.

To watch The Divine Comedy on Amazon Prime, click here.

If you would like to read a little more about the film, you are welcome to visit the article. Divine Comedy – Has a sequel to “Amelie” been made?

Connected to life (Intouchables)

A moving comedy based on a true story, which became the most watched film in France in 2011.

Philippe is an aristocrat who has been left completely paralyzed by a paragliding accident. He hires Driss, a young Senegalese man recently released from prison and eager to receive unemployment benefits, as a home caregiver. Although the subject is not at all funny, the interaction between Philippe the aristocrat and Driss, who came from the streets, creates quite a few exciting comic situations.

No wonder quite a few Francophiles in my group highly recommended this film.

To watch Connected to Life via Amazon Prime

First name (Le Prenom)

A French comedy that many Francophiles loved. It's about a French couple who decided to name their son Adolphe and they simply don't understand why the whole family is against it. From here the situation only gets worse, but we the viewers just can't stop laughing.

To watch privately using Amazon Prime

When the Boys Sing (Les Choristes)

A wildly moving musical drama set a few years after the end of World War II. Gerard Juniot plays a failed composer who takes on the role of teacher at a boarding school for marginalized youth. Through music, the teacher manages to take a group of rascals, whom society has already given up on, and transform them into a choir with the voices of angels.

The combination of meticulous acting, exciting story, and divine music makes this film one of the best escapism films around, and so, even though it's not a comedy, I highly recommend it for this time of year.

To watch “When the Boys Sing” via Amazon Prime

Paulette's celebration

A comedy about a grandmother who, due to financial difficulties, decides to become a drug dealer. I saw it a few years ago and since then I've been coming back to this movie again and again. So true, you won't see typical Parisian sights here, but rather images from the ugly suburbs of the French capital. However, the excellent acting, interesting plot and humor will definitely provide you with your daily dose of escapism.

To watch the film Paulette's Celebration via Amazon Prime

Midnight in Paris

I will end my recommendations for movies with an American film, not a French one. I am of course referring to Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris.”

Few people know that Woody Allen came to Paris in the 1970s to direct one of his first films. He hated the city and at the end of each day of filming he would lock himself in his hotel and eat exactly the same meal he had the day before.

So how could such a person, decades later, create a film that is entirely a love song to Paris? I have no idea. What is certain is that whether you have seen the film or not, it is highly recommended that you watch it again and again and remember the Paris of the 1920s. A Paris that most of us dream of and will never be able to achieve.

To watch the movie “Midnight in Paris” via Amazon Prime 

Recommended French movies on Netflix and recommended series

As I said, Netflix in Israel is a bit stingy when it comes to French films, which is a shame. However, it is responsible for several French series that are definitely worth checking out.

French films

I'm just going to watch a French movie or two and if they're good then write about them. It's recommended to come back to the article in a while and catch up, and in the meantime, you're welcome to read about some recommended series.

French series

10 percent (Dix Percent)

A French comedy series that was very successful, also with the Israeli audience, depicting the adventures of a Parisian acting agency. This is undoubtedly an excellent series to watch, both thanks to its humor, the Parisian landscapes, and of course thanks to the starring role of some of France's most famous actors, as themselves.

Very secret service

A French comedy series set in the 60s about the French secret service. Someone recommended this series to me when I was living inMalta To this day I thank him for that.

Excellent gameplay, a fascinating plot, and most importantly, a series that will put a smile on your face. Excellent for the days of lockdown.

English-language series about France

True, these are not French-speaking series, but the fact that they take place in France makes them an excellent option for Francophiles.

Versailles

https://youtu.be/ov7MV6V2aa0

One of Netflix's most talked about series. Although it is not a documentary series, it is a historical drama series that takes place during the construction of Palace of VersaillesHowever, from what I have seen so far, it is certainly a not bad historical reconstruction, which can certainly teach you a thing or two about the reign of Louis XIV.

Amelie in Paris

A new Netflix series about an American marketing manager named Emily, who moves to Paris as part of a relocation. Opinions about this series are divided. On the one hand, the photography is spectacular, but on the other hand, the plot is ridiculous. Since I couldn't stay indifferent to it, I went and watched most of the episodes, and the result is an article that will try to explain what's good and what's not so good about the series (and along the way compare it to the movie Amelie and create a travel itinerary for you to follow).

All of this can be found in the article Emily in Paris (Netflix) – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.