FRENCH FILMS ON DVD

60 INTERESTING FRENCH FILMS PRODUCED BETWEEN 1999 and 2009 available on DVD

I liked them, or at least found them interesting. My favorites are preceded by an asterik

All these films are available in DVD format in the U.S.

(NETFLIX is my regular source)

How many times friends and other people I meet in restaurants and theaters ask me when they find out that I have a strong interest for foreign films and know a few things about them if I can recommend a few French films. But they always add: " we want to see recent French films, not old classics in black and white". And most of the time they add: "films that we can rent in the U.S, not films that you have seen in obscure art theaters in Paris".

So, I went back to my notes in my calendars of the last 10 years since I write down the title, the name of the director, and the year of production of each film I see, either in a theater or from a DVD on my TV screen at home. And I made a selection of some French films I liked, or at least found interesting, essentially because of their artistic value, essentially from a directing standpoint, and also because they offer an unusual point of view on contemporary France.

In a couple of cases the directors are not French, like De Oiveira, or Raul Ruiz, but because they directed these films in French, with French actors, on French locations, I consider these French-produced films as French.

There is no chronological or preference order in this list. I tried to regroup films by the name of their director. My favorite films are preceded by an asterisk. If you want to read a short description of the storyline and of the cast, go to NETFLIX.com to find it. This is my essential rental source .Y ou can also find info on most of these films on IMDB.com.

Good viewing.

Alain

* PRIVATE FEARS IN PUBLIC PLACES (COEURS) by ALAIN RESNAIS 2006

* HERBES FOLLES by ALAIN RESNAIS 2009 ( to be released in DVD in late fall 2010)

* THE DUCHESS OF LANGEAIS (NE TOUCHEZ PAS LA HACHE) by JACQUES RIVETTE 2007

* AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN (36 VUES DU PIC ST, LOUP) 2009 (released soon)

* SENTIMENTAL DESTINIES (LES DESTINEES SENTIMENTALES) by OLIVIER ASSAYAS 2000

* SUMMER HOURS (L`HEURE D’ ETE) by OLIVIER ASSAYAS 2008

BOARDING GATE by OLIVIER ASSAYAS 2007

* STRAYED ( LES EGARES) by ANDRE TECHINE 2004

* THE WITNESSES ( LES TEMOINS) by ANDRE TECHINE 2007

* THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN ( LA FILLE DU RER) by ANDRE TECHINE 2009

* BEAU TRAVAIL by CLAIRE DENIS 2002

35 SHOTS OF RUM ( 35 RHUMS) by CLAIRE DENIS 2007

THE INTRUDER ( L’INTRUS) by CLAIRE DENIS 2005

FRIDAY NIGHT ( VENDREDI SOIR) by CLAIRE DENIS 2008

* OUR MUSIC ( NOTRE MUSIQUE) by JEAN-LUC GODARD 2004

* IN PRAISE OF LOVE (ELOGE DE L'AMOUR) by JEAN-LUC GODARD 2001

* THE LADY AND THE DUKE ( L’ANGLAISE ET LE DUC) by ERIC ROHMER 2001

TRIPLE AGENT by ERIC ROHMER 2003

* THE BEACHES OF AGNES ( LES PLAGES D’AGNES) by AGNES VARDA 2008

THE GLEANERS AND I ( LES GLANEURS ET LA GLANEUSE) by AGNES VARDA 2000

* COMEDY OF POWER ( L’IVRESSE DU POUVOIR) by CLAUDE CHABROL 2006

* MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT by CLAUDE CHABROL 2000

REGRETS by CEDRIC KAHN 2009 (released soon)

THE LAST MISTRESS ( UNE VIEILLE MAITRESSE) by CATHERINE BREILLAT 2007

* A CHRISTMAS TALE ( UN CONTE DE NOEL) by ARNAUD DESPLECHIN 2008

* KINGS AND QUEEN ( ROIS ET REINES) by ARNAUD DESPLECHIN 2004

* TOKYO EYES by JEAN-PIERRE LIMOSIN 1999

NOVO by JEAN PIERRE LIMOSIN 2002

THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT ( LE PETIT LIEUTENANT) by XAVIER BEAUVOIS 2005

* WHEN THE SEA RISES ( QUAND LA MER MONTE) by YOLANDE MOREAU 2004

* TOSCA by BENOIT JACQUOT 2001

RIGHT NOW (A TOUT DE SUITE) by BENOIT JACQUOT 2003

* LADY CHATTERLEY ( Uncut special edition) by PASCALE FERRAN 2006

READ MY LIPS (SUR MES LEVRES) by JAQUES AUDIARD 2001

* THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED ( DE BATTRE MON COEUR S’EST ARRETE) by JACQUES AUDIARD 2005

* A PROPHET ( UN PROPHETE) by JACQUES AUDIARD 2009

* THE PORNOGRAPH ( LE PORNOGRAPHE) by BERTRAND BONELLO 2001

* TIRESIA by BERTRAND BONELLO 2003

THE SECRET OF THE GRAIN (LA GRAINE ET LE MULET) by ABDEL KECHICHE 2007

UNDER THE SAND ( SOUS LE SABLE) by FRANCOIS OZON 2003

* TIME OUT ( L’EMPLOI DU TEMPS) by LAURENT CANTET 2001

* HUMAN RESSOURCES ( RESSOURCES HUMAINES) by LAURENT CANTET 2001

THE CLASS ( ENTRE LES MURS) by LAURENT CANTET 2007

DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGENES) by RACHID BOUCHAREB 2006

* IN THE ELECTRIC MIST by BERTRAND TAVERNIER 2009 ( In English)

IT ALL STARTS TODAY (CA COMMENCE AUJOURD’HUI) by BERTRAND TAVERNIER 2000

* HENRI LANGLOIS CINEMATHEQUE by VARIOUS DIRECTORS 2005

LA CAPTIVE by CHANTAL ACKERMAN 2000

REGULAR LOVERS (LES AMANTS REGULIERS) by PHILIPPE GARREL 2005

LA FRONTIERE DE L'AUBE by PHILIPPE GARREL 2009

* THE SON ( LE FILS) by JEAN-PIERRE DARDENNE 2002

WITH A FRIEND LIKE HARRY by DOMINICK MOLL 2000

* BELLE TOUJOURS by MANUEL DE OLIVEIRA 2006

I'M GOING HOME (JE RENTRE A LA MAISON) by MANUEL DE OLIVEIRA 2002

* TIME REGAINED ( LE TEMPS RETROUVE) by RAUL RUIZ 2000

* SABINE by SANDRINE BONNAIRE 2009

PERSEPOLIS by MARJANNE SATRAPI 2008

GABRIELLE by PATRICE CHEREAU 2005

LA FRANCE by Serge BOZON 2007

THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN (LE PERE DE MES ENFANTS) by MIA HANSEN-LOVE 2008

COMPLICES by FREDERIC MERMOUD 2009 (released soon)