Maigret review – Gérard Depardieu is a charismatic version of Simenon’s detective
The actor doesn’t move much but brings off the Parisian copper’s air of worldly, tolerant bemusement
The Innocent review – hardened cons go romcom in appealing French caper
Louis Garrel directs and stars in a droll movie that builds a madcap momentum
The Innocent review – enjoyably French romcom heist caper
A lonely young widower is drawn into a dangerous plot to pilfer caviar and negotiates pleasingly barmy plot twists
Lie With Me review – handsome but predictable French drama
Based on a bestselling novel, this tale of a middle-aged author who returns to his home town to reconnect with his romantic past is oddly insular and fussy
Brigitte Bardot: ‘I don’t understand why the whole world is still talking about me’
The French film star has spoken of her frustration at her lasting fame, but has agreed to a drama series about her life
L’immensità review – Penélope Cruz stars in turbulent family drama set in 70s Rome
A mother and her eldest child negotiate parallel realms of unhappiness in Emanuele Crialese’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama
Incredible But True review – screwball metaphysics on the property market
Giddy comedy about middle-aged house hunters who find more in a bargain buy than anyone but director Quentin Dupieux could have dreamed
L’Immensità review – desperation and secret yearning in 1970s Rome
Emanuele Crialese’s drama of family dysfunction, starring Penélope Cruz, offers moments of glorious escapist fantasy
Paris Memories review – soulful portrait of a terrorist attack survivor
Based on her brother’s experience of the Bataclan attack in Paris, Alice Winocour’s unexpectedly hopeful drama is lit up by a César-winning performance from Virginie Efira
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World review – giddy Romanian experiment
Freewheeling essay-movie-slash-black-comedy collage takes swipes from all angles at modern life
Victor Belmondo: ‘I wanted to be an actor – I never said to myself, yes, but that’s what Papi does too’
At his grandfather’s funeral in 2021, Victor Belmondo described the legendary nouvelle vague star as an ‘eternal sun’. Now beginning to light up the screen himself, he talks about trying to capture his predecessor’s famous insouciance
Everybody Loves Jeanne review – salty romcom with intriguing edge of quirk
The stylish feature debut from Céline Devaux explores the life of businesswoman Jeanne, her louche ex-lover and a strangely seductive new acquaintance
Jane Birkin: a tremendous screen presence with a gift for creative collaboration
Birkin made a sensational impact in Blow-Up, and went on to become a classy performer for a number of major French directors – notably Godard and Agnès Varda
Shabu review – charming documentary follows a Dutch teenager learning about life
A young aspiring Rotterdam rapper having a bad summer is the charismatic subject of Shamira Raphaëla’s affecting film
The Damned Don’t Cry review – impressive tale of a Moroccan single mother and son living on the margins
Fyzal Boulifa’s intense drama about this unusually tight family unit fleeing scandal and debt is a painterly triumph