Updated: readers share their French film and TV recommendations

At the end of 2023, former US president Barack Obama placed French film Anatomy of a Fall (Anatomie d’une chute) in his end-of-year favourites.

The list, a mainstay of the ex-president’s social media pages, overviews what he considers the best books, films and TV shows, and albums of the year.

In addition, the lauded film won two ‘Golden Globes’ at the beginning of the year, best screenplay and best foreign language (non-English) film.

In response, we asked Connexion readers to give us some of their highlights from film and TV over the last year.

Alongside a number of responses praising Anatomy of a Fall, a number of film and TV shows were recommended, some of which we cover below:

‘Heartfelt’ dramas top recommendations

Readers were keen in particular to recommend films with a more dramatic edge, or those with an emphasis on a particular story, but ultimately able to bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

Driving Madeleine (Une belle course) was a hit. It chronicles a journey of 92-year old Madeleine, who calls a taxi to take her to her retirement home in Paris, via a lengthy detour of the city’s most iconic sights (and those that matter most to her).

One reader called the film “a must watch… beautiful story, surprising, poignant, moving, funny.”

For anyone with fond memories of Paris, the trip down memory lane as the cab meanders through the city’s famous streets will be a welcome addition to the punchy plot.

Another drama film of this calibre recommended by readers is Un Métier Sérieux, chronicling the difficulties both personal and professional of a group of teachers at a Parisian high school.

One reader called the film “very moving” whilst another described it as “showing how the French education system is very different from the English one”.

One film, not released, was caught by a reader at a special preview at their local cinema. Bernadette is "a very amusing comedy... irreverent and funny.

Read more: 2023 was a good year for French cinemas: The top ten films

TV shows recommended including ‘guilty pleasure’ soap opera

Alongside these two films, readers were quick to recommend a number of TV shows that tickled their fancy.

Crime drama Sambre was described as “gripping” by a reader, with the six-part mini series covering the different points of view over a 30-year period of people involved in finding and sentencing a rapist in France.

Whilst not new from 2023, another reader highlighted the Police drama Engrenagesas one of the best shows they had ever seen, alongside political thriller Les Hommes de l’ombre.

A similar police thriller, a Franco-Belgian affairt called Astrid et Raphâelle is also popular, with its first series released back in 2019 but now in its fourth season.

All of these shows should still be available to stream despite some being released more than 10 years ago.

A newer drama series entitled Tout pour Agnès was also lauded.

Finally, for those in search of something a little more lighthearted, Un si grand soleil is a soap opera set in Montpellier.

Whilst not as long-running as some of France’s other famous soaps, the show is well-liked and has a primetime slot on France2, one of the major TV channels.

Do you have others to add to the list? Let us know via news@connexionfrance.com

Related articles

Barbie director Greta Gerwig to be next Cannes film festival president

5 French films to watch in December to improve your French