Five films or series to help improve your French this month

A new month means there is a range of new shows and films on Netflix that you can use as a tool to help improve your French.

Whether you are in France, the UK or the US, the selection you get on the streaming platform differs according to the country.

In this article, you should be able to find something you can watch regardless of which of the three countries you are in.

Watching English series is one of the most commonly cited ways of learning English by non-native speakers.

This was particularly the case when world-famous shows such as Friends were only available on TV and not translated.

Of course, for years in English-speaking countries, it has been harder to get our hands on French-speaking programmes and films. But now with multiple streaming platforms, it has never been easier.

A good hack when you are in France is that you can usually change the audio and subtitles to French on almost any series or film, meaning even if there is an English-speaking show you want to watch, you can still get your French fix.

Chef’s Table France

If you are a fan of cooking shows, what better than a French cooking show to get you inspired?

Chef’s Table France is available on Netflix in the UK, France and the US so you can tune in wherever you are.

Each of the four episodes focuses on a different French chef: Alain Passard, Alexandre Couillon, Adeline Grattard and Michel Troisgros. It explores their restaurants and their impact on the culinary world in France.

Read also: Try these eight daily life hacks to improve your French

Pourris gâtés (Spoiled Brats)

This is another one that is available in France, the UK and the US.

Released in 2021, this French comedy film has enjoyed international success due to its exposure via Netflix.

Much to the delight of the film’s director, Nicolas Cuche.

“We knew it was a nice film and would touch people, but now we are receiving emails from Brazil and Ecuador,” he said.

As the name suggests, the film follows the three children of a wealthy man. They undertake a hilarious journey to try and earn their own living after their father pretends to have lost all his money to teach them about the real world.

Francois Ozon collection

Available only on Netflix France in August is a series of films and collections by French director Francois Ozon.

The five films - Grâce à Dieu, Été 85, Frantz, Jeune et Jolie and Dans la maison - have all gained critical acclaim.

Ozon is a prominent French director and is considered one of the most important of the New Wave era, so his films are worth a watch for an insight into French cinema.

Mademoiselle de Joncquières (Lady J)

If you are a fan of period dramas like Downton Abbey and Bridgerton, this is the film for you.

Available in the UK and US - having recently been taken off French Netflix - it tells the story of a wealthy widow who plots revenge against a man who has wronged her with her friend.

The film stars actors you may have seen before, including Cécile de France who plays the main character Madame de La Pommeraye.

It is based on a story from the novel Jacques le Fataliste et son maître by Denis Diderot which was previously adapted for a film in 1945.

L’Origine du monde (Dear Mother)

This surrealist film was selected for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival and explores the relationship between a mother and her son, but not in the traditional sense.

Son Jean-Louis is forced to ask his mother a very strange question in order to save his life.

The comedy is available on Netflix in the UK and US but not currently in France.

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