French films and TV shows to improve your language in November

Learning French through films and TV shows exposes you to real-life conversations, accents, slang, and cultural nuances that can be hard to capture with traditional study methods. 

Films and TV shows also allow you to hear French in context, which helps with comprehension and retention. 

Here at The Connexion we often recommend using TV shows and films as an additional learning method, that can be undertaken with as much or as little effort as you wish to put in.

Watching in French, with French subtitles is the best way to consolidate your learning and increase your vocabulary pool. However if you are just starting out, keeping subtitles in English at first is best, especially for complex and heavy-hitting shows.

Below are five new releases and classics you can either see in the cinema or stream from the comfort of your own home, as the winter kicks in. 

Les Tuche

Directed by Olivier Baroux, this film series follows the Tuche family, who live in a small village in the French Alps. 

The family of four live a simple life until they win €100 million on the lottery, with the film following their attempts to adapt to their new wealth while maintaining their unique identity and sense of humour.

If you enjoy the film – available on various streaming services – there are three more in the series, with plotlines including the family moving to the US and becoming involved in French politics.

A fifth film, directed by Jean-Paul Rouve, which sees the family travel to the UK, is slated for release in 2025.

L’amour Ouf 

L’amour Ouf (Crazy Love) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, with the much-anticipated film now releasing in cinemas. 

It follows a love story over 20 years, as two teenagers from different social classes fall in love. 

Based on the Irish novel Jackie loves Johnser OK?, reviews for the film which stars Adèle Exarchopoulos and François Civil have been positive, and it may well be the pick of the autumn releases this year.

Ushuaïa Nature

Nicolas Hulot is France’s answer to David Attenborough, and his flagship show Ushuaïa Nature ran from 1998-2012.

It explores diverse landscapes and biodiversity systems all across the globe, and for those learning French will provide a wealth of new and useful vocabulary. 

Certain series of the long-running show are now available on Amazon Prime and Canal+.

Read more: I fell in love with wild, beautiful Cévennes in south-central France

Very French Trip 

Available on YouTube, Very French Trip offers a great insight into what it is like to be French when travelling abroad.

The creators share their travel experiences, focusing on various countries and cultures. 

The show is a mix of travel insights and humorous anecdotes, making it entertaining for French learners and travel enthusiasts alike.

It is mostly filmed in a ‘vlog ‘(video-blog) style format, and with hosts being of a younger generation, may help you pick up previously unknown vocabulary and argot (slang). 

Loups-garous 

This new release – available on Netflix – is a mix of comedy, adventure, and fantasy, meaning it has something for everyone. 

Based on the cult French board game Les Loups-garous de Thiercelieux, which sees a team of players designated as ‘werewolves’ try and take down the other players without being compromised. 

The game is popular in France with people of all ages, and with a big enough group, you can be engrossed in it for hours. 

The film follows a family who sit down to play the board game, but are magically transported to a medieval world where werewolves roam the streets. 

The film is full of stars that should be familiar to TV enthusiasts, including Jean Reno and Bruno Goury (Luc in ‘Emily in Paris’, another major Netflix production). 

Read more: Learning French: when and why do we say se jeter dans la gueule du loup ?