20 Best French Movies on Amazon Prime

20 Best French Movies on Amazon Prime

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As the birthplace of the art of filmmaking, France and its rich cinematic history have arguably influenced film industries around the world more than any other. So it shouldn’t be surprising to discover the names of French producers and production companies in the credits of all kinds of international releases. A great place to see this in practice is on Amazon Prime—one of the biggest streaming services in the world, with an impressively wide range of films on its roster from a huge number of sources. Through the lesser-known but highly-rated films listed below, you can see how the French film industry not only puts its own spin on things, but also tries to support smaller films in need of a signal boost.

11. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

7.9

Country

Argentina, Brazil, Chile

Director

Walter Salles

Actors

Antonella Costa, Constanza B. Majluf, Erto Pantoja, Fernando Farías

Moods

Feel-Good, Heart-warming, Inspiring

Let’s fight! I’m not a fan of “Into the wild” okay okay, calm down… Maybe we can fix this. Maybe we could watch “The Motorcycle Diaries” together. Watching this heartwarming movie, you will get the travel bug. I got it and I never got rid of it. I even want to go on a motorcycle tour through South America although I would have never dreamed of getting on a motorbike. Have fun with it. Oh and… this film is about the young Che Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado by the way.

12. The Square (2017)

7.9

Country

Denmark, France, Germany

Director

Ruben Östlund

Actors

Anna-Stina Malmborg, Annica Liljeblad, Christopher Læssø, Christopher Laesso

Moods

Discussion-sparking, Grown-up Comedy, Original

The Square is a peculiar movie about a respected contemporary art museum curator as he goes through a few very specific events. He looses his wallet, his children fight, the art he oversees is does not make sense to an interviewer… Each one of these events would usually require a precise response but all they do is bring out his insecurities and his illusions about life. These reactions lead him to very unusual situations. A thought-provoking and incredibly intelligent film that’s just a treat to watch. If you liked Force Majeure by the same director, The Square is even better!

13. Paterson (2016)

7.8

Country

France, Germany, United States of America

Director

Jim Jarmusch

Actors

Adam Driver, Barry Shabaka Henley, Brian McCarthy, Chasten Harmon

Moods

Character-driven, Feel-Good, Lovely

An instant essential film in the Jim Jarmusch catalog. In his traditional directing fashion, Paterson disregards plot and instead finds inspiration in deconstructing the seemingly mundane aspects of life. Adam Driver stars as a bus driver and amateur poet who leads a content life staying away from change as much as possible. His girlfriend, Laura (played by Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani), is the complete opposite: eager to be creative, to explore new paths, and to decorate and design every object in her life. Jarmusch takes these two characters, adds only a few others, and makes a movie that celebrates similar so-called simple lives, reaching surprising levels of beauty. Again, not much happens in terms of plot, and the pace is slow. But if you are interested in the kind of movie that will let you into people’s lives, you will love Paterson.

14. Les Misérables (2020)

7.8

Country

France

Director

Ladj Ly

Actors

Al-Hassan Ly, Alexis Manenti, Almamy Kanoute, Bonnie Duvauchelle

Moods

Action-packed, Suspenseful, Thrilling

This Oscar-nominated French movie is set in Montfermeil, the Paris suburb where Victor Hugo wrote Les Misérables but which today is a rough neighborhood.

Inspired by instances of police violence that happened in 2008, the movie follows a squad of police officers who try to keep the neighborhood under control. Their methods, or lack thereof, inevitably cause things to explode. This is a thriller with a message, one which sometimes feels forced; but the payoff at the end will make you forget all of that.

15. By the Grace of God (2018)

7.8

Country

Belgium, France

Director

François Ozon, François Ozon

Actors

Éric Caravaca, Alexandre Steiger, Amélie Daure, Amélie Prevot

Moods

Discussion-sparking, Instructive, Thought-provoking

In Lyon, the second biggest city in France after Paris, a man confronts the church about a prominent priest who sexually assaulted him and his friends when they were young.

The man, being religious, wanted to keep the issue within the church. He only asked that the pedophile’s priesthood be revoked so that he doesn’t assault more children.

When it becomes clear that the church will not act, he considers legal action, even though the statute of limitations has expired. But, as is usual in these cases, he was far from being the only victim.

16. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)

7.7

Country

Belgium, Canada, France

Director

Anthony Fabian

Actors

Alba Baptista, Anna Chancellor, Ben Addis, Bertrand Poncet

Moods

Easy, Feel-Good, Heart-warming

It’s difficult to portray Cinderella stories nowadays without making them feel cliche and irrelevant, but Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris seems to have achieved the impossible: it tells a well-worn tale without losing any of its charms, and Lesley Manville is the person to thank for this surprising triumph. As the titular Mrs. Harris, Manville is so sweet and likable —thoroughly convincing in her rags-to-riches journey—that it’s impossible to watch her without grinning from ear to ear. Sure, the beats are predictable, polished to a fault even, but Manville makes every scene worth it. This is a feel-good movie if ever there was one, made even more enjoyable for fans of earnest performances, beautiful dresses, and clean, straightforward storytelling.

17. You Were Never Really Here (2018)

7.6

Country

France, UK, United Kingdom

Director

Female director, Lynne Ramsay

Actors

Alessandro Nivola, Alex Manette, Claire Hsu, Cristina Dohmen

Moods

A-list actors, Dark, Intense

The performance of a pot-bellied Joaquin Phoenix is nothing short of perfection. He brilliantly portrays a hitman down on his luck who happens to rescue a kidnapped teenage girl. It’s a tight movie, running a short 89 minutes. It makes a point that sticks. Pure entertainment, pure acting, and amazing directing by Lynne Ramsay (who also directed We Need to Talk About Kevin).

18. Let the Right One In (2008)

7.5

Country

France, Norway, Sweden

Director

Tomas Alfredson

Actors

Anders T. Peedu, Henrik Dahl, Ika Nord, Johan Sömnes

Moods

Raw, Slow

Somehow an art house film, horror, and romance all in one, Let the Right One In explores the boundaries of its genres with unprecedented finesse, and offers a stunning alternative for those disappointed with recent vampire love stories. From its haunting minimalist imagery to its incredible score, it is persistently beautiful. The film follows twelve-year-old Oskar and Eli, drawing on numerous aspects of traditional undead lore, and still manages an impressive feat in feeling entirely fresh and devoid of cliche. Those in search of a terrifying movie might need to look elsewhere, but if what you’re looking for is simply a great watch, don’t pass this one up.

19. Human Flow (2017)

7.5

Country

China, France, Germany

Director

Ai Weiwei, Weiwei Ai

Actors

Fadi Abou Akleh, Hiba Abed, Israa Abboud, Marin Din Kajdomcaj

Moods

Depressing, Tear-jerker, Thought-provoking

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei directs his attention towards the ongoing refugee crisis, the biggest displacement of people since World War II. His documentary is apolitical and tries to focus on the human side of the picture. It’s not a news report or a commentary on the causes of the situation. Instead, it’s a combination of heartfelt stories spanning 23 countries that showcase people’s battle for dignity and basic rights. A truly epic movie complemented by impressive drone footage that’s as impressive as it is sad.

20. A War (2015)

7.5

Country

Denmark, France, Turkey

Director

Tobias Lindholm

Actors

Alex Høgh Andersen, Charlotte Munck, Dar Salim, Dulfi Al-Jabouri

Moods

Action-packed, Intense

A War (Krigen) is a Danish war drama that focuses on Commander Claus Pedersen (Pilou Asbæk) as he leads a company of soldiers in modern day Afghanistan, while his wife at home in Denmark struggles to care for their three children. During a mission to rescue a family from Taliban threat, Claus’ unit is overcome by enemy fire, forcing him to make a dramatic decision that has a complicated effect upon himself, his fellow soldiers, and his family back home. A War is a tense yet thoroughly involving drama that offers a profound example of moral ambiguity and the repercussions of warfare. The acting and direction are utterly superb across the board—another enthralling and superbly humanistic affair from Danish filmmaker Tobias Lindholm (A Hijacking).

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

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