The American French Film Festival (TAFFF) has returned with a robust lineup for 2025, building on the success of last year’s acclaimed film, Emilia Pérez. This year’s festival, which commenced on October 31 and runs until November 3, features a mix of high-profile projects and promising newcomers, reaffirming its status as the world’s largest festival dedicated to French cinema and television.
Founded in 1996 as part of the Franco-American Cultural Fund, TAFFF highlights the collaboration between French and U.S. film and television industries. The festival is taking place at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles, celebrating its 29th edition with a selection of 70 films and television titles.
Among the notable films is the opening-night selection, A Private Life, directed by French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski. The film marks Jodie Foster‘s first role entirely in French, a language in which she is fluent. During the screening, Foster received a lifetime achievement award, emphasizing her significant contributions to cinema.
Another highlight is Richard Linklater‘s latest film, Nouvelle Vague, which explores the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s iconic New Wave film, Breathless. This marks Linklater’s first project filmed entirely in French. At the screening, he received the Franco-American Cultural Fund Award for this film, which features American actress Zoey Deutch alongside French actors Guillaume Marbeck and Aubry Dullin. “It’s right smack in the center of what our DNA is, which is cultural and creative exchanges between France and the United States,” said TAFFF deputy director Anouchka van Riel.
The festival also showcases other significant works, including Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is France’s selection for the international feature Oscar. Additional screenings include The Richest Woman in the World, featuring Isabelle Huppert, and a documentary focused on Brigitte Bardot.
To foster dialogue within the film community, TAFFF has organized a DGA-sponsored filmmaker panel. This year’s panel includes prominent directors such as Linklater, Jason Reitman, and recent Oscar winner Sean Baker. Moderated by former DGA president Taylor Hackford, the discussion will tackle the challenges facing feature films and the importance of revitalizing the cinematic experience.
In addition to established names, TAFFF aims to introduce fresh voices in filmmaking. This year, the festival launches the New Horizons program, spotlighting works from both rising and seasoned French filmmakers. Among the featured titles is Valérie Donzelli‘s At Work, which won best screenplay at the Venice Film Festival, and Claire Denis‘s The Fence, starring Tom Blyth and Mia McKenna-Bruce.
Van Riel emphasizes the diversity of French cinema, highlighting that the portrayal of French artists is not monolithic. She points to Hafsia Herzi‘s The Little Sister, which follows a lesbian teen navigating life within a Muslim family, and Anna Cazenave Cambet‘s Love Me Tender, focusing on a woman fighting for custody of her son after entering a relationship with another woman. Both films premiered at Cannes, with The Little Sister receiving the Queer Palm prize.
The festival’s timing is particularly significant as French filmmakers have recently achieved notable success in connecting with broader American audiences. Justine Triet‘s Anatomy of a Fall, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2023, received five Academy Award nominations, including best picture. Additionally, Jacques Audiard‘s Emilia Pérez led the Academy Awards with 13 nominations, winning for best song and best supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña.
TAFFF’s organizers are proud of their role in promoting these films, especially following the strategic decision in 2019 to shift the festival from spring to fall, aligning it more closely with awards season. “We are really the place where you have the most important group of AMPAS members,” noted François Truffart, TAFFF’s executive producer and artistic director. “You have to be at TAFFF to be part of the campaign.”
For those unable to attend in person, TAFFF offers over 1,000 film and series titles available for rent through its library. The festival also provides free screenings for local high school students, including the presentation of Nouvelle Vague. As streaming services enhance the accessibility of international cinema, the hope is that interest in French projects will continue to grow.
Truffart concluded, “We know that we’re still a niche market, like any other foreign industry, so it’s always a challenge. The good news is that people are becoming accustomed to watching films with subtitles, and the market is opening up.” With its commitment to diversity and cultural exchange, the American French Film Festival remains a vital platform for showcasing the rich tapestry of French cinema.
