Vive le Cinéma – L’Oréal French Film Festival Aotearoa Brings Star Power and Prestige for Its 20th Anniversary
The scent of fresh croissants and cinematic rebellion is about to hit Aotearoa as the L’Oréal French Film Festival Aotearoa 2026 storms back onto the big screen for its 20th anniversary, and this year, it’s playing for keeps.
After a 2025 season that saw audiences packing out theatres like it was the hottest ticket in town, the festival returns with swagger, style, and a lineup dripping in prestige. We’re talking 24 films, across 24 locations, over four weeks; a full-bodied celebration of everything that makes French cinema so dangerously irresistible.
Following a breakout 2025 season that saw packed theatres and repeat audiences leaning into the festival experience, 2026 arrives with serious momentum. Festival Director Fergus Grady points to a growing appetite among Kiwi audiences for bold, international storytelling, and this year’s programme looks to deliver exactly that – an eclectic mix of box office sensations, Cannes standouts, and award-winning performances.
“The response last year was incredible. We’re seeing audiences really embrace the festival experience, coming back multiple times and trusting the programme to deliver something special each visit. This year’s line-up continues that tradition, with something for everyone to discover,” said Grady.
Opening the festivities for this year is Colours of Time from Cédric Klapisch, a sweeping, emotionally-charged drama that dances between past and present, threading together family legacy, artistic revolution, and the intoxicating spirit of Paris at the dawn of Impressionism. It’s lush, it’s layered, and it’s exactly the kind of film you want to sink into with a glass of red in hand.
But that’s just the entrée.
This year’s programme is stacked with heavy hitters. Pierre Niney brings intensity to Guru, while Angelina Jolie adds international firepower to Couture. While the incomparable Isabelle Huppert delivers ice-cold brilliance in The Richest Woman in the World, diving headfirst into scandal, wealth, and power.
There’s prestige behind the camera too, with François Ozon bringing his signature touch to a reimagined The Stranger, while a bold new take on Les Misérables explores the origins of Jean Valjean with fresh emotional weight.
This isn’t just a film festival – it’s a full-blown cinematic affair. Seductive, stylish, and unapologetically French, the L’Oréal French Film Festival Aotearoa is ready to sweep audiences off their feet all over again.
See the full programme here, and make sure you book your tickets because with a festival of this magnitude, tickets won’t last long. À bientôt au cinéma!
Image: L’Oréal French Film Festival Aotearoa
