Best French Films of the 2000s

New Millennium, New Optimism

Fears that television would kill off the film industry by the start of the new millennium were well and truly laid to rest in the 2000s, the decade in which cinema prospered as one of the world's most popular leisure activities. The desire to be entertained, stimulated and informed by the big screen was as palpably felt in France as anywhere else in the world, and once again both the commercial and auteur sectors of the film industry profited from booming box office receipts. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001) was a worldwide hit, but even this success was dwarfed by that of Dany Boon's 2008 comedy Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, which now holds the record of the most successful French film ever with its audience of 20.5 million. Not since the heady days of the French New Wave has there been such a proliferation in auteur talent, with many independent filmmakers achieving comparable commercial success to the mainstream with their astute and original observations on life. To the list of established auteurs (Jacques Audiard, André Téchiné, Benoît Jacquot, Claire Denis) we must now add several new names - François Ozon, Jerôme Bonnell, Xavier Giannoli, Cédric Kahn, Christophe Honoré, Emmanuel Mouret, and many, many others... For a more complete list consult our best films index and complete films index.

Le Goût des autres (2000)

This sophisticated romantic comedy was a hit in France and features Jean-Pierre Bacri playing a businessman struggling to acquire a taste for art, with hilarious consequences.

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Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien (2000)

This superlative black comedy, winner of four Césars in 2001, consists of an extraordinary sequence of comic situations. Sergi López is both enchanting and disturbing as the friend who just can't help doing a good turn.

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Roberto Succo (2001)

Stefano Cassetti gives a remarkably intense performance as a dangerous psychopath in this brutally realistic but compelling thriller.

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Sous le sable (2000)

Charlotte Rampling is captivating in this haunting romantic drama in which a woman tries to come to terms with the sudden loss of her husband.

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La Veuve de Saint-Pierre (2000)

Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil star in this poignant historical drama, an unusually dark and introspective work from Patrice Leconte.

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La Chambre des officiers (2001)

A casualty of the First World War tries to rebuild his life as dedicated surgeons mend his shattered face - an acutely poignant drama with some extraordinary performances.

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Eloge de l'amour (2001)

A beautifully composed tribute to love, life and cinema, from the master of the French New Wave. Godard has lost none of his flair for innovation; this film both transcends and celebrates the Seventh Art.

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L'Emploi du temps (2001)

A man's desperate attempts to keep the loss of his job from his family makes a haunting existentialist drama - sombre, beautifully photographed and thoroughly absorbing.

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Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)

This surreal romantic comedy was a huge international success and propelled Audrey Tautou to stardom. A beautifully poetic, very funny and hugely original film.

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La Pianiste (2001)

Winner of the Grand Prize at Cannes, this dark romantic drama features a chillingly tortured performance from Isabelle Huppert.

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Va savoir (2001)

This sparkling romantic comedy drama boasts some magnificent performances from a cast that includes Jeanne Balibar and Sergio Castellitto.

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L'Anglaise et le duc (2001)

An exquisitely composed portrait of an affair between an English lady and her French aristocratic admirer, set during the darkest days of the French Revolution.

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8 femmes (2002)

Eight of French cinema's classiest ladies are brought together to fight it out in this deliciously seductive musical whodunnit, a stylish and entertaining film.

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L'Auberge espagnole (2002)

The trials and tribulations of a language student in Barcelona make this a colourful and witty slice-of-life comedy-drama. Romain Duris plays a young man in search of identity and a place to live.

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Etre et avoir (2002)

An immensely captivating portrait of a primary school teacher and his class of infants, this critically acclaimed film was a surprising commercial success.

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Cavale (2002)

One of an innovative trilogy of films, this stands out as being a particularly fine example of the modern breed of film noir thriller, well-paced, beautifully filmed and harrowingly intense.

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Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre (2002)

A spectacular comedy extravaganza which does justice to the original Astérix comic books, this is probably the biggest commercial success in French cinema. It's certainly very funny.

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The Pianist (2002)

Based on a true story by the pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, this stunningly realised wartime drama from Roman Polanski is a brutal, compelling work, one of the director's finest achievements.

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Se souvenir des belles choses (2001)

Isabelle Carré is extraordinary as a young woman who is gradually losing her memory through a brain disease. It's a bleak, poignant film, but also strikingly poetic.

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L'Homme du train (2002)

French pop icon Johnny Hallyday and veteran actor Jean Rochefort make an unlikely pairing that works surprisingly well in this sombre contemplative drama.

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Les Egarés (2003)

Emmanuelle Béart stars in this unsentimental wartime drama revolving around a married woman's growing dependency on a younger man who refuses to talk about his past.

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Stupeur et tremblements (2003)

A shocking yet also hilarious portrait of how a young Belgian woman is abused in a Japanese mega-corporation. Sylvie Testud won the best actress César for her enchanting performance in this film.

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Les Triplettes de Belleville (2003)

This hilarious adult animated feature is destined to become a classic. With its fascinating grotesque characters, an amazing thriller narrative and some surreal comedy, it's tirelessly entertaining - and totally unique.

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Le Mystère de la chambre jaune (2003)

Denis Podalydès plays the amateur detective Rouletabille in this off-the-wall comedy thriller. It's totally potty, but enormous fun, and a most unusual style for its genre.

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Caché (2005)

Hidden guilt has the power to destroy... Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil star in this taut psychological thriller with a shock ending.

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De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté (2005)

This stylish noir thriller is set alight by a remarkable performance from Romain Duris. The film won no less than 8 Cesars and is worth every one of them.

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