AFF French Film Festival 2026: Coutures Star Angelina Jolie Lights Up Palace Screens

After a sold-out season in 2025, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is rolling out the red carpet once again—and Melbourne, you’re invited to the most glamorous ode to French cinema this season.

From 4 March to 8 April, Australia’s biggest French film fest and the largest outside France returns to the big screen. Palace Cinemas will transform into mini Parisian escapes, complete with the kind of moody lighting, melancholic romance and untranslatable je ne sais quoi that only French cinema can deliver.

The Films We're Talking About

There’s plenty to swoon over in the 2026 line-up. Angelina Jolie fronts Coutures, a drama set against the glittering chaos of Paris Fashion Week where ambition, art and identity collide. For the thrill-seekers, Chien 51 (Dog 51) imagines a dystopian Paris run by a power-hungry AI (like Blade Runner with French accents and impeccable tailoring).

Cannes darling Partir Un Jour (Leave One Day) opens with music, heartbreak and food—naturally —following a Parisian chef forced back to her hometown where the past still simmers. Meanwhile, Jean Valjean gives Les Misérables a fresh, soul-stirring retelling that ditches the singing for something far more profound.

And if you’re in the mood for something feel-good, C’est Quoi L’Amour? (What Is Love?) offers witty, heartfelt chaos as two exes are forced to re-examine their past while navigating the paperwork of annulment.

Why You’ll Want To Book Early

This year marks the festival’s 37th edition, and with more than 6,000 screenings across 17 cities. Last year’s record-breaking season drew nearly 199,000 film lovers, so if you fancy a night of cinematic escapism (and maybe a Champagne at the Palace bar), you’ll want to get in early.

Festival CEO Frédéric Alliod sums it up perfectly: “From powerful true stories and bold contemporary voices to comedies, period dramas and unforgettable romances, this year’s programme reflects the extraordinary vitality and diversity of French cinema.”

So grab your beret and prepare to be transported—from the streets of Marseille to the glitz of the Champs-Élysées — all without leaving Melbourne.

Tickets go on sale Thursday 5 February. Explore the full film list and trailers.

The Alliance Française French Film Festival runs in Melbourne from 4 March to 8 April 2026—look here for exact session timings and bookings.​

Main Image Credit: Alliance Française French Film Festival | Supplied