‘Les Misérables’, ‘Phantom’ lead this year’s French Film Festival

Lovers of foreign cinema, rejoice! The French Film Festival returns to Malaysian screens this month, bringing stories of revolution, romance, childhood, fantasy – and even a certain mischievous yellow creature along for the ride.

Now in its 24th edition, the festival brings together major new releases with older favourites, offering audiences a broad taste of what French cinema has to offer. This year’s event will run from Nov 19 to Dec 6, with 10 films screening across Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kuching.

Among contemporary titles are “Les Misérables”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “The Electric Kiss”, “Just an Illusion”, “Marsupilami” and the animated “Arco”.

History also features strongly through “De Gaulle: Resistance” and “De Gaulle: Liberty”, while two familiar favourites return to the big screen: the 2004 musical drama “The Chorus” and Gérard Oury’s 1966 wartime comedy “Don’t Look Now: We’re Being Shot At!”.

For Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur executive director Thomas Feldstein, the appeal of the festival lies in how easily stories can travel across cultural boundaries.

“Through cinema, whatever your cultural background, you can open the eyes and minds of people. It makes connections between culture, people and emotions,” he said.

“Les Misérables”, directed by Fred Cavayé, revisits Victor Hugo’s enduring story of Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert against a backdrop of unrest and revolution, while the two-part De Gaulle films explore France’s struggle against Nazi occupation during World War II.

“The Phantom of the Opera”, meanwhile, brings romance and fantasy to the Paris Opera, where a young dancer becomes entangled in a mysterious production linked to the legendary Phantom.

For something lighter, “Marsupilami” follows a chaotic family adventure sparked by the discovery of the famous fictional creature, while “Just an Illusion” looks back at adolescence and family life in suburban Paris in the 1980s.

Animation fans can also look out for “Arco”, a colourful science-fiction adventure involving a young boy from the future and a girl determined to help him find his way home.

The organisers hope the festival will encourage more exchanges between the French and Malaysian film industries, particularly in production, talent development and animation. Notably, France’s animation sector, including institutions such as Gobelins Paris, has been identified as an area with potential for future student and university collaborations.

One such opportunity for exchange will come with the visit of “The Phantom of the Opera” director Alexandre Castagnetti, who is due to attend the festival opening on Nov 18 and meet local filmmakers and film students.

An exhibition on André Malraux, the former French culture minister closely associated with the development of the country’s cultural policy and cinema, is also planned at Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur in the middle of the month.

For more information, visit Alliance Française Kuala Lumpur‘s and GSC‘s official websites.

‘French Film Festival 2026

Klang Valley

• Where: GSC Mid Valley Megamall & GSC 1 Utama
• When: Nov 19-29

Kuching, Sarawak

• Where: GSC CityONE Megamall
• When: Nov 19-22

Johor Bahru

• Where: GSC The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey
• When: Nov 26-29

Penang

• Where: GSC Gurney Plaza
• When: Nov 26-Dec 6

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