36th Cork French Film Festival celebrates cinema’s leading lights

Cork French Film Festival leads the way in celebrating cinema’s 130th birthday this year with a programme that showcases the best Francophone releases from the last twelve months. Palme d’Or and César nominee, Beating Hearts, and Toronto International Film Festival winner, Shepherds will be supported by a host of César-nominated features, when the festival lights up the screens of The Arc Cinema from March 6th to 9th.

The festival presents a curated selection of the very best French films — all with English subtitles. From the visceral ache of Gilles Lellouche’s Beating Hearts to the heartwarming glow of Emmanuel Courcol’s The Marching Band, and of course, the splendour of The Count of Monte Cristo, which won the Lumière award for cinematography in 2024. The festival will also feature excellent Belgian and Canadian films, with Michiel Blanchart’s action thriller Night Call, and Sophie Deraspe’s drama, Shepherds. 

The programme will also pay tribute to a legend of French cinema with a retrospective of the work of the late Michel Blanc, from his comedic performance in The Little Victories to his iconic dramatic role as Monsieur Hire. Animated feature A Boat in the Garden is a story of adventure and imagination sure to captivate the entire family, while the ever-popular schools programme presents a tale of friendship and nature in The School of Life from March 4th to 6th.

This year’s festival is honoured to have the support of the Embassy of France in Ireland again. H.E. Céline Place, Ambassador of France to Ireland, expressed her support: “The French Embassy is delighted to support the Cork French Film Festival, the longest-running French film festival in Ireland and a key cultural event celebrating French and Francophone cinema for over 35 years. Year after year, this festival brings the richness and diversity of French filmmaking to audiences in Cork, further strengthening the deep cultural ties between France and Ireland. In 2025, we continue to build on this shared commitment to culture and artistic collaboration. This year’s programme reflects once again the vibrancy of French cinema, showcasing films that engage, inspire, and spark conversations. The Cork French Film Festival also plays a vital role in promoting French language and cultural diversity, engaging young audiences through educational screenings and as part of the Francophonie Festival – a nationwide celebration held throughout March presented by the embassies part of the International Organisation of La Francophonie in Ireland. I wish to congratulate Josselin Le Gall, Honorary Consul of France in Cork, and Valérie David-McGonnell, President of Alliance Française de Cork, and the whole team for their work on the Cork French Film Festival.”

The festival is also sponsored by the Embassy of Canada in Ireland, Air France, Eirgrid, Amarenco, and supported by Cork Airport, Cameron Bakery, the AIPLF, and Explore France. 

Alison LeClaire, chargée d’affaires of the Embassy of Canada in Ireland, said: “I am delighted and honoured that the Cork French Film Festival has chosen once again to feature a Canadian film. Canadians who work in film, both in front of and behind the camera, have long impressed audiences with their creative talent, insightful storytelling, and technical innovation. That is certainly if not especially true of the Canadian francophone film community, and their extraordinary contribution to Canada as a historically and contemporaneously diverse and culturally lively society. It is therefore no surprise that Canada’s francophone cinema is uniquely able to convey universal human experiences of identity, relationships, and change in ways that feel both specifically Canadian yet familiar to all. The Embassy of Canada is proud to support the Cork French Film Festival as a long-running annual showcase of the best of the world’s French-language film for the people of Munster.”

The festival is programmed and directed by Valérie David-McGonnell, President of Alliance Française de Cork, and Josselin Le Gall, Honorary Consul of France to Cork and Kerry. Valérie and Josselin said: “The Cork French Film Festival is now in its 36th year, a testament to the enduring ties between France and Ireland. It is such a joy to bring a wealth of fabulous French-language films to Cork every year, and what better way to celebrate Francophonie Month than with some recent masterpieces from the birthplace of cinema? More than just a showcase of outstanding Francophone cinema, the festival is a cultural bridge — an opportunity for audiences in Cork to discover the richness and diversity of French-language filmmaking, while also fostering dialogue, exchange, and a deeper appreciation of our shared artistic heritage. 

Josselin said: “The engagement of the French community in Ireland alongside Irish cinephiles makes this festival a unique space where cinema becomes a vibrant connector between our two cultures.” 

Valérie added: “The festival has also become a fixture on the educational calendar, with school screenings attracting hundreds of post-primary students and teachers from all over Munster every year.”

The Cork French Film Festival runs at The Arc Cinema from March 6th to 9th. Screenings in the Schools’ Programme take place from March 4th to 6th. See corkfrenchfilmfestival.com for full programme and ticket sales.