Archive→Modern Arthouse→French Modern

French Modern

1996–present·13 films

From New French Extremity's provocations to a new generation of women directors reshaping prestige cinema.

France remains cinema's most consistently boundary-pushing national industry.

extremityfemale directorsPalme d'Or
Filmography
Irréversible

Irréversible

2002

Noé

Reverse chronology. Most debated scenes.

Martyrs

Martyrs

2008

Laugier

Revenge becomes existential horror.

Enter the Void

Enter the Void

2009

Noé

First-person death and DMT in Tokyo.

Blue Is the Warmest Color

Blue Is the Warmest Color

2013

Kechiche

3-hour lesbian love. 7-min sex scene. Palme d'Or.

Under the Skin

Under the Skin

2013

Glazer

Johansson as alien predator. Barely any dialogue.

Raw

Raw

2016

Ducournau

Vegetarian craves meat. Palme d'Or later.

Climax

Climax

2018

Noé

Dancers on LSD. Collective psychosis.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

2019

Sciamma

18th century lesbian romance. Most acclaimed love story of decade.

Titane

Titane

2021

Ducournau

Woman has sex with car. Most shocking Palme winner ever.

Vortex

Vortex

2021

Noé

Elderly dementia. Split-screen. Quietly devastating.

Saint Omer

Saint Omer

2022

Diop

Real infanticide trial. Stunning fiction debut.

Anatomy of a Fall

Anatomy of a Fall

2023

Triet

Did she push him? Courtroom as relationship autopsy. Palme d'Or.

The Zone of Interest

The Zone of Interest

2023

Glazer

Auschwitz commandant's domestic life. Horror through normality.

13 films in French Modern