Navigating a Film Festival in France: Movie Vocabulary and Useful French Phrases

Films are an integral art of French culture. France is famous for festivals, most notably the one at Cannes, and for producing edgy movies that are subtitled or dubbed to be replayed around the world.

If you happen to be in the right place at the right time to check out a film festival in France, you definitely should not hesitate to attend. Many film festivals present screenings with subtitles and feature films submitted from around the world.

Before you go, familiarize yourself with some vocabulary so you can effectively navigate a festival and choose films according to your taste. You can also learn some very simple phrases to help you express your opinion to any French-speaker after the show.

Film and Festival Vocabulary • Getting Around a Festival • Choosing a Movie • Conversation and Commentary

Film and Festival Vocabulary

Certain words are helpful to know in order to understand signs and simple conversations at a film festival. Have a look at this list, here, before going on to read the list of phrases below.

Vocabulaire Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Vocabulary
un film* Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a film
le cinéma Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the cinema
une salle Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a (screening) room
le genre Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the genre
le thème Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the theme
un acteur Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an actor
une actrice Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an actress
le réalisateur / la réalisatrice Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the director
une séance Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a showing/a screening
une projection Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a screening
prochain/prochaine Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	next
dernier/dernière Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	last

*Note that “film” in French, although spelled the same, is pronouned “feem.” The “l” is not pronounced.

Look for prochaine and dernière on signs referring to the time of the séance so that you’re sure not to miss the next or the last screening.

Getting Around a festival

Once inside a film festival, you’ll likely have questions about purchasing tickets, screening times, and costs. Look at the list below as a reference to help you in your queries.

Le Festival Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The Festival
Où se trouvent les séances gratuites? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where are the free screenings?
Est-ce que c’est accessible au public? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Is it accessible to the public?
Un billet coûte combien? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	How much does a ticket cost?
Est-ce que c’est la seule séance aujourd’hui? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Is this the only showing today?
La séance est dans quelle salle? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Which room is the screening in?
Puis-je voir le programme des projections? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Can I see the screening schedule?
La projection est au quel cinéma? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Which cinema is the screening at?
Il dure combien de temps? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	How long is it?

If you’re having a lot of trouble, you can always ask:

Parlez-vous anglais? (Do you speak English?)
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If the answer is no, you can ask:

Y a-t-il quelqu’un ici qui parle anglais, s’il vous plaît? (Is there someone here who speaks English, please?)
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Choosing a Movie

Some people aren’t picky about the movies they watch, but if you have any specifications about genre, be sure to voice them before buying a ticket.

Genres Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Genres
Je voudrais regarder… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like to watch…
une comédie Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a comedy
un drame (historique) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a (historical) drama
un film d’époque Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a period film
un film d’épouvante Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a horror film
un film d’aventure Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an adventure film
un film d’action Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an action film
un film à suspense Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a thriller
une comédie romantique Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	romantic comedy
un court métrage Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a short film
un long métrage Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a full-length film

Conversation and Commentary

It doesn’t take much to be able to express a simple opinion about a film. The French tend to appreciate any effort made in their language, so even if you’re with English-speaking people, whipping out a French phrase or two about the film you’ve just seen could win you serious points.

Le film Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The film
Le film est… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The film is…
Le film était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The film was…
C’est… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	It’s…
C’était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	It was…
L’actuer principal était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The lead actor was…
L’actrice principale était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The lead actress was…
bon/bonne* Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	good
très bon/bonne Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	very good
magnifique Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	magnificent
fabuleux/fabuleuse Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	fabulous
bizarre Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	strange
intéressant/intéressante Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	interesting
mauvais/mauvaise Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	bad
horrible Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	horrible
affreux/affreuse Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	awful

*All adjectives listed masculine/feminine, when applicable. “Film” is masculine in French.

Words like “magnificent” and “fabulous” may seem a bit over the top in English, but in French, they’re used fairly commonly. What we see as hyperbole or exaggeration are is more standard in French. They might find it a bit boring to know how often we use the words “good” and “fine” to describe things.