French films about a difficult childhood

List of the best French films about a difficult childhood according to the audience: My Little Princess, Capernaum, One Deadly Summer, Scribe, All About Them, Cookie, The Perfect Date, It Must Be Heaven, Lost in Paris, Our Summer in Provence.

In the top there are new films of 2021, a plot description and trailers for films that have already been released.

Country
Markimdb: 6.4
Genredrama
CountryFrance
Duration01:45

Young Violetta and her mother Hannah are a peculiar couple. Ten-year-old Violetta lives a quiet life with her grandmother, while her mother Hannah is an unpredictable photographer who lives off of the generosity of others. When Hannah forces her daughter to pose as a model, Violetta finds her life with her loving grandmother turned upside down.The resulting pictures quickly become a sensation for the trendy 70's Paris art scene, and Violetta finds herself caught in between her new stature as an art muse and her dull childhood.

Markimdb: 8.4
Genredrama
CountryLebanon, USA, France, Cyprus, Qatar, United Kingdom
Duration02:05

Zain, a 12-year-old boy scrambling to survive on the streets of Beirut, sues his parents for having brought him into such an unjust world, where being a refugee with no documents means that your rights can easily be denied.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genredrama, detective
CountryFrance

In spring 1976, a 19-year-old beauty, her German-born mother, and her crippled father move to the town of a firefighter nicknamed Pin-Pon. Everyone notices the provocative Eliane. She singles out Pin-Pon and soon is crying on his shoulder (she's myopic and hates her reputation as a dunce and as easy); she moves in with him, knits baby clothes, and plans their wedding. Is this love or some kind of plot? She asks Pin-Pon's mother and aunt about the piano in the barn: who delivered it on a November night in 1955? Why does she want to know, and what does it have to do with her mother's sorrows, her father's injury, this quick marriage, and the last name on her birth certificate?

Markimdb: 6.2
Genreaction, thriller, detective
CountryBelgium, France

Two years after a burn-out, Duval is still unemployed. Contacted by an enigmatic businessman, he is offered a simple and well-paid job: transcribing telephone tapping. Duval accepts financially without questioning the purpose of the organization that employs him. Precipitated at the heart of a political plot, he must face the brutal mechanics of the underground world of the secret services.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryFrance, Belgium
Duration01:51

Charlotte is cheating on Micha with Mélodie. Not suspecting a thing, yet feeling neglected, Micha in turn cheats on Charlotte. But also with Mélodie. For Mélodie, things are topsy-turvy. She lies to both of them. She is privy to each of their lies. And is in love with both of them at the same time.

Markimdb: 6
Genrecomedy, drama
CountryFrance

Adeline's Chinese housekeeper suddenly disappears, leaving behind a little boy who doesn't speak a word of French. Helped by her sister, she takes care of the child and proceeds to locate the mother.

Markimdb: 5.8
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryFrance
Duration01:40

Michel dreams of a perfect meeting with the woman of his dreams, entirely due to chance, as his parents and grandparents experienced. Vincent, Michel's contrast, is completely different. He is more the man of the direct approach and he follows his...! The two childhood friends Michel and Vincent, with completely opposite views when it comes to women, soon discover the limits of their respective techniques when they meet Angèle and Nathalie.

Markimdb: 7
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance, Qatar, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Palestine

Filmmaker Elia Suleiman travels to different cities and finds unexpected parallels to his homeland of Palestine.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance, Belgium

Fiona visits Paris for the first time to assist her myopic Aunt Martha. Catastrophes ensue, mainly involving Dom, a homeless man who has yet to have an emotion or thought he was afraid of expressing.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrecomedy, drama, family
CountryFrance
Duration01:44

Lea, Adrian, and their little brother Theo, born deaf, go on holiday in Provence with their grandfather, Paul "Oliveron" they never met because of a family quarrel. It is not the holidays they dreamed, especially their father announced yesterday that he was leaving the house. In less than 24 hours, it is the clash of generations between teenagers and a grandfather they believe psycho. A wrong. Because the turbulent past will resurface and Paul Seventies will land deep in the Alpilles. During this summer tormented both generations will be processed one by the other.

Markimdb: 8
Genredocumentary
CountryFrance, Spain
Duration01:15

Once upon a time... consumer goods were built to last. Then, in the 1920’s, a group of businessmen realized that the longer their product lasted, the less money they made, thus Planned Obsolescence was born, and manufacturers have been engineering products to fail ever since. Combining investigative research and rare archive footage with analysis by those working on ways to save both the economy and the environment, this documentary charts the creation of ‘engineering to fail’, its rise to prominence and its recent fall from grace.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genrecomedy, drama
CountryItaly, France
Duration01:39

Beatrice is a blabbermouth and a so-called billionaire countess who likes to believe she’s in intimacy with world leaders. Donatella is a young quiet tattooed woman, locked in her own mystery. They are both patients of a mental institution and subject to custodial measures.

Markimdb: 6
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance

Ely and Lila are like sisters. They know each other since childhood,they share everything and dream of a better life.they live in the same suburb, 10mn from Paris. Today,Ely and Lila dont want to be 10mn away from their life anymore.from small troubles to big lies, they will do everything to penetrate a world which is not theirs, a world where everything is possible or so they think.....

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrecomedy, melodrama, adventure
CountryFrance
Duration01:38

Arnaud, facing an uncertain future and a dearth of choices in a small French coastal town, meets and falls for the apocalyptic-minded Madeleine, who joins an army boot camp to learn military and survival skills to prepare for the upcoming environmental collapse. Intrigued and excited by Madeleine’s wild ideas, Arnaud signs up for the boot camp himself. They soon realize that the boot camp is harder than they’d imagined, but the experience nonetheless cements them together as the couple continues to explore their young love.

Markimdb: 6
Genredrama
CountryFrance, Canada
Duration01:41

In forgotten towns along the American border, a young mother drifts from one motel to the next with her intoxicating boyfriend and her 8-year-old son. The makeshift family scrapes by, living one hustle at a time, until the discovery of a mobile home community offers an alternative life.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrethriller, adventure, crime, history
CountryFrance
Duration01:50

Paris, France, early 19th century. The legendary convict François Vidocq lives in disguise trying to escape from a tragic past that torments him. When, after an unfortunate event, he crosses paths with the police chief, he makes a bold decision that will turn the ruthless mastermind of the Parisian underworld against him.

Markimdb: 4.5
Genrefantastic, fantasy, comedy
CountryFrance, Belgium, Czech Republic
Duration01:24

Stuck in the corridors of time, Godefroy de Montmirail and his faithful servant Jacquouille are projected to a time of profound political and social upheavals: the French Revolution... specifically, The Terror, time of great dangers, during which the descendants of Godefroy and Jacquouille had their castle and all their property confiscated by arrogant aristocrats, fleeing and lifes hanging by a thread.

Markimdb: 6
Genredrama, crime
CountryFrance

When Myriam, the mother of two young children, decides, despite the reluctance of her husband to resume his activity in a law firm, the couple is looking for a nanny. After a severe casting, they engage Louise, who quickly conquers the affection of children and gradually occupies a central place in the home. Gradually the trap of mutual dependence will close, until the tragedy.

Markimdb: 5.4
Genremelodrama, drama
CountryFrance

Biarritz. Sixteen-year-old George, the high school hottie, falls in love with Alex. To get his attention, she initiates a group game with Alex, Nikita, Laetitia and Gabriel. They will discover, test, and push the limits of their sexuality.

Markimdb: 5.9
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryFrance
Duration01:19

An average guy meets an actress who is more beautiful than he could ever imagine. But then a pesky girl materializes to make his life a living hell. His perfect girlfriend now thinks that he is involved with this Caprice.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genrecomedy, drama, crime
CountryFrance

A young man paying the rent for himself and his lifelong friends at an apartment, ends up flat-broke and resorts to selling marijuana to pay the bills - only to get caught up in the dangerous world of drugs.

Markimdb: 5.4
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance, Belgium
Duration01:56

Jean-Étienne Fougerole is an intellectual bohemian who released his new novel "In Open Arms" and calling the wealthiest people to welcome home the families in need. While he promotes his book during a televised debate, his opponent criticized him for not applying what he himself advocates. While stuck, Jean-Étienne Fougerole accepts the challenge, for fear of being discredited. The same evening, a family of Roma rings the door of his Marnes-la-Coquette villa and the writer feels obliged to house them.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genrecomedy, adventure, family, cartoon, crime
CountryFrance, Belgium, USA
Duration01:10

A thrilling mystery that unfurls in the alleys and on the rooftops of the French capital, Paris, over the course of one adventurous evening.

Markimdb: 5.9
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryFrance

Everyone knows that Ruben is Jewish, gay, half-French, half-Finnish, an ungrateful son and disappointing lover, a thief who can’t help himself, and possibly a murderer to boot. The only person who doesn't know who Ruben is is Ruben himself. When he comes to a major turning point in his life, Ruben cannot make up his mind which way to go. Should he follow his people or his heart?

Markimdb: 5.7
Genrecomedy, drama
CountryFrance

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Markimdb: 7.3
Genrecomedy, drama, music
CountryFrance, Belgium
Duration01:46

The whole Bélier family is deaf, except for sixteen year old Paula who is the important translator in her parents' day to day life especially when it comes to matters concerning the family farm. When her music teacher discovers she has a fantastic singing voice and she gets an opportunity to enter a big Radio France contest the whole family's future is set up for big changes.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genrefantasy, drama, biography
CountryChile, France

In the nineteenth century, a French adventurer sets off to establish a kingdom in the inhospitable South of Chile, uniting the feared Mapuche under him. The response of the Chilean army is devastating.

Markimdb: 5.7
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance
Duration01:52

French border cop José Fernandez has just one last extradition to do before his long-awaited promotion to the crime bureau. But his detainee Akim, victim of a judiciary glitch, is outraged to find himself saddled with the identity of a potential terrorist and put on a flight back to Kabul, where he has never even set foot before! What starts as a routine trip for Fernandez and his skirt-chasing partner Guy goes haywire when their plane is grounded in Malta, forcing them to bunk up with Akim, who will stop at nothing to avoid extradition!

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance

Alexandre Taillard de Vorms is a force to be reckoned with. With his silver mane and tanned, athletic body, he stalks the world stage as Minister of Foreign Affairs for France, waging his own war backed up by the holy trinity of diplomatic concepts: legitimacy, lucidity, and efficacy. Enter Arthur Vlaminck. Hired to write the minister's speeches, Arthur must contend with the sensibilities of his boss and the dirty dealings within the Quai d'Orsay, the ministry's home.

Markimdb: 5.3
Genrefantasy, comedy, adventure, family
CountryFrance, Italy, Germany
Duration01:50

Asterix crosses the channel to help second-cousin Anticlimax face down Julius Caesar and invading Romans.

Markimdb: 4.7
Genremelodrama
CountryFrance, Portugal

On the night of New Year's Eve, a small group penetrates into the room of an old hotel in ruins. Carmine, the oldest of the group, poses a challenge to one of the men, Furio: he has 4 months to restore the hotel and inaugurate it with great pomp. Aware of the difficulties but anxious to prove the point, Furio accepts encouraged by his wife Margo who believes that this assignment will allow the couple to rediscover the lost momentum.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrecomedy, drama
CountryFrance
Duration01:32

There is something strange - some would even say abnormal - about the Malaussène family. But if you take a closer look, no one could be happier than this cheerfully chaotic family, even though their mother is usually off on one romantic adventure or another. Life is never a bore for Benjamin Malaussène, professional scapegoat and the older brother responsible for this horde of kids. But when incidents happen wherever he goes, police and colleagues begin to eye him suspiciously. It soon becomes a matter of life and death to find out what is going on and who is so interested in ruining his life. Written by Pathe International

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryRepublic of Ireland, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, France, USA
Duration01:46

Famed but tormented artist Vincent van Gogh spends his final years in Arles, France, painting masterworks of the natural world that surrounds him.

Markimdb: 7.8
Genredrama, military, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, Netherlands, France, USA
Duration02:27

The story of the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German army from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between May 26th and June 4th 1940 during World War II.

Markimdb: 6
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryFrance
Duration01:21

From the moment they meet - and against their will - Helene and Joachim begin a lovers' dance they are powerless to stop.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genremelodrama, drama
CountryFrance, Germany
Duration01:50

A 15-year-old discovers the joys and heartaches of first love with an older teen, but in the ensuing years, cannot seem to move past their breakup.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genredrama, military
CountryFrance, Germany
Duration01:30

October 1941. Eighteen months into France’s occupation by German troops, young Communist members of the Resistance shoot dead an officer of the German Army. In retaliation, Hitler demands the deaths of 150 Frenchmen, as 'retribution'. The targets are to be mostly young men believed to share the assassins’ political convictions. Most of these men are taken from an internment camp for opponents of the occupation; a 35-year-old French rural administrator is ordered to select the victims. Although the parish priest appeals to their conscience and moral sensibilities, both the German military and their French helpers slavishly follow their orders.

Markimdb: 3.7
Genrehorror, fantastic
CountryFrance
Duration01:15

Dead Shadows tells the terrifying story about a young man, Chris, whose parents were brutally killed 11 years ago, on the same day that the comet of Haley could be seen from earth. Tonight, a new comet is going to appear and everyone in Chris’s building are getting ready for a big apocalypse party to celebrate the event. As the night falls, Chris starts to discover that people are acting strange and it seems to somehow be connected to the comet. People are becoming disoriented and violent and it doesn’t take long before they start mutating into something from beyond this world.

Markimdb: 5.3
Genremelodrama, drama
CountryFrance, Malta, USA
Duration01:11

Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genreaction, drama, military, biography, history
CountryGermany, France, Austria
Duration02:00

The story of the final seven months in the life of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genredrama
CountryFrance
Duration02:08

The longtime mayor of Marseille is preparing to hand over the reins to his protégé when a sudden and ruthless battle erupts for control of the city.

Markimdb: 6
Genrecomedy, music
CountryFrance
Duration01:34

We don't have an overview translated in English. Help us expand our database by adding one.

Markimdb: 5.7
Genrecomedy, drama
CountryFrance
Duration01:22

Jérôme Varenne, a French financier, lives and works in Shanghai with Chen-Li, his life and business partner. One day, during a short stay in Paris, while paying a call to his mother, he is very displeased to learn from her and his hated brother, that the family house in Ambray is going to be sold. Jerome decides to go to the town where he grew up to see what is going on. Little does he know how eventful his escapade will be. Little does he know that it will change his life from soup to nuts...

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrethriller, crime
CountryFrance

A mother, herself retired from the police, embarks on an underground exploration of Paris to find her daughter, a missing investigator on a mission.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountryFrance
Duration01:51

Between 1978 and 1979, the inhabitants of the Oise are in fear of a maniac who kills several hitchhikers and escape the police. He was then dubbed "the killer of the Oise" is actually a shy young policeman who will investigate his own murder, only to lose control of the situation.

Markimdb: 5.6
Genredrama
CountryFrance, Belgium

Lucie and her father Hugo have grown closer since Lucie's mother left unexpectedly a year prior. When her mother returns, Hugo becomes jealous and angry.

Markimdb: 6
Genrehorror, thriller, drama
CountryFrance
Duration01:07

After waking up in an apartment where only the night before a party was raging, Sam is forced to come to grips with reality: He is now alone and the living dead have invaded the streets of Paris. Petrified with fear, Sam is going to have to barricade himself inside the building and organize his survival. But is he really the sole survivor?

Markimdb: 7.3
Genredocumentary, history
CountryCanada, USA, France, Germany, United Kingdom
Duration01:30

Werner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of Southern France, capturing the oldest known pictorial creations of humankind in their astonishing natural setting.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genredrama
CountryFrance

Lisa and Marine live a life of relative companionship together, where the only man permitted into the equation is Lisa’s young son, Leo. However, their simple existence is thrown into disarray when Marie meets and falls in love with Alex, a customer at her bookshop. Lisa is left feeling excluded, and tension develop. But soon an unexpected accident forces all of those involved to reassess the situation and adopt a different position in each other’s lives.

Markimdb: 5.8
Genrecomedy
CountryFrance

François Gautier is stingy! Saving puts the joy, it causes pay sweats. His life is set for the sole purpose of never spend anything. A life that will switch in one day: he falls in love and discovers he has a daughter he did not know existed. Forced to lie in order to hide his terrible default, this will be the beginning for François problems. Because lie can sometimes be expensive. Very expensive…




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