French historical movies

List of the best French historical movies selected by visitors to our site: The Emperor of Paris, United Passions, Summer Palace, Race, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Princess of Montpensier, Eiffel, Kursk, Jeanne du Barry, Transatlantic.

In the top there are new films of 2023, a plot description and trailers for films that have already been released.

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: 2.1
Genredrama, history, sport
CountryFrance
Duration01:50

An epic, untold story that brings to life the inspiring saga of the World Cup and the three determined men who created it. Driven by their vision and passion, three men, overcame their doubts and fought obstacles and scandals to make the World Cup a reality. Spanning the tumultuous 20th Century, this timeless saga celebrates the event that became the most popular sporting event in the world.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genremelodrama, drama, history
CountryChina, France
Duration02:20

Country girl Yu Hong leaves her village, her family and her lover to study in Beijing. At university, she discovers an intense world of sexual freedom and forbidden pleasure. Enraptured, compulsive, she falls madly in love with fellow student Zhou Wei. Driven by obsessive passions they can neither understand nor control, their relationship becomes one of dangerous games - betrayals, recriminations, provocations - as all around them, their fellow students begin to demonstrate, demanding democracy and freedom.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genredrama, biography, history, sport
CountryCanada, Germany, France
Duration02:40

Based on the incredible true story of Jesse Owens, the legendary athletic superstar whose quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy. Starring Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, Carice Van Houten and William Hurt - Race is an enthralling film about courage, determination, tolerance, and friendship, and an inspiring drama about one man's fight to become an Olympic legend.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genredrama, military, biography, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, France, Germany, USA
Duration01:54

When Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by ruthless familial betrayal and Spain's invading army, she and her shrewd adviser must act to safeguard to the lives of her people.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genremelodrama, drama, history
CountryFrance, Germany
Duration02:19

Set in the high courts of 16th Century France, where the wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants are raging. Marie de Mézières, a beautiful young aristocrat, is in love with Henri de Guise, but her hand in marriage is promised to the Prince of Montpensier.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genremelodrama, drama, biography, history
CountryFrance, Germany, Belgium

The government is asking Eiffel to design something spectacular for the 1889 Paris World Fair, but Eiffel simply wants to design the subway. Suddenly, everything changes when Eiffel crosses paths with a mysterious woman from his past.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrethriller, drama, history
CountryFrance, Belgium, Luxembourg, Romania, Canada, USA
Duration02:02

Barents Sea, August 12th, 2000. During a Russian naval exercise, and after suffering a serious accident, the K-141 Kursk submarine sinks with 118 crew members on board. While the few sailors who are still alive barely manage to survive, their families push for accurate information and a British officer struggles to obtain from the Russian government a permit to attempt a rescue before it is late. But general incompetence are against all their efforts.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryFrance

The life of Jeanne B?cu who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genredrama, history
CountryGermany, France

An American journalist who spent 13 months in France 1940-41 managed to arrange safe passage to the US for over 2,000 refugees; who were in danger of losing their lives.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryFrance

Follows the famed queen Marie Antoinette, who was the last queen of France before the French Revolution.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genredrama, military, history
CountryGermany, Ukraine, France, Netherlands, Romania, Poland

In the Donbas, a region of Eastern Ukraine, a hybrid war takes place, involving an open armed conflict alongside killings and robberies on a mass scale perpetrated by separatist gangs. In the Donbass, war is called peace, propaganda is uttered as truth and hatred is declared to be love. A journey through the Donbas unfolds as a chain of curious adventures, where the grotesque and drama are as intertwined as life and death. This is not a tale of one region, one country or one political system. It is about a world, lost in post-truth and fake identities. It is about each and every one of us.

Markimdb: 5.7
Genreaction, drama, history
CountryChina
Duration02:00

The story of two warring generals fighting for control of China at the end of the Qin Dynasty.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrefantastic, action, thriller, adventure
CountryUSA, Germany, Canada, France
Duration01:51

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale, Finnick, and Peeta – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genredrama, history
CountryFrance, Belgium, United Kingdom

After many years of confrontation, the treasures of Spain and France are empty. In 1721, the regent of France draws up an ambitious plan to inaugurate an era of peace and prosperity that will heal the economies of both nations: his intention is to build a solid network of marriage alliances that will involve four children of very different ages who know nothing of betrayals and power games…

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrecomedy, melodrama, drama, history
CountryFrance, Belgium
Duration01:52

Paris, France, December 1897. The young playwright Edmond Rostand feels like a failure. Inspiration has abandoned him. Married and father of two children, desperate and penniless, he persuades the great actor Constant Coquelin to perform the main role in his new play. But there is a problem: Coquelin wants to premiere it at Christmas and Edmond has not written a single word.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genremelodrama, drama, biography, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, USA
Duration01:40

From Academy Award® winners Graham King and Martin Scorsese, along with the makers of Gosford Park and The Departed, comes the story of Queen Victoria’s early rise to power. From an object of a royal power-struggle to her romantic courtship and legendary marriage to Prince Albert, Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) gives a stunning performance as the young Victoria. Packed with drama, romance, breath-taking cinematography, lavish costumes and featuring an outstanding British cast including Jim Broadbent, Harriet Walter, Mark Strong, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, and Rupert Friend, The Young Victoria has captivated British audiences, and is the film that Company magazine called “an epic British film, which will sweep you up in her remarkable story.”

Markimdb: 6.1
Genreaction, thriller, history
CountryFrance

Saturday 24th December 1994. Four GIA terrorists hijack an Air France A300 Airbus at the Algiers airport. The Airbus, bound for Paris, has 227 passengers on board. No one knows exactly what the terrorists’ intentions are, just that they are armed and extremely determined. They demand the liberation of their “brothers in arms” and want the aircraft to take off at once. After very lengthy and intense negotiations between the French and Algerian governments, the plane is finally allowed to leave. There are three main characters at the heart of the action: a member of the GIGN, Carole Jeanton, an ambitious technocrat willing to do anything it takes to achieve personal gain from the events, and Yahia Abdallah, a determined jihadist who grew up in the slums of Algiers and was being manipulated by an obscure GIA envoy, Ali Touchent.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genremelodrama, drama, biography, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, USA, France, Hungary, Netherlands
Duration02:37

After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as Willy, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels.

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: 6.1
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryFrance

Paris, June 1940. The de Gaulle couple is confronted with the military and political collapse of France. Charles de Gaulle joins London while Yvonne, his wife, finds herself with her three children on the road of the exodus.

Markimdb: 8.4
Genredocumentary, biography, history
CountryFrance, Brazil, Italy
Duration01:50

During the last forty years, the photographer Sebastião Salgado has been travelling through the continents, in the footsteps of an ever changing humanity. He has witnessed the major events of our recent history ; international conflicts, starvations and exodus… He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, of the wild fauna and flora, of grandiose landscapes : a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet's beauty. Sebastião's Salgado's life and work are revealed to us by his son, Juliano, who went with him during his last journeys, and by Wim Wenders, a photographer himself.

Markimdb: 7
Genredrama, military, history
CountryFrance, Germany, Hungary
Duration01:55

Joseph is eleven. And this June morning, he must go to school, a yellow star sown on his chest. He receives the support of a goods dealer. The mockery of a baker. Between kindness and contempt, Jo, his Jewish friends, their families, learn of life in an occupied Paris, on the Butte Montmartre, where they've taken shelter. At least that's what they think, until that morning on July 16th 1942, when their fragile happiness is toppled over.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryFrance, Germany, Belgium
Duration02:14

26 year-old Karl Marx embarks with his wife, Jenny, on the road to exile. In 1844 in Paris, he meets Friedrich Engels, an industrialist’s son, who has been investigating the sordid birth of the British working class. Engels, the dandy, provides the last piece of the puzzle to the young Karl Marx’s new vision of the world. Together, between censorship and the police’s repression, riots and political upheavals, they will lead the labor movement during its development into a modern era.

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: 7.1
Genremelodrama, drama, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, France, USA
Duration01:38

A gripping family drama and entrepreneurial fable, set in a post-war Paris fashion house. It exposes the grit behind the glamour of a rising business, spearheaded by two clashing brothers.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryFrance, Canada, Czech Republic
Duration01:54

In occupied France, Maurice and Joseph, two young Jewish brothers left to their own devices demonstrate an incredible amount of cleverness, courage, and ingenuity to escape the enemy invasion and to try to reunite their family once again.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genremelodrama, drama, biography, history
CountryFrance
Duration01:33

Covers the love affair between French actress Arletty and a high-ranking German officer during WWII in occupied France.

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: 6.5
Genrecomedy, melodrama, history
CountryFrance, Belgium
Duration01:59

1809, France. Captain Neuville is called to the front, leaving his future bride heartbroken. Her sister decides to write letters on his behalf to cheer her up.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genreaction, thriller, adventure, crime, history
CountrySpain, France
Duration01:10

Barcelona, ​​Spain, 1921. A tough cop from Madrid arrives in the city to locate, under the suspicious scrutiny of corrupt local police officers, a significant amount of military weaponry stolen from a train, allegedly by revolutionary anarchists.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryFrance, Belgium

Follows Joseph Ferdinand Chavel a French postman who built a palace in the French countryside over 33 years.

Markimdb: 4.2
Genredrama, military, history
CountryRussia, France
Duration03:01

Epic film about WWII, a sequel to Utomlyonnye solntsem (1994). Evil Stalin is terrorizing people of Russia while the Nazis are advancing. Russian officer Kotov, who miraculously survived the death sentence in Stalin's Purge, is now fighting in the front-lines. His daughter, Nadia, who survived a rape attempt by Nazi soldiers, is now a nurse risking her own life to save others. In the war-torn nation even former enemies are fighting together to defend their land. People stand up united for the sake of victory. Written by Steve Shelokhonov

Markimdb: 5.4
Genremelodrama, history
CountryFrance
Duration01:38

A passionate love story set against a backdrop of sexual freedom, loosely based on the relationship between 19th century authors Pierre Louÿs and Marie de Régnier

Markimdb: 6.9
Genreaction, drama, history
CountryFrance, New Caledonia

April 1988, Ouvéa Island, New Caledonia. 30 gendarmes are taken hostage by a group of Kanak freedom fighters. 300 soldiers are sent from France to re-establish order. 2 men confront each other: Philippe Legorjus, chief of the terrorist squad, and Alphonse Dianou, head of the kidnappers. Through their shared values, they will attempt to make discussion triumph. But, in the middle of a presidential election, when the stakes are political, order isn't always dictated by morality. A violent and troubling epic that marks the return of Mathieu Kassovitz in front and behind the camera.

Markimdb: 5.8
Genredrama, history
CountryGermany, France, Austria, Spain
Duration01:30

A wide-ranging, energetic period piece tracing the rise of the Protestant Henry of Navarre as he goes from battlefield warrior to France's beloved King Henri IV. Director Jo Baier's epic is a classically entertaining adventure, albeit one with more than a little bloodshed and frequent bawdy sexual interludes. In late 16th-century France, Catholics and Protestant Huguenots were at war. Seemingly seeking peace, the French dowager queen, Catherine de Medici summons Henry to her court to have him marry her daughter, uniting the two warring factions. However, the Catholics slaughter the Protestant wedding guests in what became known as the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre and Henry-now married-must use all his guile to both stay alive and maneuver for the throne. [Written by Palm Springs International Film Festival]

Markimdb: 5.1
Genremelodrama, drama, history
CountryFrance

Julien and Marguerite de Ravalet, son and daughter of the Lord of Tourlaville, have loved each other tenderly since childhood. But as they grow up, their affection veers toward voracious passion.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genredocumentary, history, news
CountryAustralia, China, France, United Kingdom, Hong Kong
Duration01:15

France’s Bordeaux region has long commanded respect for its coveted wine, but shifts in the global marketplace mean that a new, voracious consumer base in China is buying up this finite product. Bordeaux both struggles with and courts the spike in demand, sending prices skyrocketing. Narrated by Russell Crowe, Red Obsession is a fascinating look at our changing international economy and how an obsession in Shanghai affects the most illustrious vineyards in France.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genrecomedy, melodrama, adventure, history
CountryFrance
Duration01:55

Beaumarchais the Scoundrel is a biopic film based on the life of the French playwright, financier and spy Pierre Beaumarchais depicting his activities during the American War of Independence and his authorship of the Figaro trilogy of plays.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genreadventure, family, cartoon, military, history
CountryRepublic of Ireland, France, USA, Canada, Belgium, United Kingdom

The true story of the most decorated dog in American military history -- Sgt. Stubby -- and the enduring bonds he forged with his brothers-in-arms in the trenches of World War I.

Markimdb: 8.2
Genredocumentary, crime, military, biography, history
CountryDenmark, Germany, USA, France, Israel, United Kingdom, Norway, Finland, Indonesia, Netherlands
Duration01:55

In a place where killers are celebrated as heroes, these filmmakers challenge unrepentant death-squad leaders to dramatize their role in genocide. The result is a surreal, cinematic journey, not only into the memories and imaginations of mass murderers, but also into a frighteningly banal regime of corruption and impunity.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genrethriller, drama, history
CountryFrance, Italy

In 1894, French Captain Alfred Dreyfus is wrongfully convicted of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment at Devil's Island.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, South Africa, France
Duration02:21

A chronicle of Nelson Mandela's life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama, biography, history
CountryUnited Kingdom, France
Duration02:35

    Based on true events about the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement who were forced underground to evade the State.

    Markimdb: 6.3
    Genreadventure, history
    CountryFrance
    Duration01:24

    When his clan, including his wife and baby girl Néa, are massacred, Ao, a desperate Neandertal man, decides to leave the North country where he has been living for the South where he was born. His aim is to join his twin brother, from whom he was separated when he was nine. On his long and adventurous way home, he meets Aki, a Homo Sapiens woman...

    Markimdb: 6.5
    Genremelodrama, drama, biography, history
    CountryUSA, France, Japan
    Duration02:03

    The retelling of France's iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette. From her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at 15 to her reign as queen at 19 and ultimately the fall of Versailles.

    Markimdb: 6.5
    Genredocumentary, music, history
    CountryFrance, USA
    Duration01:13

    Fresh Dressed chronicles the history of Hip-Hop | Urban fashion and its rise from southern cotton plantations to the gangs of 1970s in the South Bronx, to corporate America, and everywhere in-between. Supported by rich archival materials and in depth interviews with individuals crucial to the evolution of a way of life--and the outsiders who studied and admired them--Fresh Dressed goes to the core of where style was born on the black and brown side of town.

    Markimdb: 7.4
    Genreaction, documentary, military, history
    CountryUSA, Belgium, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom

    A documentary about the First Yale Unit, a group of Yale students who trained for World War I.

    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: 7.3
    Genredocumentary, history
    CountryUSA, France

    In an era known for protests and sit-ins, the 1973 Grand Divertissement at Versailles, made a statement of its own - a fashion statement. The legendary event pitting the five lions of French couture Givenchy, Dior, Ungaro, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin with five American designers Halston, Oscar de la Renta, Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows and Bill Blass created a cross-stitch of change across fashion, race, business and catwalks. When African American models Bethann Hardison, Pat Cleveland, Alva Chinn, Billie Blair, Norma Jean Darden, Barbara Jackson, Jennifer Brice, Romana Saunders and Amina Warsuma boarded the plane to Paris, they had no idea they would help change the course of fashion and pull off its biggest coup. Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution tells this story




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