Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2026: 22 films set for New York showcase in March

The 31st edition of Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, the annual showcase organized by Film at Lincoln Center in collaboration with Unifrance, is set to return from March 5 to 15, 2026. This year’s selection features 22 films, prioritizing works previously presented at major international festivals including Cannes, Venice, and Locarno, while offering numerous North American and U.S. premieres.

The festival will open with the New York premiere of The Stranger (L’Étranger), François Ozon’s adaptation of Albert Camus’ iconic novel. The screening will be attended by the director and actress Rebecca Marder. Ozon‘s latest work was acclaimed at its premiere at the 82nd Venice Film Festival and has since received four César Award nominations, including Best Actor for Benjamin Voisin and Best Supporting Actor for Pierre Lottin. It recently won Best Film and Best Actor at the Lumière Awards.

Closing the festival is Alpha by Julia Ducournau. The film, which was presented in Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, has since toured approximately twenty international festivals.

‘Rendez-Vous with French Cinema continues to serve as a cultural bridge between France and the United States, bringing filmmakers and audiences together through a shared love of cinema’, said Daniela Elstner, Executive Director of Unifrance. ‘At a time of global uncertainty, we are deeply grateful for the strong and solid relationship we have built with our partners at Film at Lincoln Center’.

Florence Almozini, Vice President of Programming at Film at Lincoln Center, noted that the 2026 lineup reflects the ‘ever-impressive vitality and artistic ambition of contemporary filmmaking in France’. She highlighted the balance between acclaimed auteurs such as Olivier Assayas, Claire Simon, and Pascal Bonitzer, and new filmmakers like Leyla Bouzid and Pauline Loquès.

Guest List

Around twenty directors and actors are expected to travel to New York to present their films and participate in Q&A sessions. While subject to change, the guest list currently includes Arnaud Desplechin, Valérie Donzelli, Dominik Moll, Stéphane Demoustier, Fabienne Godet, Jean-Paul Salomé, and Nadia Melliti, alongside the previously mentioned filmmakers.