The France Odeon Film Festival returns to Florence from 28 October to 1 November 2026, bringing five days of French cinema to the Tuscan capital. This year’s programme includes new films, meetings with directors and actors, and a special tribute to Brigitte Bardot.
The festival, directed by Francesco Ranieri Martinotti, is celebrating its 18th edition under its current name. It forms part of 50 Days of Cinema, Florence’s annual programme of international film festivals.
Most screenings will take place at Cinema La Compagnia, on Via Cavour in central Florence, with additional events at Palazzo Bastogi, the French Institute in Piazza Ognissanti and The Artists’ Palace in Piazza San Lorenzo. The programme also includes a screening in Fiesole, a hilltop town just outside Florence.
A tribute to Brigitte Bardot
The festival will open with a tribute to French actress Brigitte Bardot, featuring a screening of Le Repos du guerrier (Love on a Pillow), directed by Roger Vadim in 1962.
Based on a novel by Christiane Rochefort, the film was shot partly in Tuscany, with locations including the medieval towers of San Gimignano and the ruins of the Abbey of San Galgano, near Siena.
The screening will highlight the historical connections between French cinema and Tuscany, which has provided locations for numerous international productions.
The festival will also pay tribute to film critic Aldo Tassone, who launched a French cinema showcase in Florence approximately 40 years ago. Martinotti took over the initiative in 2009, developing it into the present France Odeon festival.
New French films in competition
The competition programme brings together established filmmakers and emerging directors, with stories exploring contemporary society, family relationships, historical events and political change.
Among the films is Ni vue, ni connue, a comedy-drama directed by Marc Fitoussi and starring Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Kiberlain.
Agnès Jaoui will present L’objet du délit, in which she also stars alongside Daniel Auteuil. The film examines the consequences of the #MeToo movement within the entertainment industry.
Les jours d’après, directed by Stéphanie Pillonca and starring Valérie Donzelli and Jalil Lespert, explores memory, identity and family origins.
Healthcare and social inequalities are central to La vie d’une femme, directed by Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet and starring Léa Drucker. Both the director and the actress are expected to attend the Florence screening.
Historical subjects also feature prominently in the programme.
Daniel Auteuil’s La troisième nuit is set in 1942, during the Vichy regime, and draws inspiration from events at the Vénissieux internment camp near Lyon.
Another major title is Les Misérables, directed by Fred Cavayé. The latest screen adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel stars Vincent Lindon as Jean Valjean. Lindon is expected to introduce the film in Florence.
Vincent Lindon to attend screening in Fiesole
One of the festival’s main events outside Florence will take place on Saturday 31 October at the Teatro di Fiesole.
The morning programme will focus on Vincent Lindon and include a screening of Un bon petit soldat, directed by Stéphane Brizé.
The film received the award for best screenplay at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival.
The event offers audiences an opportunity to see Lindon, one of the most prominent figures in contemporary French cinema, whose work includes collaborations with several leading European directors.
Films outside the competition
The festival’s non-competitive section will feature several recent French productions.
La Gradiva, the debut feature by Marine Atlan, arrives in Florence following its presentation at the Cannes Film Festival. Atlan is expected to attend the screening.
Director Nicole Garcia is also expected in Florence to present Milo (7h40 ce matin-là), starring Marion Cotillard and Laure Calamy. The film explores youth protests during the 1990s.
Another historical drama, Notre salut by Emmanuel Marre, examines life under the Vichy regime, focusing on collaboration, personal choices and the consequences of political compromise. The film received a screenplay award at Cannes.
A different perspective comes from Le rêve américain, directed by Anthony Marciano and starring Raphaël Quenard and Jean-Pascal Zadi.
Inspired by a true story, the comedy follows two men from the Paris suburbs pursuing an unlikely ambition to become agents in the American National Basketball Association (NBA).
An international jury
The competition jury brings together figures from Italian cinema, literature and the performing arts.
Its members are actress and director Valeria Golino, filmmaker Marco Bechis, screenwriter Federica Pontremoli, translator and editor Ena Marchi, and Salvo Bitonti.
The jury will evaluate the films presented in competition during the five-day festival.
Practical information
Dates: 28 October – 1 November 2026.
Main venue: Cinema La Compagnia, Via Cavour, Florence.
Additional venues: Palazzo Bastogi, Institut français Firenze in Piazza Ognissanti, The Artists’ Palace in Piazza San Lorenzo, and Teatro di Fiesole.
Special event: Vincent Lindon screening at Teatro di Fiesole on Saturday 31 October.
The festival is part of Florence’s 50 Days of Cinema, an annual series of international film events that brings films from different countries and cultural traditions to the city’s cinemas.
(Cover photo: the 2025 edition of France Odeon, taken from France Odeon website)
❤️ Support Florence Daily News
If you liked this article, please consider supporting Florence Daily News.
We are an independent news site, free from paywalls and intrusive ads, committed to providing clear and reliable reporting on Florence and Tuscany for everyone.
Your support — whether a one-time gift or a regular contribution — helps us stay independent and keep telling the stories that matter.
Donate securely via Stripe below.
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Discover more from Florence Daily News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.