The 33rd French Film Festival 2026, organized by Unifrance, will be held in Shibuya, Tokyo for four days from Thursday, March 19th to Sunday, March 22nd, 2026. Since its founding in 1993, the festival has served as a venue for Japanese-French cultural exchange through screenings and visiting guests, and to mark its 33rd anniversary, it will move its venue from Yokohama to Shibuya, vowing to "open a new door."

Yumi Kawai appointed as official ambassador

The venues are Bunkamura Le Cinema Shibuya Miyashita and Eurolive. During the event, the latest French films will be screened, along with stage greetings and Q&A sessions by visiting guests, talk events where directors and production staff will delve into the themes of the films, and opportunities for interaction with general attendees. This year's official ambassador is actress Yumi Kawai. Kawai is scheduled to appear on stage with the visiting guests before the opening screening on Thursday, March 19th.

押さえたい注目作品　サスペンスから政治ドラマ、受賞作まで

A total of 12 films will be screened. From masters to the next generation of emerging talent, the lineup represents the current state of French cinema. Here we will introduce some of the main works that will make it easy for first-time attendees to choose.

左）オープニング作品「A Private Life（英題）」　右）「A Missing Part また君に会えるまで」　(C)2026 Unifrance

Opening film "A Private Life"
Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski and starring Jodie Foster, this suspenseful film follows a renowned psychiatrist who becomes convinced that one of his patients' deaths was murder and sets out to uncover the truth. A pre-screening stage greeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 19th, followed by a post-screening Q&A on Sunday, March 22nd. The director is also scheduled to visit Japan.

"A Missing Part Until I See You Again"
Directed by Guillaume Senez. The film depicts a chance reunion that occurs as a French man living as a taxi driver in Tokyo searches for his daughter, whom he left nine years ago. The story is set in Tokyo, with Japanese language usage. A Q&A session will be held after the screening on Friday, March 20th (national holiday), and the director is scheduled to visit Japan.

左）「LOL 2.0（原題）」　右） 「クレムリンの魔術師」　(C)2026 Unifrance

LOL 2.0（原題）」
Directed by Lisa Azuelos, the film tells the story of Anne, a 55-year-old woman who faces generational conflict, new love, and life changes when her daughter returns home and she receives the news that she's going to become a grandmother. Lead actress Sophie Marceau and others are scheduled to visit Japan for a Q&A session after the screening on Friday, March 20th (national holiday).

"The Magician of the Kremlin"
Directed by Olivier Assayas. Set in post-Soviet Russia, the film tells the story of an artist who becomes a spokesman for KGB agent Putin, blurring the line between truth and lies. It's a political drama in both English and Russian. A Q&A session will follow the screening on Friday, March 20th (national holiday), and the director will be visiting Japan.

左） 「シンプル・アクシデント／偶然」　右） クロージング作品「そして彼女たちは」　(C)2026 Unifrance

"Simple Accident"
Directed by Jafar Panahi. A man who was wrongfully imprisoned "chance" encounters a man who appears to be the prison guard with a prosthetic leg who took his life, and is torn between his urge for revenge and a lack of certainty. Winner of the Palme d'Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. A Q&A will be held after the screening on Sunday, March 22nd.

Closing performance: "And Then They"
Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, the film depicts five girls living together in a support facility for young mothers, following their journey to love amidst loneliness and anxiety. A Q&A will be held after the screening on Sunday, March 22nd, and the directors will also be visiting Japan.

Other upcoming films include "The World You See," directed by Robin Campillo and about a 16-year-old boy from the south of France; "The New Story of the Arc de Triomphe" (working title), based on a true story; "Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol," an animation directed by Sylvain Chomet; and "OXANA," about an activist.

Tickets will go on sale at teket from 8:00 AM on Sunday, March 1st. Reserved seat tickets are 2,200 yen (tax included), and tickets for the stage greeting on Thursday, March 19th are 2,500 yen (tax included).

The main visual symbolizing Shibuya and France, and a photo exhibition at agnès b.

左）アーティスト、ジャン・ジュリアンさん　右） ジャンさんが手がけたメインビジュアル　(C)2026 Unifrance

The main visual was created by artist Jean Jullien. It depicts Shibuya's iconic loyal dog, Hachiko, and France's iconic rooster watching a film side by side in a theater. The stripes evoke the image of a scramble crossing and a clapperboard, symbolizing the milestone of the event's move to Shibuya. The agnès b. Gallery Boutique (2F La Fleur Minami-Aoyama, 5-7-25 Minami-Aoyama), run by special sponsor agnès b., will hold a collaborative photo exhibition to commemorate the event, "VISAGES DU CINEMA FRANCAIS: Faces of French Cinema," from Saturday, February 21st to Sunday, April 5th, 2026.

33回目を迎える今年は、開催地を横浜から渋谷へ移し、新たな一歩を踏み出す。フランス映画を通して、多様な文化や新たな価値観、感性に出会う体験を楽しんでみてはいかがだろうか。