New 'Les Misérables' Adaptation Leads a Packed Week of French Cinema Releases

French cinema audiences have a particularly rich slate of new releases to choose from this week, with offerings ranging from a sweeping literary adaptation to an intimate autobiographical drama and a satirical showbiz comedy. Film critic Manon Kerjean guided viewers through the highlights on the latest edition of arts24, the culture program from FRANCE 24.

The centerpiece of the week is a fresh screen version of Victor Hugo's monumental novel "Les Misérables," one of the most frequently adapted works in the history of cinema and television. This new take stars Vincent Lindon as Jean Valjean, the former convict whose life of hardship and redemption has moved readers and viewers for more than a century. Opposite him, Tahar Rahim steps into the role of Inspector Javert, the relentless pursuer who embodies the rigid arm of the law.

According to the program's preview, the production unfolds as a three-hour epic, a substantial running time that reflects the ambition of bringing Hugo's sprawling narrative to the screen once again. Rather than treating the material purely as period drama, the adaptation reportedly injects a thriller-like tension into the familiar story, emphasizing the cat-and-mouse dynamic between Valjean and Javert.

The pairing of Lindon and Rahim brings considerable star power to the project. Lindon is one of France's most acclaimed actors, known for his intense, grounded performances, while Rahim has built an international career that spans French cinema and major English-language productions. Their collaboration on such well-known roles is likely to draw significant attention from both critics and audiences.

"Les Misérables" has long occupied a unique place in French culture and in global popular culture more broadly, having inspired countless stage musicals, films and television series. Each new adaptation faces the challenge of distinguishing itself from its predecessors, and the decision to lean into suspense and psychological confrontation may be the strategy this version employs to stand apart.

The week's second major release shifts from nineteenth-century France to a much more personal story. "A Girl's Story" is Judith Godrèche's adaptation of Annie Ernaux's autobiographical novel, which recounts a young woman's traumatic sexual experience in 1958. Ernaux, a Nobel laureate in literature, has written extensively about memory, class and intimate life, and her work has increasingly attracted filmmakers in recent years.

Godrèche, who directs the film, has herself become a prominent voice in French cinema's ongoing reckoning with questions of abuse and consent. Her decision to adapt Ernaux's text therefore carries added resonance, blending one artist's personal history with another's. The film stars Godrèche's daughter, Tess Barthélemy, in what is described as a central role.

"A Girl's Story" was presented at the Cannes Film Festival this year, placing it within the most prestigious showcase on the international film calendar. A Cannes selection can substantially raise a film's profile, generating press coverage and distribution interest well beyond France, and the festival platform has often served as a launching pad for titles that go on to succeed internationally.

The third release examined on the program takes a lighter tone. "All About Corinne" is a comedy directed by Marc Fitoussi and starring Isabelle Huppert as a film extra who desperately hopes to be noticed. Huppert, one of the most celebrated actors in French cinema, is known for her versatility across genres and for her willingness to take on unconventional roles.

The film draws inspiration from a documentary Fitoussi himself made in 2009 about film extras, the anonymous performers who populate crowd scenes and background shots. That documentary background lends the comedy a layer of authenticity, and the film is said to take a sharp look at the hierarchy of the film industry, in which visibility and recognition are unevenly distributed.

Beyond the week's new releases, the program looked ahead to the Lumière Festival in Lyon, a major event on the international cinephile calendar. This year's edition runs from October 10 to 18, offering a dense schedule of screenings and masterclasses dedicated to the appreciation of cinema history.

A highlight of the festival will be the presentation of the Lumière Award to Joel and Ethan Coen, the American filmmaking brothers whose career has spanned decades and encompassed everything from dark crime dramas to offbeat comedies. Recognition at Lyon places the Coens in a lineage of filmmakers honored for their contributions to the art form.

The festival also functions as a celebration of French cinema specifically, with programming that includes masterclasses featuring figures such as Agnès Jaoui. A new series about Alice Guy, a pioneering early filmmaker often cited as one of the first directors in cinema history, forms part of the lineup as well.

Anniversary screenings add a nostalgic dimension to the event, with presentations of "A Man and a Woman" and "Betty Blue," two French films that left distinct marks on the country's cinematic heritage. Such retrospectives allow audiences to revisit works in a theatrical setting and to consider how their themes and styles have aged.

Taken together, the week's releases and festival programming illustrate the breadth of French film culture, from canonical literature reimagined for contemporary viewers to autobiographical writing, industry satire and archival celebration. For audiences in France and beyond, the coming days offer a reminder that the country's cinema remains both a guardian of its past and a space for new voices to confront difficult subjects.