The Norwegian International Film Festival and New Nordic Films proudly present our French Focus for the 2026 edition of the festival. Here we will shed a light on French films and co-productions with France. We are aiming to highlight great French cinema as well as to promote collaboration and co-production opportunities between France and the Nordic countries.
The French Focus is created in partnership with the Institut français de Norvège, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the CNC and Unifrance.
– Our French focus is an important initiative for the festival. France holds a unique place in the history of cinema and continues to be a driving force for artistic innovation—something clearly reflected in our selection of French film projects and our French Touch programme. This year's lineup is both diverse and compelling, the projects are spanning animation, an intimate personal documentary, a drama set along the Tunisian border, and a moving story about the challenges and hopes of fleeing war and building a new life in a new country. By showcasing French films and highlighting French voices, we aim to create meaningful encounters, inspire audiences, and strengthen the ties between the Nordic and French film industries, programme director for New Nordic Films, Gyda Velvin Myklebust says.
Here is what you can expect.
Seminar As part of our French Focus we invite all festival guests and industry professionals to the seminar Insights on Co-Producing with France and The Nordics.
In this seminar, leading French and Nordic producers will have an informal conversation about the realities of producing films across borders. Through personal experiences, practical case studies—including Ibelin by Morten Tyldum, produced by Guri Neby (Einar Film)—and reflections on financing, creative collaboration, and the challenges of working as both majority and minority co-producers, the session offers valuable insights into French-Nordic collaboration. The seminar is aimed at producers seeking inspiration, practical knowledge, and new perspectives on international co-production. The seminar is moderated by Julie-Jeanne Regnault of the European Producers Club.
Co-Production opportunities As part of our French Focus we have also selected four projects into our Nordic Co-Production Market. These are the selected projects:
All the Softness in the World, directed by Ayçe Kartal, produced by Damien Megherbi, Les Valseurs.
Istanbul, 1950s. The Hakimian family lives in the shadow of an ancient vendetta: every firstborn grandson is destined to die, a cruel retribution for an infanticide committed by their grandfather long ago. Then comes Levon, a baby boy. His first act is to reach out and touch his mother’s soft hair. But sadly, this moment of tenderness won’t last. To protect him, the men of the family decide to raise him as a girl, hiding his true identity. He will grow up never knowing he was born male. But can anyone truly escape who they are?
Boutés, directed by Jeanne Géli and Loïs Szymczak, produced by Marieke Tricoire, Womanray.
Loïs Szymczak, Olympic diver and visual artist, finds his life suddenly upended by a malignant brain tumor. He returns to creation and training, with a different light, as though illness had opened a doorway into a world running parallel to this one, where every gesture carries a new weight and a new meaning. His partner Jeanne Géli, a forensic pathologist who spends her days examining what the body reveals in silence, turns her camera towards life — their shared life, its fragility and beauty. She watches him move step by step, towards what will mark his full return: a dive in the heart of Paris that is not an ending, but a crossing into a life transformed, reclaimed, and fully inhabited.
Borderline, directed by Yves Piat, produced by Damien Megherbi, Les Valseurs.
Hichem is a customs officer stationed in the desert south of Tunisia, on the border with Algeria, trying to provide a decent life for his wife Leila and little daughter Zineb. Caught up in a corrupt system, he meets Tesla, a music-loving donkey lost in the desert with headphones over his ears and a whole shipment of cocaine on his back.
Temporary Lives, directed by Wessam Hachicho, produced by Amélie Quéret, Respiro Productions.
A Syrian teenager reluctantly seeks asylum in Norway as per his estranged father's wishes, but desperate to return home, he sabotages the asylum case. While waiting for their fate, they live together for the first time in a room in a refugee camp near Oslo, where they connect with other refugees each, with their stories and dreams. As their intense journey unfolds, the father-son duo must confront their painful past.
French Touch French Cinema has played a major part in The Norwegian International Film Festival through the festival programme French Touch, an integral part of the festival ever since 2011. This year we have expanded the programme to include eight French feature films.
A Man of His Time (Notre salut), directed by Emmanuel Marre.
In 1940, Henri Marre arrives in Vichy with the political manuscript Notre Salut. He seeks to gain entry into the new regime and get the work published, and in doing so, save France from collapse. Behind the facade, however, another question lurks: is it actually himself he wants to save?
A Place for Her (La maison des femmes), directed by Mélisa Godet.
A warm drama about the women at a center helping victims of violence and abuse rebuild their lives. Through demanding consultations, small victories, and difficult setbacks, we follow a dedicated team fighting to give others a fresh start.
A Woman’s Life (La Vie d’une Femme), directed by Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet.
Gabrielle, a fifty-year-old surgeon, reflects on love, desire, and aging. When an author arrives to observe her work for a new book, Gabrielle’s life is turned upside down.
The American Dream (Le Rêve américain), directed by Anthony Marciano.
Without money or connections, it seemed almost impossible for Frenchmen Jérémy and Bouna to become NBA star agents. Bound by an unwavering friendship and a lifelong passion for basketball, they refuse to let their circumstances define their future. Inspired by a true story.
Another Day (Garance), directed by Jeanne Herry.
The young, charming actress Garance struggles for her breakthrough in Paris, but is pushed further down by anxiety and alcohol. A powerful and raw, yet humorous drama about talent, ambition, and the fight to save oneself.
Just an Illusion (Juste une illusion), directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano.
Paris, 1985. On the threshold of adulthood, Vincent tries to find his place amidst family chaos, friendships, faith, and first loves. A warm, humorous, and insightful coming-of-age drama about growing up when everything is changing.
Women on Trial (L'affaire Marie-Claire), directed by Lauriane Escaffre and Yvo Muller.
The year is 1972. A groundbreaking trial shakes France when young Marie-Claire is charged with an illegal abortion. In a male-dominated courtroom, fearless lawyer Gisèle Halimi fights against a system that punishes victims and protects perpetrators.
Words of Love (Quelques mots d'amour), directed by Rudi Rosenberg.
Single mother Erika has built a life for her family without Abigail's father. When her teenage daughter learns he is back, she wants to meet him. The search puts their fragile family balance to the test and unearths old secrets.
More information about the films in French Touch, as well as screening times and tickets are available here.
Networking opportunities As part of our French Focus we have invited several French sales agents and distributors, as well as experienced producers to attend New Nordic Films. Here is a list of the French delegates.
We also welcome industry participants to a French Reception on Thursday evening—a great opportunity to meet the enitre French delegation!
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