American French Film Festival Opens Tuesday
The 30th edition of the festival in Hollywood opens with the premiere of In Waves and runs through November 8.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Foreign
The American French Film Festival opens Tuesday in Los Angeles with the premiere of In Waves, marking its 30th anniversary in Hollywood. Five films competing for Academy international feature nominations are screening during the festival, which concludes November 8.
Why it matters
The festival gives Los Angeles audiences early access to contenders in the Academy's international feature category ahead of its December shortlist announcement. Its lineup spans French, Romanian, Belgian, Japanese and Moroccan entries.
The festival is in its 30th year and features five films competing for international feature nominations. The Academy's shortlist for the international feature category has not yet been announced.
The players
Antonin Baudry
Director of the two-part production De Gaulle, a French filmmaker known for his work on historical and political subjects.
Lukas Dhont
Belgian director of Coward, a World War I drama set against soldiers' wartime experiences in the trenches.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Japanese director of All of a Sudden, a celebrated filmmaker whose work has earned international festival recognition.
Andrey Zvyagintsev
Russian director of the French entry Minotaur, known for internationally acclaimed dramas.
The details
Festival highlights include Minotaur, directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Romania's Fjord starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, and Lukas Dhont's World War I drama Coward. Japan's All of a Sudden by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Morocco's Strawberries are also on the program.
Timeline
Tuesday: Festival opens with the premiere of In Waves.
November 8: Festival concludes.
December: Academy announces its international feature shortlist.
Industry Dynamics
The festival's five competing films are being screened ahead of the Academy's international feature shortlist, which is announced each December. The lineup reflects how national film industries submit entries through a single international category each year.
Angelenos can attend screenings of In Waves and other festival selections through the American French Film Festival's run ending November 8. Several titles are rare chances to see foreign features on a Los Angeles screen before wider release.
The takeaway
The festival offers Los Angeles film fans an early look at the international contenders that may shape the Academy's next awards cycle. Attending screenings is the most direct way to see these films before they reach wider distribution.
What happens next
The Academy is set to announce its international feature shortlist in December, and the festival concludes November 8.
Further reading
Explore more international cinema in our Foreign coverage.
