FESTIVALS - All About French

Film, Music, Theatre & Dance

From rock concerts in Evreux to the short film festival in Carcassonne, to the popular Fetes de l’Huma, more than 7 million french attend festivals each year. That’s 10% of the population! This is our personal selection within an intense pool of best festivals in France.

Film Festivals

The French movie goers take films seriously. In fact they take everyone's films seriously. If it were not for film festivals, independent filmmakers might remain in obscurity throughout their working life. Films are categorized in various genres, and The few who qualify to showcase their work at a festival will also receive important press coverage and even a substantial price reward to the winner.

• Short Film

• Feature Film

• Documentary

• Magic & Fantasy

• Drama

• Animation

• Lesbian & Feminist

• Fantastic

• Horror

Festival De Carcassone
short films (July 2-30)
Short films (July 2-30)

Festival Du Film Merveilleux
Magic & Fantasy (July 4-6)

Cannes Film Festival
All Genres (May 12-23)

Strasbourg Fantastic Film Festival
Fantastic (Sep 13-22)

Paris Lesbian & Feminist Film Festival
Lesbian & Feminist (Oct 31-Nov 3)

Festival du cinema Américain de Deauville
US-based Feature Film & Documentary
(Sep 6-15)

Festival du Film d’Animation d’Annecy
Feature & Short Film, Animation, TV (June 10-15)

Semaine Internationale de la Critique
Feature & Short Film (May 15-23)

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs
Director’s Fortnight (May 15-25)

Festival du Film Policier de Beaune
Feature International Thriller (Apr 3-7)

Festival du Film de Cabourg
Romantic Feature & Short Film (June 12-16)

Festival du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer
Fantastic (Jan 30 – Feb 03)

Music Festivals

Music festivals in France bring a permanent sound that travels through France all year round that will seduce all music lovers with the variety of bands and music and colorful setting from the Loire valley to small Roman towns in Provence. To search by name, month or genre, use this very detailed site: www.francefestivals.com

• Jazz

• Rock

• Metal

• Techno

• Blues

• Nu Jazz

• Reggae

• Folk

• Classic

• Funk

Fetes de la Musique
Music Day throughout the entire country (June 21)
Solidays
Concert in the racecourse of Longchamps, Paris in support of AIDS. Voyou…Adam Naas…Jade…
Les Eurockeenes
Multi genre since the 80s. Belfort (TBA)
Hell Fest Open Air
Dripping with all subgenre of Metal in existence in Clisson (June 21-23) – ZZ Top
Rock en Seine
Rock and subgenre performed in the gardens of St Cloud in Paris (Aug 22-25) – The Cure…The Horizon…Johnyy Marr…
Nuits Sonores
The best of Techno music sound in Lyon (May 20-24) – Chilly Gonzalez
Festival d’Aix en Provence
For the lovers of classical pieces in an ancient Roman town (July 3-22) – Mozart…Puccini…
Sun Ska Reggae
Reggae freaks will not miss it (Aug 2-4) – Ziggy Marley…Alpha Blondie…Morcheeba…

Electrobeach Music Festival
The best of electronic raving beat in Le Barcares (July) – David Guetta
Festival Beauregard
Set in a castle in Herouville on the Loire (July 5-7) – Tears for Fears
Calvi on The Rocks
Eclectic techno music in Calvi, Corsica (July 15-25)
La Route du Rock
Rock subgenre festival in St Malo (August 15-18) – Charlotte Gainsbourg…Luna…Tropical Fuck Storm…
Nice Jazz Festival
Most prestigious jazz festival in Europe (June 12-16) – Black Eyed Peas
Jazz Festival Paris
A mix of genres from outdoor Jazz concerts to classical at the garden – days & evenings (June 26 – Sept 4) – Leila Martial…Gimick…
Jazz a Juan
Classic jazz and rock (July 12-21) – Georges Benson…Diana Krall….Thomas Dutronc

Music Day... a must attend!

In 1982, the Minister of Culture launched a strange project encouraging students to play on the streets of all cities of France for 24 hours without a permit. Very criticized by the masses for legalizing sound around the clock, it held its ground. 30 years later, La Fete de la Musique (Music Day) witnesses thousands of bands of all sorts and all ages take over the streets of France with style. Classical, Rock & Pop, Jazz, Reggae, New Wave, Punk…have conquered all corners of all cities, attracting millions of curious around the summer solstice: June 21st of each year. .

Find out which band is playing near you…
(only during the festival)

Dance & Theater Festivals

Summer is the high-season for Dance and Theater festivals in France. From Lille to Marseille by way of Avignon, performance festivals abound. Long-running, world-renowned festivals such as the Festival d’Avignon (the oldest festival in France), or the Festival International de Théâtre et de la Rue in Aurillac (the largest street theater festival in Europe) punctuate the summer landscape. Other programs include the Festival Latitudes Contemporaines in Lille, recommended for the audacity of its programming, and the Festival Actoral, in Marseille, a multidisciplinary festival bringing together poets, playwrights, performers, and many others.

• Classical Ballet

• Hip-hop

• Traditional

• Folk

• Modern dance

International Salsa Congress
Bringing together 2.500 Latin dance lovers from all over the world in Paris – (April 7 – 13)

Festival de Danse Trace Contemporaine
Between Flamenco and traditional dances as the Kathak dance, this festival links the contemporary choreography styles. (Sep 19 – 22) in Cahors.

Danse en Film
International Dance film festival in Bordeaux (Dec 3 -8) – The meeting of cinema and dance.

Festival International of Cuban Salsa
Afro cuban gathering from artists in 28 countries (Oct 31 – Nov 4) – The greatest salsa festival in France taking place in Orange.

Festival d’Avignon
Cultural exhibit of modern and classic ballet from Bejart to Stanislavski at the center of Cannes. (Nov 29 – Dec 15)

Festival de Danse a Cannes
The Avignon Festival is today one of the most important contemporary performing arts events in the world. (Nov 29 – Dec 15)

Les Trans’ urbaines
Dedicated to urban dances, it focus on choreographic art of hip hop dance in Clermont Ferrand (Oct 20 – 31)

Festi’roche
Where the talented traditional dances of the world cross path in Roche sur Moliere. (June 21-23) From Guam to Ireland to Austria.

Fetes de la Vigne
100’s of popular dancers and musicians from the four corners of the world meet in Dijon for a special moment mixing dance, music & wine.(July 7 – 12)