This year’s bumper selection of films includes 41 flicks from high profile directors including Michel Gondry, Catherine Breillat and Martin Bourboulon.

The Alliance Française French Film Festival (AF FFF) hits Adelaide this March with a bumper line-up of films sure to bring out the romantic in you. Presented by MSC Cruises in conjunction with the French Embassy, the 35th edition of the annual festival is one of the best yet.

This year's festival hopes to “spotlight contemporary creation, focusing on the emerging talents and innovative voices shaping the French cinematic landscape”. There will be 41 films featured across the two week festival, with some of France's biggest directors and actors on show. This cultural exchange of ideas is more than just films, with Alliance Française, the French culture and language institution, offering online and in-person language courses for those who want pointers when it comes to the language of love.

The festival's opening night features director Martin Bourboulon's adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s thrilling and beloved classic novel The Three Musketeers. The first chapter in this new series, entitled D'Artagnan, will screen at the Palace Nova Eastend on Thursday, March  21. Closing out the festival will be director Albert Dupontel's hilariously savage portrayal of modern politics and media, Second Round. Fans of the festival were also given the chance to vote for a film they believed encapsulated the joy of French cinema, with The Intouchables coming out top. A special screening of this heartfelt tale will screen Thursday, March 26.

Discussing the upcoming festival and notable 35th anniversary, Karine Mauris, Festival Artistic Director and Cultural Attachée to the French Embassy in Australia, said: "For over three decades, we've showcased the finest in French cinema, known for its profound simplicity and relatable humanity. Our stories reflect struggles, triumphs, passion, and possess an extraordinary ability to touch hearts. Embracing The Three Musketeers’ motto, 'All for one and one for all', our festival dives into a diverse array of 41 movies from heart-warming comedies to gripping dramas, each offering its unique charm and allure".

Palace Cinemas CEO, Benjamin Zeccola echoed Mauris’ sentiment regarding the monumental anniversary, which also signifies a three-decade long relationship as Exhibition Partner. "Our journey together has been très extraordinaire, and we've enjoyed the privilege of contributing to the festival's remarkable evolution to where it is now; a cornerstone of the cinema calendar. We look forward to celebrating with the Alliance Française and festival goers. Vive le cinéma!" he said.

The Alliance Française French Film Festival runs from March 21 to April 17. You can check out the full program here.

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