Which French films are most popular with Americans?

Local France

13-05-2025

French cinema has long been appreciated by American audiences, from the invention of the form by the Lumière brothers in the 1890s, through the 1950s films of the New Wave to recent Oscar-nominated films like Anatomy of a Fall and blockbusters like The Count of Monte Cristo.
French cinema doesn't form a major part of the movie landscape in the US, where viewers are likely to prefer home-grow fare.
Overall, foreign language films are estimated to represent just
1.1 percent
of the domestic box office. All of the
top 10 films
, based on gross earnings, released in 2024 were English language.
But if French films are a bit of a rarity - there are some that American audiences have truly embraced.
Here's a look at the most popular French films in the US in the 21st century;
Quick caveat first - it can be difficult to parse out what counts as a French film; some rankings base it on the nationality of the director, while others look at the language of the film or where the majority of filming and production took place.
READ MORE:
12 popular French films that teach you something about France
On top of that, France also tends to measure film success based on ticket purchases, rather than total gross earnings.
The Artist (2011)
- Primarily a silent film, and shot in black and white, The Artist (known by the same name in French) takes place toward the end of the 1920s, when silent films were beginning to be overtaken by 'talkies'. One silent film star grapples with this transition.
Advertisement
The film received 10 Academy Award nominations, winning five (including France's first ever win in the 'Best Picture' category). It was directed by Michel Hazanavicius and starred Jean Dujardin, who became the first French actor to win an Oscar.
The film grossed over $44 million in the United States - perhaps helped by the fact that audiences did not have to follow subtitles. The film is mostly silent, but at the end when Jean Dujardin speaks, he does it in English.
Amélie (2001)
-
Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain
in French, this whimsical romance film follows a young waitress, Amélie, in her quest to find happiness. It is consistently listed in rankings of 'best French films of all time'.
In the US, the film grossed over $33 million, and it received five Academy Award nominations. It is the eighth highest grossing 'foreign language' film of all time, according to the
US box office
.
The Pianist (2002)
-
Le Pianiste
in French, this French-Austrian film by Roman Polanski about a Polish-Jewish musician who tries to survive Warsaw during the Second World War was popular across the world. In the US, it grossed over $32 million. The film won several Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor).
The Intouchables (2011)
-
Intouchables
in French, this comedy drama that tells the story of Philippe, a quadriplegic man who hires Driss, a care taker with a criminal record, to look after him. The film, and the friendship, is based on a true story. The film grossed over $10 million in the United States.
La Vie en Rose (2007)
-
La Môme
in French, this film, starring Marion Cotillard, is a biopic of French singer Édith Piaf, covering the main events of her life, from childhood to her early death at the age of 47. It grossed over $10 million in the United States and was the highest-grossing French film of the year 2007.
The film sold over one million tickets in the US, and it was nominated for three Oscars, winning two of them (Best Actress and Best Makeup and Hairstyling).
Advertisement
Amour (2012)
- The moving French drama (which goes by the same title in French) tells the story of an elderly couple, retired teachers living together in their Paris apartment. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, and it was also nominated for four other Academy Awards. It grossed over $6 million in the US box office.
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)
- Known as
Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre
in French, this children's film follows France's favourite heroes, Asterix and Obelix, as they help Cleopatra fight off the Romans. It starred Gérard Depardieu as Obélix, Chiristian Clavier as Astérix and Monica Bellucci as Cleopatra.
The film grossed over $3 million in the US box office.
A prophet (2009)
- This film (called
Un prophète
in French) tells the story of a young French man of north African origin and his experiences trying to survive in French prison. It grossed over $2 million in the US box office, and it was nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the Academy Awards.
What about other "French" films?
As mentioned above, the formal designation of 'French' film is in the eye of the beholder. If you look at official lists of the most successful French films in the US, you will find the Taken trilogy and blockbusters like Lucy, Léon, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and The Fifth Element - in some rankings these English language films count as French because they were directed by Frenchman Luc Besson.
Likewise Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and documentary March of the Penguins qualify via their French directors (Michel Gondry and Luc Jacquet, respectively).
Advertisement
How big is the French film market in the US?
According to
Variety magazine
, the US is in the top 10 markets for French films, but North America is toward the bottom of the list in 9th place. Germany is the top market outside of France for French movies, followed by Russia and then Mexico.
The above listings refer to cinema releases - US streaming services have seen more success with French films. According to French daily, Le Monde, based on a calculation of 103 global streaming platforms, "France came in third place in the film catalogues offered to subscribers, with 6.5 percent of available movies, TV movies and documentaries," after the US and India.