French TV and films to watch in February
Classic films, new comedy, water-cooler drama, culinary reality, and world-class sport all vie for our attention in the shortest month of the year.
Here we check out the best of what’s on offer across French TV and streaming platforms in February.
Claude Berri collection - Netflix
From February 1st
Oh, Netflix … with not one but seven films from the great Claude Berri available on the first day of February, you are spoiling us.
The on-demand platform will add Tchao Pantin, Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources, Uranus, Le Vieil Homme et l'Enfant, Germinal, and his penultimate film Ensemble, c'est tout. Try to watch them all - but if you can’t, start with Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources … then watch them all.
https://youtu.be/V44E_YanQsg
The Winter Olympics - France 2 and France 3
From February 4th to February 20th
Some 87 French athletes have travelled across the world to take part in the Winter Games in Beijing.
There are plenty of reasons to question this event, but for these athletes just getting here is the culmination of many years of effort - and there’ll be some epic performances on (artificial) snow and ice during the competition.
https://youtu.be/gvK3FABCw-4
Une intime conviction - Netflix
From February 6th
Antoine Raimbault’s courtroom drama, based on the true story of the two trials of a Toulouse law professor following the disappearance of his wife in the early years of the 21st century.
All but one of the actors play real people who were involved in the actual case - Olivier Gourmet plays current Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, who was involved in the case in his previous career as a lawyer.
https://youtu.be/BBEcRlDn1Co
Prête-moi ta main - Disney Plus
From February 11th
Middle-aged Parisian bachelor Alain Chabat is in no rush to get married. But, when his devoted mother Bernadette Lafont, and five sisters agree that he should settle down, they set Luis up for a series of doomed dates.
To stop their well-meaning match-making, he asks his best friend’s sister Charlotte Gainsbourg to pose as his new girlfriend. We think you know where this is going…
https://youtu.be/M2oVeeRWvQA
Top Chef - M6
Wednesday, February 16th, and Replay services from February 17th
Good news and bad news for fans of culinary reality shows. Top Chef returns this month to dominate Wednesday evening schedules for weeks to come, with its usual mix of cooking challenges (think the French version of MasterChef).
This time, sadly, there’s no Michel Sarran to lead the yellow team. He’s been replaced by Glenn Viel - the youngest chef in the world to be awarded three Michelin stars - as the fourth chef leader, alongside Philippe Etchebest, Hélène Darroze and Paul Pairet.
Totems - Amazon Prime
From February 18th
1965. The frozen heart of the Cold War. A French rocket scientist is sent out into the field on an impossible covert mission - and promptly falls for a Soviet spy. Niels Schneider, Vera Kolesnikova, Lambert Wilson and José Garcia star in what’s already being described as ‘Event TV’.
https://youtu.be/l-Eh3zzn8qs
Le Chant du Loup - Netflix
From February 20th
As if seven Claude Berri films and a courtroom drama weren’t enough, this high-tension undersea thriller with Francois Civil and Omar Sy will have you biting your nails to the quick later in the month.
On board a French nuclear submarine, everything rests on a man with the gift of recognising every sound. Deemed infallible, he makes an error that puts the rescue mission and the crew in danger. It’s directed by Antonin Baudry - who’s also a diplomat specialising in cultural affairs, comic book author, and screenwriter. You have to wonder how he finds the time…
https://youtu.be/0-LTTNiGgUA
Weekend Family - Disney Plus
From February 23rd
Eric Judor stars in Disney Plus’s first French production - a comedy - as a three-by-three father, with three daughters by three former partners, whose already complicated life becomes even more difficult when he falls in love for a fourth time.
https://youtu.be/RZvIrUny21Y
Comme des Garçons - Amazon Prime
From February 25th
A womanising sports journalist in late 1960s France organises a women’s football match for his paper’s annual fete, and ropes in the editor’s assistant to help him. Little do the warring pair realise that they’re about to create the first women’s football team in the country.
https://youtu.be/1_pB6HILQgg
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Here we check out the best of what’s on offer across French TV and streaming platforms in February.
Claude Berri collection - Netflix
From February 1st
Oh, Netflix … with not one but seven films from the great Claude Berri available on the first day of February, you are spoiling us.
The on-demand platform will add Tchao Pantin, Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources, Uranus, Le Vieil Homme et l'Enfant, Germinal, and his penultimate film Ensemble, c'est tout. Try to watch them all - but if you can’t, start with Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources … then watch them all.
https://youtu.be/V44E_YanQsg
The Winter Olympics - France 2 and France 3
From February 4th to February 20th
Some 87 French athletes have travelled across the world to take part in the Winter Games in Beijing.
There are plenty of reasons to question this event, but for these athletes just getting here is the culmination of many years of effort - and there’ll be some epic performances on (artificial) snow and ice during the competition.
https://youtu.be/gvK3FABCw-4
Une intime conviction - Netflix
From February 6th
Antoine Raimbault’s courtroom drama, based on the true story of the two trials of a Toulouse law professor following the disappearance of his wife in the early years of the 21st century.
All but one of the actors play real people who were involved in the actual case - Olivier Gourmet plays current Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, who was involved in the case in his previous career as a lawyer.
https://youtu.be/BBEcRlDn1Co
Prête-moi ta main - Disney Plus
From February 11th
Middle-aged Parisian bachelor Alain Chabat is in no rush to get married. But, when his devoted mother Bernadette Lafont, and five sisters agree that he should settle down, they set Luis up for a series of doomed dates.
To stop their well-meaning match-making, he asks his best friend’s sister Charlotte Gainsbourg to pose as his new girlfriend. We think you know where this is going…
https://youtu.be/M2oVeeRWvQA
Top Chef - M6
Wednesday, February 16th, and Replay services from February 17th
Good news and bad news for fans of culinary reality shows. Top Chef returns this month to dominate Wednesday evening schedules for weeks to come, with its usual mix of cooking challenges (think the French version of MasterChef).
This time, sadly, there’s no Michel Sarran to lead the yellow team. He’s been replaced by Glenn Viel - the youngest chef in the world to be awarded three Michelin stars - as the fourth chef leader, alongside Philippe Etchebest, Hélène Darroze and Paul Pairet.
Totems - Amazon Prime
From February 18th
1965. The frozen heart of the Cold War. A French rocket scientist is sent out into the field on an impossible covert mission - and promptly falls for a Soviet spy. Niels Schneider, Vera Kolesnikova, Lambert Wilson and José Garcia star in what’s already being described as ‘Event TV’.
https://youtu.be/l-Eh3zzn8qs
Le Chant du Loup - Netflix
From February 20th
As if seven Claude Berri films and a courtroom drama weren’t enough, this high-tension undersea thriller with Francois Civil and Omar Sy will have you biting your nails to the quick later in the month.
On board a French nuclear submarine, everything rests on a man with the gift of recognising every sound. Deemed infallible, he makes an error that puts the rescue mission and the crew in danger. It’s directed by Antonin Baudry - who’s also a diplomat specialising in cultural affairs, comic book author, and screenwriter. You have to wonder how he finds the time…
https://youtu.be/0-LTTNiGgUA
Weekend Family - Disney Plus
From February 23rd
Eric Judor stars in Disney Plus’s first French production - a comedy - as a three-by-three father, with three daughters by three former partners, whose already complicated life becomes even more difficult when he falls in love for a fourth time.
https://youtu.be/RZvIrUny21Y
Comme des Garçons - Amazon Prime
From February 25th
A womanising sports journalist in late 1960s France organises a women’s football match for his paper’s annual fete, and ropes in the editor’s assistant to help him. Little do the warring pair realise that they’re about to create the first women’s football team in the country.
https://youtu.be/1_pB6HILQgg
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