Five Must-See Films at the 2016 French Film Festival

With hard-hitting dramas, imaginative comedies and a retrospective tribute to one of the all-time greats, the latest edition of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival doesn't disappoint. Lighting up the screen from March 11 to April 3 in Brisbane, the 2016 program features a diverse mix of titles showcasing the very best the French film industry has to offer. Below, we've put together a list of the five most intriguing films on the program. Lumière...Moteur...Action!

DHEEPAN

The surprise winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Dheepan is the latest film from director Jacques Audiard, whose previous efforts include Un Prophète and Rust and Bone. This new work concerns three strangers from war-torn northern Sri Lanka who masquerade as a family in order to receive asylum in France. A tale of intolerance and persecution, Dheepan feels particularly timely given the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe and our own troubled relationship with asylum seekers here at home.

IN THE SHADOW OF WOMEN

Another major player at Cannes — where it was selected to open the Director's Fortnight category — this masterful romantic drama is directed by Philippe Garrel, a 50-year veteran of the French film industry. Shot in Paris in gorgeous black and white, In the Shadow of Women follows Pierre (Stanislas Merhar) and Manon (Clotilde Courau), a pair of married documentary filmmakers whose lives are thrown into turmoil when Pierre begins an affair with a young intern (Lena Paugam), only to discover that Manon has secrets of her own.

TAJ MAHAL

The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks form the backdrop for this unsettling thriller, selected by film critic and festival patron David Stratton as one of the best films on the program. Stacy Martin (Nymphomaniac) plays Louise, an 18-year-old French tourist trapped in her hotel room as it comes under attack by armed gunmen. Setting his film almost entirely in the one room, director Nicolas Saada has been praised for his restraint, crafting a tense, claustrophobic picture that at times may feel a little too real for comfort.

MICROBE & GASOLINE

From The Science of Sleep to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to his extensive career at the helm of some of the most memorable music videos ever made, director Michel Gondry is rightfully considered one of the most unique and imaginative filmmakers working in the medium today. His latest film is Microbe & Gasoline, a coming-of-age comedy about a pair of teenage outcasts who decide to take a road trip in a homemade house on wheels. Bring on the whimsy.

CONTEMPT

One of the undisputed masterpieces of the French New Wave, Jean-Luc Godard's 1963 film Contempt is essential viewing for anyone who considers themselves a film lover. A scathing satire of the movie business and the conflict between art and commerce, the film follows a screenwriter (Michel Piccoli) adapting Homer's Odyssey for the screen, while navigating complicated relationships with his producer (Jack Palance), director (Fritz Lang) and wife (Brigitte Bardot). Contempt will serve as the festival's closing night film – and frankly, we can't think of a better choice.