Austin Film Society Announces the 2025 Lineup For New French Cinema Week
AUSTIN, Texas, October 16, 2025— Austin Film Society (AFS) announces the 2025 lineup for New French Cinema Week, a festival of new international films by up-and-coming Francophone filmmakers. The festival will run from Thursday, November 20, to Sunday, November 23, at AFS Cinema. It will feature appearances by international guests, including filmmaker Pauline Loquès, who will attend the screening of her debut feature, Nino, which is the festival’s opening-night selection. AFS will also host an opening-night reception on November 20 featuring complimentary light bites, open to attendees of that evening’s film and AFS members.
For more information about New French Cinema Week, click here or visit austinfilm.org/french.
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New French Cinema Week is programmed and presented in partnership with the two leading film organizations from Angers, France, Austin’s sister city: the Premiers Plans Film Festival and the 400 Coups Cinemas. Each year, New French Cinema Week brings Austin audiences award-winning selections and festival favorites from across the French-speaking world, many of which have yet to be distributed in the US.
The 2025 lineup for New French Cinema Week begins with an opening-night reception in the lobby of the AFS Cinema at 7 p.m. Following the festivities at 8 p.m. will be this year’s critically-acclaimed opening-night film, Nino, telling the story of a young man faced with a life-changing diagnosis. The AFS screening will be among the film’s first presentations in the US and will be attended by Pauline Loquès, the film’s director. On Friday, the festival continues with The Girl in the Snow, an official selection of the 2025 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The screening will be followed by a pre-recorded Q&A with the director Louise Hémon (L’Homme Le Plus Fort), a filmmaker known for her documentary work making her feature debut with this film. Saturday will include two screenings, the first of which, The Ties That Bind Us, stars the César Award-winning actress Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi (Like Crazy) at the heart of a humanist family drama. Later that evening, New French Cinema Week will then show Ghost Trail, Jonathan Millet’s two-time César Award-nominated thriller following a Syrian man’s hunt for war criminals across Europe. On Sunday, the festival will include a block of New French Shorts, featuring new short-form work spanning a variety of genres. The festival’s closing-night selection on Sunday will be The Little Sister, a French coming-of-age film that won its star, Nadia Melliti, the best actress prize at Cannes 2025.
New French Cinema Week is supported by the Premiers Plans Festival of Angers, France (Austin’s French sister city), Unifrance and Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
Series passes are available for New French Cinema Week at a 20% off discount from the list price of individual tickets. Passes include admission into all six screenings and the opening-night reception. Click here to purchase series passes, and visit austinfilm.org/french for individual tickets.
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PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
Opening-Night Film: NINO
Pauline Loquès, France, 2025
Thursday, November 20, at 8 p.m.
Director Pauline Loquès joins us in person for one of the first US screenings of her debut feature, which is now a critically-acclaimed box office hit in France. NINO tells the story of three important days in the life of a young Parisian man after he receives a critical diagnosis. Jury prize winner of Cannes Critics’ Week 2025. “A gem of delicacy and finesse.” —Première Magazine
THE GIRL IN THE SNOW
Louise Hémon, France, 2025
Friday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m.
At the end of the 19th century, a young primary school teacher travels to a remote Alpine region to establish the first school in an ancient mountain town. As new, worldly views collide with the villagers’ culture and elaborate mythology, a natural disaster divides the town. Louise Hémon’s debut feature takes the audience on a surprising ride and powerfully confronts the spectre of gender and sexuality in cultural mythmaking. A selection of the 2025 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight section. A pre-recorded Q&A with Louise Hémon will follow the screening.
THE TIES THAT BIND US
Carine Tardieu, France, 2025
Saturday, November 22, at 4:30 p.m.
In this beautifully sophisticated and affecting drama about redefining family, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi delivers a profound performance as a single, fiercely independent intellectual who becomes embroiled in the neighbors’ family tragedy.
GHOST TRAIL
Jonathan Millet, France/Belgium/Germany, 2025
Saturday, November 22, at 7:30 p.m.
A timely and heart-wrenching thriller based on the actual experiences of Syrian refugees, GHOST TRAIL tells the story of Hamid, a young Syrian man part of a clandestine network attempting to locate and persecute Syrian war criminals in Europe. Nominated for two César Awards.
NEW FRENCH SHORTS
Various, DCP, 120 min.
Sunday, November 23, at 3 p.m.
Our program of short films presents this year’s top Francophone festival favorites in a variety of genres and styles.
THE LITTLE SISTER
Hafsia Herzi, France/Germany
Sunday, November 23, at 6 p.m.
A heart-pounding tale of desire and self-restraint from actor-turned-director Hafsia Herzi. Star Nadia Melliti won the best actress prize at Cannes 2025 for her performance as Fatima, the youngest sister in an Algerian-French household who begins to discover her queer identity.
About Austin Film Society
Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, AFS creates life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyzes Austin and Texas as a creative hub, and brings the community together around great film. AFS supports filmmakers from all backgrounds towards career leaps, encouraging exceptional artistic projects with grants and support services. AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, to attract and grow the creative media ecosystem. Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate, provides many points of access to filmmaking and film careers. The AFS Cinema is an ambitiously programmed repertory and first run arthouse with broad community engagement. By hosting premieres, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community. AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. More at austinfilm.org.
Will Stefanski
Will@austinfilm.org
