FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Free and open to the public (no ticket needed). All films are shown with English subtitles. Screenings begin at sunset.
*In-person screenings will abide by all state and local regulations on large-scale outdoor events in regards to COVID-19 restrictions.

Friday June 3 | Central Park

LES CHOSES DE LA VIE (The Things of Life) by Claude Sautet (Courtesy of Rialto Pictures)
With Romy Schneider, Michel Piccoli, Léa Massari 
Based on the acclaimed novel by Paul Guimard, Les Choses de la vie begins in the aftermath of a violent car crash along a rural motorway. As the man, Pierre, lies in a semi-conscious stupor, his life flashes before his eyes—specifically, his complex entanglement with two quite different women: his dutiful, long-suffering wife and his adoring, free-spirited lover. 

 

 Friday June 10 | Washington Square Park

THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS (Le Sommet des dieux) by Patrick Imbert (Courtesy of Netflix) 
Were George Mallory and his companion Andrew Irvine the first men to scale Everest on June 8th, 1924? Only the little Kodak VPK camera they took with them might reveal the truth. In Kathmandu, 70 years later, a young Japanese reporter named Fukamachi recognizes the camera in the hands of the mysterious Habu Jôji, an outcast climber believed missing for years. Fukamachi enters a world of obsessive mountaineers hungry for impossible conquests on a journey that leads him, step by step, towards the summit of the gods. 

Friday June 17 | Washington Square Park
BAND OF OUTSIDERS (Bande à part) by Jean-Luc Godard (Courtesy of Rialto Pictures)
With Anna Karina, Sami Frey, Claude Brasseur
Franz and Arthur don’t have money, jobs, or prospects, but they do have a black convertible and a shared romantic interest in Odile. When Odile lets slip that a stash of cash is ineptly hidden in the isolated villa where she lives, the men hatch a plan to take it for themselves. 

 

Friday June 24 | Transmitter Park, Brooklyn
LE CAPITAN (Captain Blood) by André Hunebelle
With Jean Marais, Bourvil, Elsa Martinelli 
France, 1616. King Louis XIII is 15 and his mother, Marie of Medicis, regent of the kingdom since the death of Henri IV, entrusts power to Concino Concini, a deceitful and ambitious man. After the assassination of his friend by Concini, noble swordsman Francois de Capestan, known as “Le Capitan,” goes to the young sovereign to warn him of the multiple betrayals that threaten the King’s Court.  

 

Friday July 1 | Tompkins Square Park
TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI by Jacques Becker (Courtesy of Rialto Pictures)
With Jean Gabin, Jeanne Moreau, Lino Ventura 
After pulling off their "retirement job," 50 million in gold bars, aging criminals Max and Henri think they can give up the game. But when Henri's girlfriend tells the drug dealer Angelo about the loot, violence erupts. Angelo kidnaps the old crook and asks Max for the “grisbi” as ransom... 

 

Friday July 8 | Seward Park
BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS (Balzac et la petite tailleuse chinoise) by Dai Sijie
With Zhou Xun, Liu Ye, Chen Kun
In 1971 China, in the lingering grip of the cultural revolution, two university students are sent to a remote mountain village for re-education to purge them of their classical western-oriented education. Amid the backbreaking work and stifling ignorance of the community, the two boys find that music, and the local tailor’s seamstress granddaughter are the only pleasant things in their miserable life. After discovering a secret cache of forbidden books, they set about teaching her things she had never imagined. 

Wednesday, July 13 | J. Hood Wright Park
FEVER MOUNTS AT EL PAO (La Fièvre monte à El Pao) by Luis Buñuel (Courtesy of Oscar Arce and the Luis Buñuel Film Institute)
With Maria Félix, Gérard Philippe, Jean Servais 
When the governor of a prison on the remote Caribbean Island Ojeda is assassinated, his secretary, Ramón Vasquez, assumes the role of acting governor until a replacement can be appointed. Vasquez, an idealist, exploits this opportunity to improve the lot of the prisoners, and to start an affair with the former governor’s widow... 

 

Friday July 15 | Seward Park
THE CLASS (Entre les murs) by Laurent Cantet
With François Bégaudeau, Louise Grinberg, Esmeralda Ouertani, Boubacar Touré 
François and his fellow teachers prepare for a new year at a high school in Paris. Armed with the best intentions, they brace themselves to not let discouragement and difficulties in the classroom stop them from trying to give the best education to their students. Neither stuffy nor severe, François’ extravagant frankness often takes the students by surprise. But his classroom ethics and his resolve are put to the test when his students begin to challenge his methods... 

 

Friday July 22 | Riverside Park, Pier I
MANDABI (The Money Order) by Ousmane Sembène
With Makhouredia Gueye, Isseu Niang, Ynousse N’Diaye 
After jobless Ibrahima Dieng receives a money order for 25,000 francs from a nephew who works in Paris, news of his windfall quickly spreads among his neighbors, who flock to him for loans while he finds his attempts to cash the order stymied in a maze of bureaucracy, and new troubles rain down on his head.

 

Friday July 29 | Riverside Park Pier I
DELICACY (La Délicatesse) by David and Stéphane Foenkinos 
With Audrey Tautou, François Damiens 
Nathalie is a beautiful, happy, and successful Parisian business executive who finds herself suddenly widowed after a three-year marriage to her soul mate. To cope with her loss, she buries herself and her emotions in her work to the dismay of her friends and family. One day, inexplicably, her zest for life and love is rekindled by a most unlikely source, her unexceptional, gauche, and average looking office subordinate, Markus.  

 

Thursday, September 8 | Columbia University
THE VELVET QUEEN (La Panthère des neiges) by Marie Amiguet and Vincent Munier
In the heart of the Tibetan highlands, multi-award-winning nature photographer Vincent Munier guides writer Sylvain Tesson on his quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard. Munier introduces Tesson to the subtle art of waiting from a blind spot, tracking animals, and finding the patience to catch sight of the beasts. Through their journey, the two men ponder humankind’s place amongst the magnificent creatures and glorious landscapes they encounter along the way. 

 

Friday September 9 | McGolrick Park, Brooklyn
ELEANOR’S SECRET (Kérity, la maison des contes) by Dominique Monféry (recommended for ages 4+)
Nat has fond memories of his eccentric Aunt Eleanor reading to him from her enormous collection of storybooks. But he is frustrated by his inability to read the books himself. He is less than thrilled when he learns that his aunt has left him the keys to her attic library as a gift. Yet, just as Nat’s parents are selling the collection to an antique dealer, he discovers that the library is magical, and all the famous characters come to life! 

 

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

FILMS ON THE GREEN is a free French film festival in New York City parks produced by the Villa Albertine, The French Embassy , NYC Parks and FACE Foundation.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: BNP Paribas, JCDecaux and TV5 Monde

FESTIVAL FRIENDS: agnès b., Maman NYC, The Mexican Cultural Institute in New York, The Columbia Maison Francaise, North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, The Washington Square Park Conservancy, Nora Coblence, and Frederic C. Weiss.

PARTNERS: Cinema Tropical, the African Film Festival, The Seward Park Conservancy, PS 110 The Monitor School, and Summer on the Hudson.

For the second year in a row, IFcinéma à la carte is partnering with AFCA for the "Fête du cinéma d’animation."

Throughout the month of October, discover a selection of four French short films (no dialogue):

- La Grande Migration
- In a Cage
- The Tiny Fox
- The Tiger Without Stripes

LINK: https://ifcinema.institutfrancais.com/en/alacarte

Films on the Green Festival has rescheduled their free online screening of Vengo for tomorrow, Tuesday August 3 at 8:30PM.

Vengo, directed by Tony Gatlif, 2000, 1h30
Film in Spanish and French with English subtitles

After his brother murders a member of a rival gypsy clan and goes into hiding, Caco becomes the de facto figurehead of his “family” and protector of his handicapped nephew. As tensions mount between the two clans, threats of revenge against Caco’s nephew for the crimes of his father are played out against a backdrop of rapturous flamenco music and dance performances. A majestic ode to the artistry of flamenco featuring famous flamenco dancer Antonio Canales.

"A musical feast for the eyes and ears alike" —Film Threat

Reserve your free virtual ticket now!

On Friday July 16, don't miss the free outdoor screening of French-Japanese animation movie INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM by Leiji Matsumoto starring Daft Punk's Discovery album, in Washington Square Park! 

If you can't attend the in-person screening, don't worry! The film will also be available to watch online for free at the same date and time! You can reserve your free ticket now: https://e-cinema.the25hour.us/cinema/1/10 

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INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM
Directed by Daisuke Nishio, Hirotoshi Rissen, Leiji Matsumoto, Kazuhisa Takenouchi, 2003, 1h08, France-Japan
Music by Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo

An unscrupulous music executive and his lackey kidnap a blue-skinned alien techno band, rob them of their identities, pass them off as human, and foist them on an unsuspecting public on Earth. After their arrival and their impact on the human population, the members of the band try to piece back their identities, escape from the clutches of the evil music executive, and return to their own world. Daft Punk’s music meets Leiji Matsumoto’s designs for this animated musical.

Presented in partnership with the Washington Square Park Conservancy.

#FilmsOnTheGreen

WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK (FREE and open to the public, but seating will be limited - Reservations are not taken)
ONLINE: https://e-cinema.the25hour.us/cinema/1/10

Join us this Saturday, March 20 at 7pm EST, for a free virtual screening of On Va Continuer! A "rockumentary" following Grammy Award-winning band Lost Bayou Ramblers as they preserve Cajun culture and the French language in Louisiana through their music. Be ready to dance! 

This event is presented by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, #CreateLouisiana and TV5 Monde as part of the D.C. Francophonie Cultural Festival. Films will be available with English subtitles.

From October 14th to 31st, a selection of one feature (Adama) and eleven shorts from French and francophone filmmakers will be available online from the U.S., free of charge and without registration! 

Watch now:https://ifcinema.institutfrancais.com/en/streaming/animation 

During this stay-at-home period, it's impossible not to cave and let our kids watch TV sometimes! 

While some series are pure entertainment, others are designed to share useful educational concepts, and still others may be silly enough to make the whole family laugh (and let us be frank, we all need it)!

When it comes to choosing TV shows for kids to watch, the number of programs available can be overwhelming, so we've gathered a list of great French TV series for kids ages 6 and above that are available now on U.S. online streaming platforms.

For preschoolers, you can check out our list of French TV shows available here. And if you’re looking for French movies to watch at night all together as a family, here is a great list too!

Code Lyoko
Recommended for ages 7+

A group of teenagers who travel to the virtual world of Lyoko battles against a malignant artificial intelligence known as X.A.N.A. which threatens Earth with powers to access the real world and cause trouble.

Available on Amazon Prime

Grizzy & The Lemmings (Grizzy et les Lemmings)
Recommended for ages 6+

Strong, whip-smart Grizzy rules a Canadian forest, where he has his paws full with a family of frolicsome lemmings.

Available on Netflix

Heidi
Recommended for ages 6+

Heidi is a happy, talkative 8-year-old orphan who lives with her grandfather in the idyllic scenery of the Swiss Alps. Heidi makes friends quickly, and everyone knows they can always rely on her for help.

Available on YouTube | iTunes | Google Play

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (Miraculous, les aventures de Ladybug & Chat Noir)
Recommended for all ages 7+

When evil arises, Marinette transforms into her secret superhero persona Ladybug, while Adrien transforms into his superhero persona Cat Noir, using powerful objects known as the Miraculous. Oblivious to each other's true identities, the two work together to protect Paris from the mysterious villain Hawk Moth.

Available on Netflix

Oggy and the Cockroaches (Oggy et les Cafards)
Recommended for ages 7+

Wimpy blue cat Oggy would like nothing more than to snooze, but he’s constantly bothered by the three ugly cockroaches who have invaded his home.

Available on Netflix

Pirata & Capitano
Recommended for ages 6+

Pirata & Capitano is all about never-ending quest for treasures, with great adventures, fun and team spirit.

Available on YouTube

Rabbids Invasion (Les Lapins Crétins : Invasion)
Recommended for ages 7+

When rambunctious Rabbids invade Earth, all havoc breaks loose as they fight an evil foe and embark on adventures in their yellow submarine.

Available on Netflix | Hulu | Amazon Video | Google Play | Vudu | YouTube

Seven & Me (Sept nains et moi)
Recommended for ages 9+

Snow and Camilla are excited to meet a new student whose family lives in a castle. But the dwarfs see this “Prince Charming” as a threat.

Available on Netflix

Shuriken School
Recommended for ages 6+

Shuriken School follows the extraordinary adventures of a 10-year-old hero Eizan Kaburagi and his friends during their first year at an under-funded ninja school.

Available on Amazon Video | Google Play | iTunes | YouTube

The Jungle Bunch (Les As de la jungle)
Recommended for ages 6+

Inside of the jungle, if there's a problem or an injustice to fix, no worry: just pull the signal of the Jungle Bunch and they will rush to the rescue! Maurice, the penguin-tiger, best known as "the big warrior tiger" is always ready to lead the rest of the bunch in a new adventure.

Available on Hulu | YouTube TV | Fubo

The Long Long Holiday (Les grandes grandes vacances)
Recommended for ages 7+

Young siblings learn about country life and surviving Nazi occupation when World War II breaks out while they're visiting grandparents in Normandy.

Available on Amazon Prime

Wakfu
Recommended for ages 11+

In a fantasy world, a mysterious figure leaves a baby boy with a retired bounty hunter in a small village with instructions to raise him until the time is right for him to find his biological family. Years later, that boy named Yugo discovers he has powerful magic abilities using the power of Wakfu even as his village is threatened.

Available on Netflix

If you like it, you can watch also:
Wakfu: The Quest for the Six Eliatrope Dofus - available on Netflix

Zak Jinks
Recommended for ages 6+

The hilarious day-in-the-life of a mischievous and loveable 8-year-old boy! Zak is an ordinary, joyful and very optimistic boy who happens to be eminently likeable!

Available on Amazon Prime | The Roku Channel | Apple TV

Zak Storm (Zak Storm, super pirate)
Recommended for ages 7+

Teen surfer Zak Storm is mysteriously transported to the Bermuda Triangle, where he becomes the captain of a magical ship full of misfits.

Available on Netflix

Zig & Sharko
Recommended for ages 7+

Zig, an island-bound hyena, will do anything to get his paws on Marina the mermaid, but her devoted pal Sharko always comes to her rescue in time.

Available on Netflix

Zorro – The Chronicles (Les Chroniques de Zorro)
Recommended for ages 6+

Young Don Diego faces the greatest challenge of his life as he fights for justice against numerous unscrupulous tyrants! But Zorro never kills: he simply ridicules his opponents to teach them a lesson, and signs his deeds with his trademark Z!

Available on Hulu

And don't forget Tivi5MONDE!

TiVi5MONDE is America's first and only 24/7 French language children's network delivering cartoons, educational shows, animations and teen series - the ideal destination for the kids ages 4- 12! Kids' favorites include Calimero, Oui Oui, Il était une fois...L'Homme, Belle et Sébastien, Chasseurs de dragons... Visit www.tivi5mondeusa.com to learn more.

In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, many of us are home-bound with our kids. While we all try to find activities and great content to keep them busy, we thought you might enjoy a few recommendations of movies to watch together.

Below, we've rounded up a list of French family-friendly flicks available on U.S. streaming platforms that both kids and parents would like!

A Bag of Marble (Un Sac de billes)
Directed by Christian Duguay, 2017, 1h52, recommended for ages 10+

Joseph and Maurice are the sons of Roman, the local barber. At ages 10 and 12, the boys have so little understanding of the persecution of Jews that Joseph thinks nothing of swapping his yellow star for a bag of marbles....

Available on Kanopy | Showtime | DirecTV | Fubo | Vudu | YouTube | Google Play

Asterix at the Olympic Games (Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques)
Directed by Frederic Forestier, 2008, 1h57, recommended for ages 9+

In their new adventures, Asterix and Obelix come to the aid of their friend Alafolix, who must fight Brutus, Cesar’s son, to win both the Olympic Games and the hand of beautiful Irina. But heinous Brutus is determined to beat the Gaul and take his father’s place.

Available on Amazon Video | Vudu | Google Play | YouTube | Hoopla | iTunes

Belle and Sebastian (Belle et Sébastien)
Directed by Nicolas Vanier, 2013, 1h44, recommended for ages 10+

Based on the beloved children's book, this exciting tale set in the picturesque French Alps follows the friendship of a 6-year-old boy and a stray dog who prove to be heroes when they help defend their occupied village from the Nazis.

Available on Amazon Prime | Hoopla | tubi | iTunes | FandangoNow | YouTube | Google Play

If you like it, you can watch the entire series:

Belle and Sebastian: The Adventure Continues (Belle et Sébastien, l’aventure continue) by Christian Duguay, 2015, 1h37, PG / recommended for ages 8+
Available on FandangoNow | YouTube | Google Play | iTunes

Belle and Sebastian 3: The Last Chapter (Belle et Sébastien 3 : Le dernier chapitre) by Clovis Cornillac, 2017, 1h37, recommended for ages 9+
Available on FandangoNow | Google Play | YouTube

Boule & Bill
Directed by Franck Magnier & Alexandre Charlot, 2013, 1h22, PG / recommended for ages 8+

Buddy is an abandoned young cocker spaniel waiting dejectedly in his cage for a kind, new owner to adopt him. Suddenly, Billy, a little boy whose hair is as red as Buddy's, appears. It's love at first sight and the beginning of a great friendship. But for Billy's parents, this is where the trouble begins.

Available on iTunes | Google Play | Vudu | YouTube

Christmas & Co (Santa & Cie)
Directed by Alain Chabat, 2017, 1h39, recommended for ages 7+

Christmas Eve is right around the corner, when everything goes haywire. Santa's 92,000 elves all fall ill and collapse... Simultaneously! Santa panics and worries about who will make the toys for all the kids all around the world? He has no choice! Santa and his reindeer must go to Earth in search of a cure. But once he gets there, Mr. Claus will need some help to save the magic of Christmas...

Available on YouTube | Google Play | iTunes

Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne)
Directed by Jacques Demy, 1970, 1h30, PG / recommended for ages 6+

The King seeks the hand of his own daughter in marriage after promising his dying wife to only wed a woman more beautiful than herself. Listening to her fairy godmother, the frightened Princess flees and hides, disguised as a scullery maid, while wearing the skin of a donkey. As a visiting prince passes by, he asks Donkey Skin to bake him a cake. She decides to bake him a Love Cake, in which she hides a ring…

Available on The Criterion Channel

Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami (Sur la piste du Marsupilami)
Directed by Alain Chabat, 2012, 1h40, PG-13 / recommended for ages 10+

When reporter Dan Geraldo arrives in Palombia to hunt for a scoop, he never suspects that he is about to make an incredible discovery... With his resourceful local guide Pablito, Dan has one surprise after another during a thrilling adventure that allows him to bring the world some spectacular news: the Marsupilami, a mythical and mischievous animal, really does exist! You too will believe in furry tails!

Available on iTunes | Google Play | YouTube

Lucky Luke
Directed by James Huth, 2009, 1h43, PG-13 / recommended for ages 12+

During his mission in Daisy Town, the city where he grew up, Lucky Luke is going to come across Billy the Kid, Calamity Jane, Pat Poker, Jesse James and sexy Belle.

Available on YouTube | iTunes | Google Play

Mia and the White Lion (Mia et le lion blanc)
Directed by Gilles De Maistre, 2018, 1h38, PG / recommended for ages 8+

A young girl and her beautiful white lion Charlie set off on an epic adventure across the wild African savanna in search for another land where Charlie can live out his life safe and free.

Available on Hoopla | Amazon Video | YouTube | Google Play | FandangoNow | iTunes | Vudu

Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot)
Directed by Jacques Tati, 1953, 1h27, recommended for ages 7+

Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati’s endearing clown, takes a holiday at a seaside resort, where his presence provokes one catastrophe after another. Tati’s masterpiece of gentle slapstick is a series of effortlessly well-choreographed sight gags involving dogs, boats, and firecrackers; it was the first entry in the Hulot series and the film that launched its maker to international stardom.

Available on The Criterion Channel | Kanopy | Amazon Video | iTunes

Nicholas on Holiday (Les Vacances du Petit Nicolas)
Directed by Laurent Tirard, 2014, 1h37, recommended for ages 7+

Nicholas, his parents and Granny hit the road, heading for the sea, and a stay in the Beau-Rivage Hotel. At the beach, Nicholas wastes little time making new friends, and the group has many adventures in this family…

Available on Kanopy | Amazon Prime | iTunes | YouTube | Google Play | Vudu

On the Way to School (Sur le chemin de l’école)
Directed by Pascal Plisson, 2015, 1h17, PG / recommended for ages 6+

The story of four students from different parts of the world that travel long distances to attend school.

Available on Hoopla | Kanopy | SundanceNow | Amazon Video | YouTube | Google Play | Vudu | iTunes

School of Life (L’école buissonnière)
Directed by Nicolas Vanier, 2017, 1h56, PG-13 / recommended for ages 8+

Paul has only ever had one and the same horizon: the high walls of an orphanage in the Parisian working class suburbs. Entrusted to Celestine and her husband, Borel, the city child, recalcitrant and stubborn, arrives in a mysterious and disturbing world, that of a soverign and wild region. In the heart of a fairytale Sologne, Paul will learn about life, and also about the forest and its secrets.

Available on Kanopy | Amazon Video | Vudu | Google Play | YouTube | iTunes

The 400 Blows (Les Quatre cent coups)
Directed by Francois Truffaut, 1959, 1h59, recommended for ages 8+

François Truffaut’s first feature is also his most personal. Told through the eyes of Truffaut’s cinematic counterpart, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), THE 400 BLOWS sensitively re-creates the trials of Truffaut’s own childhood, unsentimentally portraying aloof parents, oppressive teachers, and petty crime.

Available on The Criterion Channel | Kanopy | Amazon Video | Vudu | YouTube | Google Play | iTunes

The Bear (L’Ours)
Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, 1988, 1h40, PG / recommended for ages 11+

Acclaimed account of an orphaned grizzly cub and a wounded Kodiak bear that join forces in their struggle for survival in 1885 Canada.

Available on Amazon Prime | YouTube | Google Play

The Chorus (Les Choristes)
Directed by Christophe Barratier, 2014, 1h37, PG-13 / recommended for ages 12+

When he takes a job teaching music at a school for troubled boys, Clément Mathieu is unprepared for its harsh discipline and depressing atmosphere. But with passion and unconventional teaching methods, he's able to spark his students' interest in music and bring them a newfound joy! It also puts him at odds with the school's overbearing headmaster, however, locking Mathieu in a battle between politics and the determination to change his pupils' lives!

Available on Amazon Video | Google Play | YouTube | Vudu | FandangoNow

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (Les Aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec)
Directed by Luc Besson, 2010, 1h46, PG / recommended for ages 10+

The year is 1912. A 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg, housed on a shelf in the Natural History Museum, has mysteriously hatched, unleashing a prehistoric monster onto the Parisian streets. But nothing fazes Adèle, when she finds a connection with the ancient bird and reveals many more extraordinary surprises.

Available on tubi | Vudu | Amazon Video | YouTube | Google Play | iTunes

The Fox and the Child (Le Renard et l’enfant)
Directed by Luc Jacquet, 2007, 1h50, PG / recommended for ages 6+

What would it be like to have a fox for a friend? A 10-year-old girl who wants to know sets out to befriend a beautiful wild fox she names Lily. Bit by bit, in woods and fields blanketed by snow and carpeted by wildflowers, the girl and Lily build an extarordinary friendship as the fox leads her human companion on adventures bold, funny and even sometimes scary.

Available on Vudu | Amazon Video | YouTube | Google Play

To Be and To Have (Être et avoir)
Directed by Nicolas Philibert, 2002, 1h44, recommended for ages 7+

Georges Lopez is an educator at a small school in France's Auvergne region, where between December 2000 and June 2001 he taught 12 students between the ages of four and ten. Employing a curriculum that embraces both academics and practical skills, Lopez and his school represent a surprising mix of the old and the new, where computer technology and old-fashioned memorization of the multiplication tables sit side by side.

Available on Kanopy | Hoopla

Trouble at Timpetill (Les Enfants de Timpelbach)
Directed by Nicolas Bary, 2008, 2h13, recommended for ages 9+

Welcome to Timpetill, a small, serene village. Well, not really that serene… Indeed, for several weeks, the children have been playing multiple practical jokes and nasty tricks. The victims are, of course, other children… but also, and most of all, the parents. Overwrought, they decide to leave the village for what they think will only be one day. But nothing happens as planned: on the way back, they are taken prisoner by a group of soldiers. In Timpetill, the news of a village without parents makes Oscar and his gang of thugs happy! But that isn’t the case of a few daredevils who decide to side with Manfred and Marianne to regain control of the village.

Available on Vudu | YouTube | Google Play | Amazon Video | Hoopla

War of the Buttons (La Nouvelle guerre des boutons)
Directed by Christophe Barratier, 2011, 1h40, PG-13 / recommended for ages 10+

War of the Buttons follows Lebrac, a pre-teen rebel in WWII-occupied France. Lebrac enjoys leading "wars" between rival gangs of kids, but once he falls for a young Jewish girl in danger of being exposed by the Nazis, he must put aside the petty conflicts to unite the gangs and protect his love. In doing so, Lebrac and the other children confront the very real war happening around them.

Available on Redbox | FandangoNow | Amazon Video | iTunes | Vudu

You can also watch this other remake:

War of the Buttons (La Guerre des boutons) by Yann Samuell, 2011, 1h49, PG-13 / recommended for ages 8+
Available on YouTube | Google Play | Vudu

And if you're looking for short films:

A Trip To The Moon (Le Voyage dans la lune)
Directed by Georges Melies, 1902, 14 minutes, recommended for ages 7+
Available on Amazon Prime

The Red Ballon (Le Ballon Rouge)
Directed by Albert Lamorisse, 1956, 34 minutes, recommended for ages 4+
Available on FlixFling | Hoopla | The Criterion Channel | Kanopy | Vudu

White Mane (Crin Blanc, le Cheval Sauvage)
Directed by Albert Lamorisse, 1953, 47 minutes, recommended for ages 6+
Available on The Criterion Channel

Having young kids at home during the coronavirus pandemic can be a challenge for any parent. With this in mind, we've rounded up a list of some of the best French TV series available for preschoolers on streaming platforms in the US. 

From staples like Babar, Simon and Trotro, to the educational show Guess What?, and Ozie Boo!, which teaches little ones about protecting the environment, you're bound to find something to suit your mini TV critics!

Babar
Recommended for ages 5+

See the adventures of Babar, King of the elephants, his family and friends in this beloved series full of life lessons based on Jean de Brunhoff's classic book series.

Available on Tubi | Amazon Video | Google Play | YouTube | iTunes | Vudu

Bali
Recommended for ages 3+

Bali, a resolutely modern preschooler, lives a resolutely modern life in the big city. With a most un-stereotypical family, Bali faces the world inquisitively, sometimes shyly, never recklessly and always enthusiastically. 

Available on Amazon Prime | Google Play | YouTube | iTunes

Gigantosaurus
Recommended for ages 4+

Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu are four young dinosaurs growing up in the Cretaceous period. Life is always an adventure: new volcanoes are popping up all the time, enormous triceratopses roam free… and the big bad Gigantosaurus reigns over it all!

Available on Amazon Video

Guess What? (Devine Quoi ?)
Recommended for ages 2+

Timothy and Annabel are two playful rabbits who love having fun and sharing their adventures with children. Their favorite game is solving puzzles. But before they find the solution of each mysterious question, our heroes will meet lots of friends, collect clues and enter the Fantasy Land of Guesses as they leap into the kid computer.

Available on Apple TV | Amazon Prime

Manon
Recommended for ages 2+

Manon, the little queen of animals, lives on a farm and shares some funny and poetic adventures with all her friends: Bingo the dog, Melba the cat, Baz the Donkey and many others.

Available on Amazon Prime

Mia
Recommended for ages 2+

Mia is a six-year-old mouse who lives in the depths of a large house, with her Granny Mimi, her friends and neighbors. Inquisitive, daring and fearless, Mia gets excited by everything and anything: she wants to see, try and experience it all!

Available on Amazon Prime

Mini Wolf (Mini-Loup)
Recommended for ages 4+

Mini wolf and his fun-loving pals friends are always on the lookout for a new adventure even if it includes a little bit of mischief.

Available on Netflix

Molang
Recommended for ages 3+

Molang is an affectionate, humorous look at the relationship between an eccentric, joyful, and enthusiastic rabbit, and a shy, discreet, and emotional little chick. The series explores Molang and Piu Piu’s everyday life with warmth and humor.

Available on Netflix | Hulu | Amazon Prime | Disney Now | YouTube | Google Play | Hopster | KidStream 

Ozie Boo! Save The Planet (Ozie Boo ! Protège ta planète)
Recommended for ages 2+

The Ozie Boo Team goes to school like all children around of the world… but their school is the Nature School.

Available on Amazon Prime

If you like it, you can also watch:
Ozie Boo! – Learn To Live Together - Available on Amazon Prime

Paprika
Recommended for ages 3+

Stan and Olivia – the amazingly different Paprika twins – use their boundless enthusiasm to turn everyday life into an extraordinary adventure.

Available on Netflix

Simon
Recommended for ages 3+

With his vivid imagination, Simon the rabbit searches for fun while learning about the importance of responsibility and communication.

Available on Netflix

Tales of Tatonka (Les Légendes de Tatonka)
Recommended age 4+

Meet Wanji, Nunpa, Yamni and Topa, four wolf-cubs who live with their parents Winyan and Wicasa amidst a wolf pack in the plains and forests of North America. Their friend Tatonka, the lone bison, initiates them to a world unknown to wolves: they will have to learn to live outside the family, sometimes in a hostile and totally surprising environment.

Available on Amazon Prime

Trotro
Recommended for ages 3+

Trotro is a little donkey with a head full of ideas. He knows exactly what he likes and doesn't like. He's a positive and engaging hero, with whom young children will easily identify.

Available on Amazon Prime

Zou
Recommended for ages 3+

Zou, a little five-year-old zebra, lives in a town inhabited only by zebras. He and his extended family live in a large house right next door to his best friend, Elzee. He is an imaginative and inquisitive foal, and he’s now old enough to start becoming his own person!

Available on Amazon Prime

And don't forget Tivi5MONDE!

TiVi5MONDE is America's first and only 24/7 French language children's network delivering cartoons, educational shows, animations and teen series - the ideal destination for the kids ages 4- 12! Kids' favorites include Calimero, Oui Oui, Il était une fois...L'Homme, Belle et Sébastien, Chasseurs de dragons... Visit www.tivi5mondeusa.com to learn more.