The eighth Oh Là Là! French Comedy Festival, which will run from November 27 to December 5 around the country, will feature the best recent French comedies, with that Gallic charm that makes them such crowd pleasers. The festival will be held in the cinematheques in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Herzliya, Holon, Rosh Pina, and Sderot, as well as the Anis Cultural Center in Jaffa, Cinema City Glilot, and Cinema City Netanya.
This year’s program mixes premieres, restored classics, and one-time special presentations flown in directly from France. Each participating cinematheque will screen different selections, and the full lineup will appear on the Eden Cinema festival website.
Caroline Boneh, the founder of Eden Cinema and the curator of the festival, has assembled a program that reflects the wide stylistic range of French comedy today, from gentle rom-coms to full-out slapstick. The festival’s theme is illustrated by a quote from Victor Hugo: “Laughter is the greatest proof of intelligence.”
Among the highlights will be Leave One Day, the opening film of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Amélie Bonnin and starring Juliette Armanet, a well-known singer, and Bastien Bouillon, it tells the story of a Parisian chef who goes through a time of personal discovery when she is forced to return to her hometown.
Another major new film is Tomorrow Will Be Better, starring Didier Bourdon and Elsa Zylberstein and directed by Vinciane Millereau, the story of a traditional couple in 1958 who suddenly find themselves transported to 2025. The movie has been a huge hit in France.
Restored classics and festival exclusives
The festival also includes two restored Jean Vigo’s L’Atalante, known as the director’s poetic masterpiece, and the Gérard Oury comedy The Great Adventure (La Grande Vadrouille), starring the beloved duo Bourvil and Louis de Funès, who play Frenchmen who help the British during World War II.
Three films are being brought to Israel exclusively for the festival and will be screened only during its run.
Lucky Star (La Bonne Etoile) is a new dramedy by actor-director Pascal Elbé, which features Benoît Poelvoorde as a Frenchman in the 1940s who deserts the army and convinces his wife and son to pose as Jews because of his misguided belief that, “only Jews know how to manage in difficult times.”
Another exclusive title is Avignon, a lively backstage romantic comedy by Johann Dionnet set against the backdrop of the Avignon Theater Festival.
The festival also honors the late comedy director Laurent Tirard, who died two years ago, with a screening of his film Up for Love, a charming romantic comedy starring Jean Dujardin and Virginie Efira. The festival is being presented by Eden Cinema (edencinema.com), with the support of the Institut Français in Israel and UniFrance.