Cinemas in France will feature a diverse lineup of films throughout January 2026, ranging from blockbusters and dramas to comedies and animated features. The month begins with releases on December 31, 2025, continuing into weekly drops through the end of the month. This selection includes award-winning entries from festivals like Cannes and Venice, alongside new auteur works and family-friendly options.
January 2026 offers cinema-goers in France a rich variety of new releases, ideal for escaping the winter chill. Screenings adapt to various schedules, with options for family afternoons or evening immersions.
On December 31, 2025, several films arrive, including the family drama Who Shines directed by Joséphine Japy, starring Mélanie Laurent and exploring family dynamics amid disability. Also debuting is Magellan, a historical biopic by Lav Diaz featuring Gael García Bernal, presented at Cannes 2025. Other releases include the drama-comedy Laurent in the Wind by Anton Balekdjian with Léo Couture and Mattéo Eustachon; the comedic reimagining Anaconda starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black; the musical drama On a Blues Note with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson; Le Pays d'Arto by Tamara Stepanyan starring Camille Cottin; and the comedy Vade Retro by Antonin Peretjatko.
January 7 brings The Lights of New York, a social drama by Lloyd Lee Choi from Cannes Directors' Fortnight; Echoes of the Past by Mascha Schilinski, a German drama that won the Cannes Jury Prize; the Western Heads or Tails? with John C. Reilly; Jim Jarmusch's comedy-drama Father Mother Sister Brother starring Tom Waits and Adam Driver, Golden Lion winner at Venice; the Chinese historical drama Nanjing Photo Studio by Ao Shen; and Ma Frère by Lise Akoka and Romane Guéret with Fanta Kebe.
On January 14, expect the historical drama The Bojarski Case by Jean-Paul Salomé starring Reda Kateb; 28 Years Later: The Temple of the Dead directed by Nia DaCosta; the thriller Sans pitié with Adam Bessa; the biopic Furcy, né libre by Abd Al Malik featuring Makita Samba; and the sequel Greenland Migration starring Gerard Butler.
January 21 includes the horror Primate by Johannes Roberts; the Italian drama Diamonds by Ferzan Özpetek; the animated Tafiti for young audiences; the thriller Grand Ciel with Damien Bonnard; the romantic comedy Love in the End Times by Anne Émond; Chloé Zhao's Hamnet starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley; the animated Olivia by Irene Iborra; and Olivier Assayas's The Wizard of the Kremlin with Paul Dano and Jude Law.
Finally, January 28 features Guru by Yann Gozlan starring Pierre Niney; the thriller Found Guilty with Chris Pratt; the historical drama Nuremberg starring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe; Michel Franco's Dreams with Jessica Chastain; the documentary Life After Siham by Namir Abdel Messeeh; the comedy Baise-en-ville by Martin Jauvat; Promise to Heaven by Erige Sehiri with Aïssa Maïga; the animated The Legends – The Movie; Paolo Sorrentino's La Grazia starring Toni Servillo; and The Whale Hunter by Philipp Yuryev.
Additionally, events like the Amnesty Film Festival from January 30 to February 1, UGC Films showcase from January 14 to 27, Télérama Cinema Festival from January 21 to 27, and Les Mycéliades sci-fi festival from January 31 to February 15 provide further viewing opportunities at affordable prices.
