The Francophone Film Festival of Greece (FFF), one of the country’s most prestigious cinema events, marks its 25th anniversary with a spectacular edition running from March 26 to April 3. This milestone edition, FFF25, promises to captivate audiences with a diverse and exciting lineup.

Held at the heart of Athens in iconic venues such as Danaos Cinema, the Greek Film Archive, and the “Théo Angelopoulos” Auditorium at the French Institute, FFF25 carries the theme “Celebration,” offering an eclectic mix of 45 films and a wide range of special events to mark the occasion.

One of the highlights is the internationally acclaimed French actress Isabelle Huppert, who stars in Patricia Mazuy’s La Prisonnière de Bordeaux, featured in the festival’s competition section. Huppert’s stunning performance is set to draw significant attention as part of this year’s festivities.

Isabelle Hupert.

FFF25 opens at the Athens Concert Hall with the screening of Emmanuel Courcol’s The Marching Band (En Farfare), a heartwarming drama about acclaimed conductor Thibaut, who discovers he has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. While searching for a donor, Thibaut uncovers long-lost family secrets, leading to a profound journey of reconnection and music.

Still frame from the film “En fanfare” ©Thibault-Grabherr.

The opening ceremony is free of charge, though seat reservations are required, and can be made here.

The festival will close with the highly anticipated musical biographical drama, Monsieur Aznavour, directed by Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade. The film tells the inspiring story of French singer Charles Aznavour, portrayed by Tahar Rahim, capturing his journey from the son of Armenian immigrants to becoming one of France’s most beloved cultural icons.

Monsieur Aznavour

Celebrating African Cinema: A Special Focus

The Cinémathèque Afrique of the Institut français (Paris) presents a remarkable selection of four restored African cinema masterpieces, making their Greek debut. This retrospective offers a rare opportunity to explore the rich cinematic heritage of French-speaking African countries.

Sidney Sokhona’s docudrama ‘Nationalité immigré’.

As part of the festival, FFF25 will host the signing of a landmark agreement between Creative Greece and INA – National Audiovisual Institute to strengthen policies for the preservation and promotion of audiovisual archives. A roundtable discussion on these critical issues will take place on Saturday, March 29, at the French Institute, with industry experts including Leonidas Christopoulos (Creative Greece), Agnès Chauveau (INA), and Véronique Joo Aisemberg (Cinémathèque Afrique). Maria Komninos, President of the Greek Film Archive, will moderate the discussion.

Panorama of French-Speaking Cinema

The Panorama of Francophone Cinema section will showcase 16 films from across the French-speaking world, offering audiences the unique chance to discover works that may never make it to Greek theaters. Among these gems is In the Kitchen of the N’Guyen (La Cuisine des N’Guyen), which will be screened in the presence of its director Stéphane LY-CUONG.

“Dans La Cuisine Des NGuyen”

In addition to school and youth screenings organized with the Animasyros Festival, FFF25 introduces a new initiative for film students in collaboration with Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Greece. For the first time, students can enjoy discounted tickets and participate in an exclusive meeting with director Boris Lojkine, whose critically acclaimed film L’Histoire de Souleymane (The Paris of Souleymane) won multiple Césars.

A Conversation on the Future of Cinema

On Monday, March 31, FFF25 will also host a roundtable titled “From the Book to the Screen” at the French Institute. This discussion will explore the growing trend of adapting literary works into films and the challenges that come with this practice. Participants will include Orestis Andreadakis, Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival; Vardis Marinakis, director of the series The Great Chimera; and Matthieu Delauny, film consultant. George Archimandritis, creator of radio art and culture documentaries, will moderate the discussion.

The roundtable is open to the public and is organized in collaboration with the Athens Film Office.

A Tribute to Michel Dimopoulos

The festival will also pay tribute to Michel Dimopoulos, a major figure in Greek-French cinema, who served as director of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and as the artistic director of the FFF in the early 2000s. A special discussion will feature key figures such as Zinos Panagiotidis, distributor; Penny Panayiotopoulou, director; Loukas Katsikas, Artistic Director of the Athens International Film Festival; and Ersi Sotiropoulou, writer and poet, who will serve as the President of the FFF25 jury.

Festival Highlights & Special Events

Alongside the screening of these films, FFF25 will celebrate its 25 years with a retrospective exhibition at the French Institute’s Maya Le Bistro. From March 18 to April 11, the exhibition, titled “FFF: 25 Years of Talents”, will feature 25 iconic portraits of filmmakers, actors, and composers who have contributed to the festival’s rich legacy.

In a section titled “Celebration Stories”, FFF25 will present five films exploring the joy of celebration in all its forms—whether spontaneous or planned, conventional or unconventional. These stories remind us of the significance of celebrating life.

March 30 will feature a screening of Trois nuits par semaine (Three Nights A Week), followed by a discussion with members of the Greek drag community, in collaboration with Athens Pride.

Three Nights A Week.

On March 28, FFF25 invites festivalgoers to a special 80’s themed party at Maya Le Bistro, after the screening of the legendary film La Boum. The event promises to be a fun-filled celebration with music from the golden decade of parties, hosted by radio producer Sotiris Roumeliotis.

For hip-hop and electronic music fans, a tribute evening dedicated to the late DJ Mehdi will take place on March 29. The event includes a screening of the first three episodes of a documentary series about the visionary producer, followed by a party at Romantso with DJs Noiz and Blue Lagoon.

DJ Mehdi ©xavierdenauw

Tickets & More Information

The 25th edition of the Francophone Film Festival of Greece runs from March 26 to April 3, 2025, with screenings in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Patras, Chania, Kavala, and Kastoria.

For more details on the program or to purchase tickets, visit here.