Over the past few years The Sloth, resident film critic of whatmoviethisweek has been delighted to see foreign film finally break free from its arthouse 
shackles to become widely embraced. About time too, for so many great films are now getting the audience they deserve. In fact we’d argue they are often better than Hollywood as, without multi-million dollar budgets for fancy special effects, foreign filmmakers have to actually write a good script. How positively quaint!
Treat your date to the current cream of the crop at Rendez-Vous With French Cinema, a festival running from 23 – 30 April at venues across the country. It’s a great chance to impress them with a thoughtful and individual film choice, making for a far more memorable date than booking the latest generic blockbuster. Choose something suitably romantic and let yourself get swept away in the emotion – for the shy amongst you the subtitles will do the talking so you don’t have to. You’re onto a winner. Here’s The Sloth’s top picks from the Rendez-Vous line up.
Bright Days Ahead 
This tale of an affair between an older woman and a younger man leading them to re-evaluate their lives is sweet and accessible. Sure to put a positive spin on your date whatever your age, you’ll leave uplifted.
Belle et Sébastian
Guaranteed to melt the heart of any date, particularly that of an animal lover. Sébastian is a lonely six year old boy living in the Nazi occupied French alps in WW2. Belle is the wild dog he tames for companionship. We’re welling up already…
Quai d’Orsay
Perhaps your date has a great sense of humour so you’d rather tickle their funnybone. French humour may not, let’s be frank, always be to British taste but Quai d’Orsay bucks this trend. Tightly scripted and directed, this tale of a suave politician is timely, witty and will have you both laughing into your popcorn.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for a festival to indulge. France continually produces top quality cinema. Other highlights out now on general release include:
Le Passé
So your date is a cinephile and your film knowledge extends from Iron Man to Iron Man 2? No need to panic. Blow them away with devastating family drama Le Passé – another masterpiece from the director of the Oscar winning A Separation. Adorned with laurels including a Best Actress win for star Bérénice Bejo at the Cannes Film Festival, plus Golden Globe and Palme d’Or nominations for Best Film, it simply doesn’t get better.
Yves Saint Laurent
Gentlemen if you really, really want to snag that stylista, this is a sure-fire way to her heart. A beautifully atmospheric, not to mention eye-opening biopic of the legendary designer, you may well baulk at sitting through 90 minutes of fashion history, but it’s a damn site cheaper than buying her a pair of Louboutins.
So there you have it. Pour yourself and your date a large glass of vin rouge, sit back and enjoy. Santé!
For further recommendations of top films on general release please visit: whatmoviethisweek
Do you enjoy foreign films? Are they better? More romantic?
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