For our closing film in this year’s French Film Festival UK, another Special Preview, we present a robust new non-musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s timeless classic.
After enduring 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean (Vincent Lindon) emerges a hardened man. He seeks redemption by reinventing himself as a respected dignitary under a new identity. He promises Fantine (Noémie Merlant), a dying factory worker, to rescue and protect her daughter Cosette (Megan Northam), who is being exploited and mistreated by the deceitful Thénardier family (Camille Cottin and Benjamin Lavernhe). As Valjean raises Cosette as his own, he is relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert (Tahar Rahim). Amidst the social unrest shaking France, the fates of Valjean, Cosette, her lover Marius and Javert become intertwined in a turbulent, revolutionary Paris. Through struggles, sacrifices and a deep yearning for justice, Valjean strives to complete his own journey of redemption and offer Cosette a future of love and freedom. This is one of the biggest releases of the year in France, and this new, realistic interpretation of Hugo’s classic novel, complete with an outstanding stellar French cast, will surely also be eagerly awaited here in the UK. In Fred Cavayé’s hands, Hugo’s work retains its ensemble nature, whereas a lot of previous cinema adaptations tended to focus on Valjean, Javert and Cosette. (Subtitles)
France 2026 Fred Cavayé 178m
