Chers Parents is a comedy directed by Emmanuel Patron, co-written with Armelle Patron and starring André Dussollier, Miou-Miou, Arnaud Ducret, Pauline Clément, and Thomas Solivérès. Adapted from the hit play seen by more than 500,000 spectators, the feature film will be released in theaters on February 25, 2026, and will open the Alpe d'Huez Film Festival on January 19.
The story begins when Alice and Vincent Gauthier summon their three children for an urgent announcement, plunging the siblings into anxiety. In reality, the parents reveal that they have won a considerable sum of money, news that is greeted with relief but quickly tinged with incomprehension. The couple refuses to share this "jackpot," triggering a series of tensions, family revelations, and rivalries in which each child seeks to understand their place in this seemingly close-knit family.
Over the course of a highly tense dinner, the situation turns into a comedy of manners. Parent-child relationships become the dramatic driving force of the film, between old jealousies, half-confessed secrets, and issues of transmission that bring unspoken truths to the surface. The adaptation thus exploits the comic potential of the theatrical device while broadening its scope for cinema.
Shot in France, the film transposes the energy of the original show, created by Emmanuel and Armelle Patron, which became a private theater phenomenon. The film version is in line with French family comedies based on tense closed-door situations—a mechanism reminiscent, in its structure, of the dynamics of adapted plays such as Le Prénom and Un dîner de famille. Its presentation at the opening of the 2026 Alpe d'Huez Festival, a major event dedicated to comedy, confirms the interest generated by this adaptation.
The film develops a tone based on dialogue and the precision of ensemble acting. The humor relies on the contradictions of characters confronted with their own principles, while the staging highlights the rhythm of an evening where intimacy tips over into satire. The target audience is fans of situation comedies centered on generational tensions, in line with stories about family circles and the question of inheritance.
Dear Parents
Film | 2026
Theatrical release: February 25, 2026
Comedy | Running time: —
By Emmanuel Patron | Starring André Dussollier, Miou-Miou, Arnaud Ducret, Pauline Clément, Thomas Solivérès
Nationality: France
The adaptation of Dear Parents continues the momentum of a show that has become a popular success, transposing its closed-door setting to a broader stage that explores parent-child relationships through a character-driven comedy in which everyone must redefine their place.
To extend the theater experience, check out February's movie releases, the films to see right now, and our selection of comedies of the year.
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