Craving a drama at the cinema? Here you'll find the dramas currently playing in theaters and the upcoming releases to watch: intimate stories, family sagas, social dramas, sensitive portraits, standout performances, or films based on true events.
This pick helps you quickly decide which drama to see in theaters, whether you’re after an emotionally moving film, a realistic narrative, a gripping story, a French drama, a social-issues film, or a more intimate work to discover on the big screen.
The Heroes of the Louvre: our review of the historical drama starring Kad Merad
The Heroes of the Louvre, by Élie Chouraqui, hits cinemas on September 9, 2026. Our take on this intense historical drama starring Kad Merad, weaving together family heroism, heritage and memory. [Read more]
The Opera! : Vincent Cassel and Fanny Ardant revisit the Orpheus myth — our review
The Opera! takes Orpheus and Eurydice into a musical, fantastical universe, with Vincent Cassel and Fanny Ardant, opening in theaters on September 2. Read our review. [Read more]
Love letters from my grandmother: a family story shaped by exile
A grandson digs into his family's past in My Grandmother's Love Letters, Lan Hongchun's Chinese drama hitting theaters on September 2, 2026. [Read more]
The Good Sister: a sister faces an accusation of rape connected to her brother
In The Good Sister, a young woman must testify after her brother is accused of rape. The drama hits theaters on September 2. [Read more]
La Frappe : Bastien Bouillon stars in a family drama premiered at Cannes
Bastien Bouillon, Diego Murgia and Romane Fringeli star in La Frappe, Julien Gaspar-Oliveri’s family drama, hitting cinemas on September 2, 2026. [Read more]
Salvation: the political film awarded at the Berlinale arrives in theaters
Silver Bear at the Berlinale 2026, Emin Alper’s Salvation hits cinemas on September 2. A political drama not suitable for under-12s. [Read more]
The Dog Stars in cinemas: our take on Ridley Scott's film
The Dog Stars, Ridley Scott's new post-apocalyptic thriller starring Jacob Elordi, hits theaters on August 26, 2026. Find out everything you need to know about the film and read our verdict after viewing. [Read more]
A Woman's Life: Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet's film in theaters this September
The Life of a Woman, directed by Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet, starring Léa Drucker, Mélanie Thierry, and Charles Berling, hits cinemas in France on 9 September 2026 after Cannes 2026. [Read more]
The Last Patient: Anouk Grinberg faces a medical and social emergency
Anouk Grinberg welcomes a pregnant woman who has run out of access to care in La Dernière patiente, Rémi Bassaler's first feature film, in theaters on September 2. [Read more]
Dégel: Manuela Martelli Probes the Silences of Chile's Post-Dictatorship
Dégel, Manuela Martelli's new film starring Maya O’Rourke and Saskia Rosendahl, opens in theaters on August 26, 2026. Check out the trailer. [Read more]
The Unknown Woman hits the big screen: Arthur Harari's fantastical thriller starring Léa Seydoux
Arthur Harari's The Unknown Woman, with Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider, hits theaters on August 26, 2026. A fantastical thriller that premiered at Cannes. [Read more]
Three Farewells: Alba Rohrwacher faces illness in Isabel Coixet's new film
Alba Rohrwacher and Elio Germano part ways in Three Farewells, Isabel Coixet's drama adapted from Michela Murgia, hitting cinemas on September 2, 2026. [Read more]
Billie Melody: the French drama starring Roschdy Zem in cinemas this September
Billie Melody, a French drama directed by Christine Paillard and featuring Roschdy Zem, Julia Faure and Bonnie Bouriche Troutaud, hits cinemas on September 9, 2026. [Read more]
If you think about it: Monia Chokri trapped in a controlling relationship
Monia Chokri and Niels Schneider star as a couple under the influence in Si tu penses bien, hitting cinemas on September 16, 2026. [Read more]
My Samurai Family: An animated film that bridges Brazil and Japan
My Samurai Family, Célia Catunda's animated feature adapted from the novel Nihonjin, hits theaters on September 16, 2026. Watch the trailer. [Read more]
Sense and Sensibility: Daisy Edgar-Jones stars in Jane Austen’s new adaptation
Georgia Oakley adapts Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility with Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles. In theaters September 23, 2026. [Read more]
Garance : Adèle Exarchopoulos portrays an actress grappling with alcoholism
Garance, Jeanne Herry's new film starring Adèle Exarchopoulos and Sara Giraudeau, unveils its trailer ahead of its September 23, 2026 release. [Read more]
The Abandon: Film about Samuel Paty Returns to Theaters
The Abandonment, by Vincent Garenq, with Antoine Reinartz portraying Samuel Paty, returns to cinemas on September 23, 2026, featuring an accompanying educational program. [Read more]
Verity: trailer starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson
Verity, a romantic thriller directed by Michael Showalter and led by Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, hits theaters on September 30, 2026. The trailer unveils the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel. [Read more]
False Note: Kad Merad and Benoît Poelvoorde confront the weight of the past
Kad Merad and Benoît Poelvoorde square off in Fausse Note, a claustrophobic historical drama directed by Alexandre Arcady, arriving in cinemas on October 7, 2026. [Read more]
The Social Reckoning : Aaron Sorkin brings the Facebook Files to the big screen
The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin's film about the Facebook Files with Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White, is set to hit theaters on October 7, 2026. [Read more]
Le Corset: Louis Clichy’s animated feature arrives in theaters in October
Presented in Un Certain Regard at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Le Corset, Louis Clichy’s animated feature, arrives in theaters on October 14, delivering a coming‑of‑age story set in the Beauce. [Read more]
Les Misérables: Vincent Lindon and Tahar Rahim star in the teaser
Vincent Lindon stars as Jean Valjean opposite Tahar Rahim in Fred Cavayé's Les Misérables, due in cinemas on October 14, 2026. [Read more]
Clayface: the DC horror film hits theaters in October 2026
Clayface, a DC horror-thriller directed by James Watkins, featuring Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie and Max Minghella, hits cinemas on October 21, 2026. [Read more]
Klara and the Sun: Jenna Ortega plays a robot in Taika Waititi's film
Klara and the Sun, Taika Waititi's sci-fi film starring Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, and Mia Tharia, hits cinemas in France on October 21, 2026. [Read more]
The Marie-Claire Case: the Bobigny trial brought to the screen starring Charlotte Gainsbourg.
The Marie-Claire Case, with Charlotte Gainsbourg portraying Gisèle Halimi, unveils its trailer ahead of its theatrical release on November 4, 2026. [Read more]
Scrooge: First trailer for the film starring Johnny Depp unveiled
Johnny Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in Scrooge, Ti West’s new take on A Christmas Carol. Watch the first trailer for the film. [Read more]
Forty Love: Catherine Deneuve and Romeo Beckham star in a romantic drama set in the world of tennis
Between top-tier competition and emotional upheaval, Forty Love dives into the world of professional tennis with Catherine Deneuve, Guillaume Canet, Benjamin Voisin, Paul Kircher and Romeo Beckham. Pierre-Ange Carlotti's debut feature is slated for release in cinemas on November 25, 2026. [Read more]
For a poignant viewing experience, lean toward family-centered stories, intimate character portraits, or tales of rebuilding. Social dramas tackle broader societal issues, while films based on real events or biopics spotlight remarkable life journeys. Some dramas also edge into thriller, dramedy, or historical-fiction territory.
To refine your choice, also check out our picks dedicated to dramedies, biopics, and French films to see on the big screen.
Dramedies to see in theaters right now
Between laughs and tears, explore the dramedies worth catching in theaters right now and the upcoming releases awaiting their turn on the big screen. [Read more]
Artists, athletes, historic figures or extraordinary life stories: discover the biopics now playing in cinemas and what's coming next. [Read more]
Comedies, dramas, thrillers or auteur films: discover the French movies to see in theaters right now and the upcoming releases. [Read more]
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Dramedies to see in theaters right now
Biopics to see in theaters now and coming soon
French films to watch in theaters now and coming soon
