Period reconstructions, epic battles, the destinies of kings and anonymous figures: historical films take us back to the great moments of the past. Whether they evoke ancient Rome, the French Revolution, World War II, or contemporary political figures, these films combine spectacle and memory. This guide lists historical feature films to see in theaters and upcoming releases in the genre.
Electric Venus: Pierre Salvadori's film will open the Cannes Film Festival 2026.
Billed as the opening film of the Cannes Festival, Pierre Salvadori's The Electric Venus hits cinemas on May 13, 2026, starring Pio Marmaï, Anaïs Demoustier, and Gilles Lellouche. [Read more]
The Bojarski Case, starring Reda Kateb, hits VOD in May 2026
The Bojarski Case, a historical drama by Jean-Paul Salomé starring Reda Kateb and Sara Giraudeau, debuts in EST on May 14 and hits VOD on May 19, 2026. [Read more]
Maximilian Kolbe: A Life Given — the film about the final days of the priest at Auschwitz
Maximilian Kolbe: A Life Given traces the final days of the Polish priest in Auschwitz’s hunger bunker. Anthony D'Ambrosio's film hits theaters on May 20, 2026. [Read more]
The Battle of Gaulle: The Iron Age, the trailer for Antonin Baudry's film starring Simon Abkarian
The trailer for The Battle of Gaulle: The Iron Age is online. The first instalment of Antonin Baudry's diptych, featuring Simon Abkarian as de Gaulle, hits cinemas on June 3, 2026. [Read more]
The Battle of Gaulle: I Write Your Name, the trailer for Antonin Baudry's second installment.
The trailer for The Battle of Gaulle: I Write Your Name is online. The second installment of Antonin Baudry's diptych, featuring Simon Abkarian as de Gaulle, hits theaters on July 3, 2026. [Read more]
Odyssey: Nolan’s new trailer for his film
L’Odyssée, Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron, unveils a new trailer ahead of its theatrical release on July 15, 2026. [Read more]
The Marie-Claire Affair by Lauriane Escaffre and Yvo Muller, in a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2026
L'Affaire Marie-Claire, a biopic from Lauriane Escaffre and Yvo Muller starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, has been chosen for a Special Screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2026. It hits cinemas on November 4, 2026. [Read more]
Kaamelott - Part 2: the direct sequel to Astier's film
Alexandre Astier concludes his Kaamelott diptych – Second Part with Part 2, in theaters November 11, 2026. More than a hundred characters come together in an epic adventure. [Read more]
Les Misérables: Fred Cavayé brings Victor Hugo’s classic to the big screen
Les Misérables, a gripping adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel directed by Fred Cavayé and starring Vincent Lindon, Tahar Rahim, and Camille Cottin, hits theaters on December 9, 2026. [Read more]
Because historical cinema allows us to relive the past with intensity: grandiose sets, sumptuous costumes, and immersive reconstructions. These films offer both a visual spectacle and a reflection on our own era, recounting the great human upheavals throughout time.
This guide presents a selection of historical films already showing or coming soon, automatically updated according to new cinema releases. You will find:
A feature film based on a real event, a past era, or a real-life character. The genre covers both epic sagas and intimate stories inspired by historical events.
Yes. The sections above are updated as soon as a new article tagged "historical film" is published on Sortir à Paris.
See also: Biopics to see at the cinema • Dramas to see at the cinema • Documentaries to discover at the cinema
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