Movies

French movie terms
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Au cinéma

Lights! Camera! Action (verbs)! Learn French vocabulary related to movies, cinemas, and the Cannes film festival.

movie theater un cinĂ©ma
movie, film un film
action movie un film d’action
adventure movie un film d’aventures
animated movie un film d’animation
biopic un film biographique
comedy une comĂ©die, un film comique
cop movie un film policier
documentary un documentaire
drama un drame
horror movie un film d’Ă©pouvante, d’horreur
martial arts movie un film d’art martiaux
musical une comĂ©die musicale
period drama un film d’Ă©poque
romantic movie un film romantique
sci-fi movie un film de science-fiction
silent movie un film muet
war movie un film de guerre
western un western
CastActeurs
actor un acteur, un interprète
actress une actrice, une interprète
cast list la distribution
extra un figurant, une figurante
female lead, leading actress le premier rĂ´le fĂ©minin
male lead, leading actor le premier rĂ´le
star une vedette
supporting actor un second rĂ´le
supporting actress un second rĂ´le fĂ©minin
walk-on part/role une silhouette
   
CrewÉquipe
camera operator un camĂ©raman, un cadreur
une cadreuse
cinematographer un directeur de la photo(graphie)
une directrice …
designer un dĂ©corateur
une décoratrice
director un rĂ©alisateur
une réalisatrice
director of photography un directeur de la photo(graphie)
une directrice …
editor un monteur
une monteuse
executive producer un producteur exĂ©cutif
une productrice exécutive
film-maker un cinĂ©aste
une cinéaste
hair stylist un coiffeur
une coiffeuse
line producer, assistant director un rĂ©gisseur
une régisseuse
make-up artist un maquilleur
une maquilleuse
producer un producteur
une productrice
screenwriter un scĂ©nariste
une scénariste
sound-effects engineer un bruiteur
une bruiteuse
sound engineer, sound recorder un preneur de son
une preneuse de son
   
Scenes and ShotsScènes et Plans
close up un plan rapprochĂ© / serrĂ©
continuity le raccord
dissolve, fade un fondu
frame un cadre
freeze frame un arrĂŞt sur image
in shot dans le champ
off-camera hors champ
on location en extĂ©rieur
on set en dĂ©cor, studio
panning un panoramique
set un tournage
   
VerbsVerbes
to add sound effects bruiter
to cut couper
to direct diriger
to edit monter
to film, shoot (a movie, scene) tourner (un film, une scène)
to frame a shot cadrer
to perform, act interprĂ©ter
to produce produire
to project, show projeter
to see voir
to watch regarder
   
Miscellaneous 
bad movie un navet (literally, "a turnip")
blockbuster un film Ă  grand succès
cinema (as a concept) le septième art
coming soon prochainement
crane une grue
credits, theme music le gĂ©nĂ©rique
dubbed
dubbed into French
 doublĂ©
VF (version française)
editing le montage
feature film un long mĂ©trage
filmmaking la rĂ©alisation
lighting l’Ă©clairage (m)
Lights, camera, action! ~ Silence, moteur, action !
red carpet la montĂ©e des marches
screenplay un scĂ©nario
short film un court mĂ©trage
show(ing) une sĂ©ance
showing, playing, on screen Ă  l’affiche
soundtrack la bande sonore
sound effects le bruitage
special effects le truquage
story board un dĂ©coupage
subtitled
subtitled into French
 
 sous-titrĂ©
VO (version originale)
 
le Festival de Cannes Cannes Film Festival
la Croisette "little cross," promenade which is the center of activity during the festival
une sĂ©lection officielle official festival selection
Un certain regard "a certain consideration," category for particularly innovative films
la Palme d’Or "golden palm," highest award given at Cannes

 Movie Vocab Quiz

Think you’ve got it? Test yourself French vocabulary for the movies with this fill-in-the-blanks exercise:

 French listening practice

Learn French at the Movies

Cinephile: French Language and Culture Through Film

Subtitled A Linguistic Approach to Studying Film for the 2nd-Year Language Student, this college-level textbook integrates movies into learning French in a way that film lovers will … love. It begins with a through review of 1st-year French and uses movies to teach vocabulary, idioms, and everyday expressions while at the same time sharing insights about French life and culture. Much more interesting than those run-of-the-mill textbooks with stilted dialogs and implausible situations, Cinephile brings French lessons and real-world scenarios to technicolor life!

 Related lessons

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French movie terms

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