Youth Francophone Film Festival 2026

The Alliance is happy to present our annual youth francophone film festival. For a young audience ages 4 to 18, with films generously provided by the French Institute, the festival's objective is to foster the French language and Francophone cultures by showcasing films tailored for various age groups. This year we are showing Bonjour le monde! and Nina et le secret du hérisson.

Schools can choose from two ways to experience the film festival: the Alliance will bring film screenings to the school, or students may take a fieldtrip to The Judy to watch the movie on the big screen. Each film comes with complimentary educational resources designed to assist teachers in delving into diverse themes with their students both prior to and after the screenings. These explorations aim to enhance students' critical thinking skills and initiate the analysis of films.

The Festival has five goals:

1. Introduce young audiences to French-speaking cinema;
2. Integrate cinema as a teaching tool in classes;
3. Offer children of all socio-economical and cultural backgrounds an opportunity to see a film in foreign language in a special setting;
4. Teach young people to be critical in their analysis of films;
5. Promote synergy between the Alliance Française de Portland and schools offering French language learning.

All of the screenings are entirely FREE for the participating schools. The Alliance Française de Portland provides the films, along with educational portfolios for each film (in French).  The films are available for screening in April and May. For inquiries about the festival, please contact Executive Director Elene Zedginidze.

2026 Program

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5-10 ans

Bonjour le monde!

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10 espèces d’animaux parmi tant d’autres naissent, vivent et s’apprivoisent les unes les autres le long d’une rivière. Le hibou moyen-duc prend son envol pour naître une seconde fois et apprivoiser la nuit. Le grèbe huppé sillonne son territoire de pêche, devenant invisible et fait la danse des algues. Le martin-pêcheur dans son voyage à la recherche d’une place au soleil. La tortue cistude qui se laisse guider par l’eau et défie le temps. La noctule de Leisler qui voit avec les oreilles la symphonie du soir. Le castor d’Europe, ce bâtisseur des berges qui ne peut résister à l’odeur des arbres. La salamandre tachetée explorer les deux côtés du monde, cette étrange merveille. Le butor étoilé, l’oiseau-roseau qui rêve d’attraper la lune. Le grand brochet qui souhaite devenir colossal pour vivre de grandes aventures. Et enfin l’anax empereur, ce combattant dont l’armure est forgée par le soleil. Tous s’exclamant : « Bonjour le monde ! ».

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Ten animal species, among many others, are born, live, and interact with one another along a river. The long-eared owl takes flight to be reborn and tame the night. The great crested grebe patrols its fishing territory, becoming invisible and performing the dance of the algae. The kingfisher embarks on its journey in search of a place in the sun. The European pond turtle lets itself be guided by the water and defies time. Leisler's bat perceives the symphony of the evening with its ears. The European beaver, this builder of the riverbanks, cannot resist the scent of the trees. The spotted salamander explores both sides of the world, this strange marvel. The Eurasian bittern, the reed bird, dreams of catching the moon. The northern pike who wishes to become colossal to experience great adventures and the emperor dragonfly with armor forged by the sun—all exclaim: "Hello world!"

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11-14 ans

Nina et le secret du hérisson

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Nina aime écouter les histoires que lui raconte son père pour s’endormir, celles d’un hérisson qui découvre le monde. Un soir, son père, préoccupé par son travail, ne vient pas lui conter une nouvelle aventure... Heureusement, son meilleur ami Mehdi est là pour l’aider à trouver une solution : et si le trésor caché dans la vieille usine pouvait résoudre tous leurs problèmes ? Commence alors une grande aventure où il faut échapper à la vieille voisine et à son chat Touffu, déjouer les pièges du gardien et embobiner son gros chien... Sans compter le petit hérisson qui mène l’enquête à leurs côtés !

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Nina loves listening to the stories her father tells her to help her fall asleep, stories about a hedgehog discovering the world. One evening, her father, preoccupied with work, doesn't come to tell her about a new adventure. Luckily, her best friend Mehdi is there to help her find a solution: what if the treasure hidden in the old factory could solve all their problems? Thus begins a great adventure where they must escape the nosy old neighbor and her cat, Fluffy, outsmart the caretaker, and trick his big dog... Not to mention the little hedgehog who's investigating alongside them!