FFFH: 50 French film gems in Biel/Bienne

The Festival du Film Français d’Helvétie (FFFH) will present around 50 French and French-language films in Biel from September 17 to 21, 2025. 

Festival du Film Français dHelvétie 2025
The FFFH brings French cinema to Biel (Image: zvg)

The city of Biel/Bienne is once again dominated by French film: the 21st edition of the Festival du Film Français d'Helvétie (FFFH) attracts visitors with a diverse program. From comedies and dramas to literary adaptations, the festival showcases the entire spectrum of current French-language filmmaking. There is a particular focus on socially relevant topics and films that address current debates.

Filmszene FFFH 2025
The festival presents numerous previews and Swiss premieres (Image: zvg)

A highlight will be the traditional panel discussions after the screenings, at which around 20 filmmakers will be present in person. The discussions are moderated by film critic Vincent Adatte and allow the audience to interact directly with the creatives.

In addition to the main screenings, the FFFH also offers special formats: A section with short films, in which five works compete for the Prix découverte Bonhôte, endowed with CHF 3,000, as well as the Forum Prize for Bilingualism (CHF 2,000), which this year goes to Martin Geisler for 'Accalmie'.

Swiss filmmaking is also well represented: With 'Mary Anning' by Marcel Barelli, 'Fitting in' by Fabienne Steiner and 'Asphalte public' by Jan Buchholz, several local productions will be shown. In addition, renowned director and producer Lionel Baier will be presenting the first two episodes of the series 'The Deal' by Jean-Stéphane Bron.

After the main festival, the FFFH goes on tour and brings selected films to ten German-speaking locations in the canton of Bern from October 31 to November 27.

More articles on the topic