The French Comedy Club, a weekend-long showcase of French IPs, is returning to Los Angeles for a sixth edition on March 21-22 at the Lumière Cinema in Beverly Hills.
The two-day event, created by Olivier Albou and Laurence Schonberg, co-heads of sales and production house Other Angle, will play hit French comedies that have not yet been released theatrically in the U.S. and boast strong remake potential.
As in many countries, the French box office is often led by local comedies that travel to Europe but seldom cross the Atlantic, with famous examples such as Dany Boon’s “Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis,” which grossed $245 million internationally but barely reached U.S. theaters. Yet, remakes of local smash hits are often worth exploring for risk-averse producers, even if the vast majority end up being shelved. Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache’s “The Untouchables,” meanwhile, grossed $423 million internationally and was successfully remade into “The Upside” by Neil Burger.
This year’s lineup of four high-concept movies set to play at the Lumière Cinema in Beverly Hills includes UGC’s “Cycle of Time,” a time-traveling comedy starring Elsa Zylberstein and Didier Bourdon; Charades’ “La Comédie Française,” starring Pauline Clement and Laurent Stocker; Other Angle’s “The Infiltrator,” directed by and starring Ahmed Sylla; and Pathé’s “The Marsupilami” directed by and starring
Philippe Lacheau.
“Cycle of Time,” which sold nearly 900,000 admissions in France, tells the story of Michel and Hélène Dupuis, an ordinary couple in 1958 who accidentally find themselves transported to 2025. “La Comédie Française” takes place inside the famous institution, hours before the premiere of a new production of “Macbeth.” “The Infiltrator,” released last month, follows a clumsy police officer who has to dress as a woman for an undercover mission in a fearsome gang of female warriors. “The Marsupilami” – currently the highest-grossing French film of 2026 with over 5.3 million theatrical admissions — is based on the popular graphic novel and revolves around a man on a mission to deliver a mysterious package from South America, only to find out he is carrying a baby Marsupilami.
“It’s more than just a festival,” said Albou and Schonberg, who are based in Los Angeles. “It’s an event that brings together an audience of industry professionals, including producers, buyers, agents, and managers, who are interested in French film remakes, as well as general moviegoers who come to see the latest French comedies right after or even before their release in France.”
By the end of this next edition, the French Comedy Club will have shown 30 films in Los Angeles. Every year, deals are being closed on films playing at the festival or other titles that Other Angle represents. Past movies that sold at the showcase include Artus’ “A Little Something Extra” which topped the box office in 2024 with over 10 million admissions; Thomas Gilou’s “Retirement Home,” Martin Provost’s “The Midwife,” Clovis Cornillac’s “Blind Date,” Anna Novion’s “Marguerite’s Theorem” and Nicolas Benamou’s “Babysitting.”
“Our strength lies in having access to a wide range of French films through our network of producers and sales agents, as well as our presence in L.A., which gives us direct and easier access to American producers, agents, and managers here, and buyers at studios and streaming platforms,” Albou said, before adding that the event’s ultimate goal is “to build a bridge between France and the U.S.”
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