A New Millennium, A New Cinema

The year 2000 marked more than just a calendar change for French cinema. The digital revolution was beginning to transform filmmaking, while social movements were pushing for greater representation on screen. French actors found themselves navigating a rapidly changing landscape where the old certainties—the divide between commercial and art house cinema, the dominance of theatrical release, the insular nature of national cinemas—were all being challenged.

Yet what remained constant was the French approach to acting: the emphasis on psychological truth, the willingness to take risks, and the view of acting as an art form worthy of serious consideration. These qualities would allow French actors to succeed in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.