Paris has long had a reputation for being a haven for cinephiles the world over. On December 28, 1895, Paris would be home to the first-ever public film screening at the Grand Café. The film was the work of Louis and Auguste Lumiere, who invented a camera projector called a Cinematographe. The film was a series of shorts of everyday Parisian life. Shortly after the premiere, in 1896, the Lumiere brothers opened theaters throughout the city to showcase their work and hired camera operators worldwide to shoot new material. These were the humble beginnings of the film industry as we know it today.
Since then, Paris has been the backdrop for many iconic films, and it’s not hard to see why. The French Capital is home to beautiful architecture, cobblestone streets, instantly recognizable landmarks, and perhaps the most glamorous people in the world. Paris is also affectionately known as The City of Light, which earns its title from the more than 296 illuminated sites within the city’s limits, making for a spectacular and dazzling view at night. Many iconic films spanning a wide range of genres were filmed in Paris throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. Here are the best movies set in Paris, ranked.
10 The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a Ron Howard thriller based on the novel of the same name by author Dan Brown. It chronicles a murder in the famed Louvre Museum. After the victim’s body is found in a pose of the Vitruvian man, symbologist and Harvard professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is called in to assist on the case. It is discovered that the forces responsible for the murder are on the quest for the “keystone,” which is an important item leading to the whereabouts of the Holy Grail. In addition to the Louvre, The Da Vinci Code also features L'Eglise Saint-Sulpice and Le Sacre-Coeur. The content of the film sparked religious controversy within the Catholic Church.
9 The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity is the first installment of the Jason Bourne franchise, starring Matt Damon as the titular character. While not entirely filmed in Paris, the City of Lights is explored at great length throughout the film. There is a car chase scene at the Passage Plantin, and two of the grand cities’ bridges are featured as well at the end of the film. The first was the Pont Neuf, and the second was the Pont des Arts. The film would go on to spawn four sequels, leaving fans hopeful there will be a sixth Bourne movie, however, that remains to be seen.
8 Mission Impossible: Fallout
The 6th installment of the Mission Impossible Franchise, Mission Impossible: Fallout sees agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) on a race against time to recover three plutonium cores from a criminal organization dubbed The Apostles. The contrast of high-paced action sequences amongst the beautiful architecture of the historical city is a sight not to be missed, especially considering Cruise does his own stunts.
7 An American in Paris
An American in Paris stars Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan in a post-war Paris to pursue his ambitions of becoming a painter. While following his dreams, Mulligan also falls in love with Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron). Soon, his art is discovered by a fellow American, heiress Milo Roberts, who’s got her eye on more than just his paintings. An American in Paris is set to compositions by George Gershwin and features dancing of unparalleled magnitudes, including a dialogue-free ballet sequence 17 minutes in length that cost half a million dollars to shoot. In addition to studio backdrops, the film also featured some unforgettable dance numbers in front of the Seine River.
6 La Haine
Studio Canal+
La Haine, which translates to “hatred”, is a French crime drama about an act of police brutality and its aftermath. It follows a 24-hour period in the lives of three men who live in a poor suburb of Paris, where growth rates of diversity coupled with an oppressive police force have racial tensions at a boiling point. When one of their friends is brutally beaten by police, the three men wander the streets as they try to come to terms with the violent events. The film is difficult to watch at times, but is an important social commentary. According to The Guardian, the film was inspired by the real-life shooting of 17-year-old Makome M'Bowole in 1993.
5 BPM
BPM (Beats Per Minute, or, as it's referred to in French, "battements par minute") is set in the 90s and follows the actions of ACT UP Paris, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, as it fights for recognition and support from both the government and pharmaceutical companies during the AIDS epidemic. ACT UP is a real-world organization who, in the early 90s, were seen as extremists. BPM tells the story from the point of view of these activists, allowing the audience to empathize with their actions and motives in a world that, at the time, saw AIDS as a punishment for "immorality".
4 Funny Face
Funny Face is a romantic comedy and musical starring Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. In one of Hepburn's best movies, she stars as Jo Stockton, a timid bookstore employee turned fashion model. After being discovered by fashion photographer Dick Avery (Astaire) in Greenwich Village, Avery convinces Stockton to join him in Paris for a fashion shoot, where she is photographed against many Parisian landmarks, such as the Arc de Triumph, the Seine River, The Louvre, etc. While Stockton and Avery spend time together in Paris, they begin to develop feelings for one another in true old Hollywood fashion.
3 The Red Balloon
The Red Balloon is a 38-minute short film by Albert Lamorisse that uses a simple object such as a balloon to tell an endearing story about solitude, loyalty, and friendship. It is generally thought of as a children’s movie, but is a delight for audiences of all ages. It follows a young boy who finds a balloon tied to a streetlamp; when the boy tries to free the balloon, he realizes the balloon will not leave his side. The movie was filmed in the Menilmontant neighborhood of Paris and won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as well as the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
2 La Jetée
La Jetée is a French science fiction featurette that chronicles the tale of a man who travels through time to find a solution to the bleak fate of the world in the aftermath of World War III. When accessing old memories the man becomes fixed on one in particular. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic Paris and is made up almost entirely of still photographs set to narration. Additionally, this international film inspired the American remake 12 Monkeys starring Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madelaine Stowe.
1 Amélie
Amélie is a French romantic comedy about a fanciful young woman who finds a box of treasures hidden in her apartment and tracks down the original owner to return it to him. Upon seeing how happy the owner was to be reunited with his trinkets, Amélie vows to enrich the lives of all those around her. In doing so, she ends up finding happiness for herself. The whimsical film earned notoriety for director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and was lauded with critical praise and awards. It is the best movie filmed in Paris due to the gorgeous backdrops that feature over 80 different Parisian locations.