If you enjoyed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, check out these 33 lesser-known French films next.

      Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is now available, and critics are unanimous in their assessment: it truly embodies a French essence.

      Sandfall Interactive’s RPG has garnered acclaim for its innovative narrative and stylish aesthetics, and its French heritage has sparked interest among players. Clair Obscur embraces its identity, filled with visual nods to France’s rich art legacy. If your gaming journey leaves you curious about other media that reflects this culture, I invite you to explore French cinema. This realm boasts a remarkable history of unique, boundary-pushing films that can be both tender and unpredictable. If you appreciate how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 reinvents the RPG genre, you might find parallels in how French directors have similarly transformed the film landscape over the years.

      To provide some comedic relief, I’ve compiled a list of 33 lesser-known French films to enjoy alongside your gameplay. Are these films genuinely obscure? Well, cinephiles might roll their eyes at some of these selections, but for gamers, many may be entirely unfamiliar. I aimed to include lesser-known works from significant figures in the medium, steering clear of obvious choices like Breathless and The 400 Blows. I’ll spotlight a few key films to kick things off, but everything listed here deserves a spot on your watchlist.

      **Ballet Mécanique**

      There has been much discussion about how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 pushes the boundaries of the RPG format established by classic Japanese titles like Final Fantasy. You can’t delve into French formal experimentation without mentioning Ballet Mécanique. Released in 1924, this Dadaist short is renowned for challenging conventional film aesthetics during a time when the medium was still defining itself. It features a whirlwind of stream-of-consciousness imagery and animation, paving the way for a legacy of cinematic innovation. Is there a trace of Clair Obscur's spirit within it? I like to think so.

      **Last Year at Marienbad**

      Much of Clair Obscur‘s allure stems from its visual design, often as surreal and unsettling as it is beautiful. This serves as a perfect opportunity for me to recommend one of my all-time favorite films, Last Year at Marienbad. Directed by Alain Resnais, this avant-garde drama unfolds entirely within a hotel and revolves around a love affair. It’s a slow, disorienting experience that toys with your perception of time and space. Its most iconic scene features a camera gazing into a garden, where people and plants cast shifting shadows. While it may not be as fantastical as Clair Obscur, it is haunting in a way that lingers with you, even if the plot eludes full comprehension.

      **Au Hasard Balthazar**

      While Clair Obscur may be “weird,” it is also deeply heartfelt. It narrates a poignant tale about collective grief and people uniting to overcome it, creating a brighter future for generations to follow. There’s something profoundly moving and grounded within its extravagant design. A notable French film that captures this essence is Au Hasard Balthazar, another personal favorite. This subtle film chronicles the life of a donkey as it is passed from one farm to another. Though the story centers on an animal, it is through his innocent perspective that we witness the turmoil of human drama surrounding him. This classic paved the way for films like Flow, which tug at the audience’s heartstrings, while rethinking the role of the protagonist in connecting with viewers. In essence, Balthazar is the Monoco of film.

      **Weekend**

      You can’t discuss French cinema without mentioning Jean-Luc Godard and the New Wave movement. Alongside contemporaries like Agnès Varda and François Truffaut, Godard reveled in breaking established cinematic conventions of his time, from employing raw handheld shots to inserting unexpected jump cuts. However, the films of the French New Wave were not entirely countercultural; they were heavily influenced by American cinema and sought to build upon the works that inspired French filmmakers of that era. If you’re looking for a connection to Clair Obscur, that’s a solid justification for discussing Weekend in a video game article. This film is one of Godard’s most demanding and formally innovative, positioning a scathing critique of consumerism within a sequence of unforgettable moments. After viewing it, you’ll never perceive a traffic jam quite the same way again—though be warned, it also contains a horrific animal death that’s hard to digest.

      **Atlantics**

      Admittedly, those four films may be a challenging starting point if you’re new to this genre, so I’ll conclude with a more accessible film that's easily found. Atlantics, directed by Mati Diop in 2019, is available to stream on Netflix. It is both rich and sparse, addressing themes from grief to the refugee crisis within a haunting ghost story that has stayed with me since my first watching. Out of all the films on this list,