Do French Movie Theaters Use English?
It depends. Movie theater listings will tell you which version is being shown. If the original English soundtrack is used, the listing after the film title will say “v.o.” or “version originale”, which means that the film is shown with the original language and subtitled in French. If the film is dubbed in French, the listing will be “v.f.” or “version française”, which means it has a voiceover in French and no subtitles. Normally, you will find “v.o.” versions of a film in larger cities in France, because many film lovers like to see a “foreign” film in its original language. Out in smaller towns, foreign films are usually in “v.f.” In Paris both may be shown, so look carefully at the listing. You can get the weekly Pariscope magazine (which has film listings and many other events in Paris) at the tourist office, many hotels and other locations. Local papers will also have the listings.
