Amélie a soudain le sentiment étrange d’être en harmonie totale avec elle-même (or How I Fell In Love With French Cinema)

With The Artist, a beautiful silent French movie nominated for ten Academy Awards and a new wave of French actresses rapidly gaining recognition and popularity, it seems I’m not the only person falling for French films.

When I was studying French A-level, it seemed that all French films were either directed by Francois Truffaut or featured Gérard Depardieu in a starring role. Neither of these factors enamoured French cinema to my 18 year old self.

Then, in 2001, something special happened. Something special called Amélie. Starring the wonderful Audrey Tautou (Girl Crush #1), Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain is a whimsical and beguiling tale of how a shy waitress in Paris makes it her mission in life to improve the lives of her friends while neglecting her own chance of happiness. Anyone who has ever felt alone or afraid to make a connection with someone will identify with Amélie. I loved this film instantly and it's still one of my favourites.

Five years later, Tautou starred in Pierre Salvadori's Priceless, a witty and charming take on the classic Breakfast At Tiffany's scenario, where a gigolo (Gad Elmaleh) falls for a gold digger (Tautou).

Tautou returned again in 2009 as pioneering fashion designer Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel in the biopic Coco Avant Chanel. Nominated for four BAFTA Awards, the film is an unsentimental look at Coco Chanel's early life, up to the point where her fashion label started to become popular. To coincide with the release of the film, Chanel appointed Tautou as the spokesperson for Chanel No. 5, replacing Nicole Kidman. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (director of Amélie), this is easily my favourite advert for the iconic perfume.

In 2010, Tautou reunited with Salvadori for Beautiful Lies, a fresh take on Jane Austen's Emma where Tautou's quirky and feisty character decides to spice up her mother's love life with hilarious consequences. It's a fantastic and frivolous rom-com but has more intelligence than the average Hollywood chick flick.

French directors seem to have an innate ability to balance whimsy, romance, comedy, drama and satire with a lighter touch than many Hollywood or British directors. Their films, and stars, avoid being overly saccharine or depressingly melodramatic. The leading ladies are flirty, stubborn and passionate. The men are intelligent and romantic without foppishness. And that's why I love them - they do lighthearted rom-coms without the cheese.

And now, we have The Artist. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, it's a dazzling story of love and loss made all the more beautiful by being in black and white. Its stars, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, are perfectly cast. The references to a Hollywood past are witty and delightful. It is easily one of the most stunning films I have ever seen. 

I genuinely believe that much of The Artist''s charm lies in the fact that it's a French film. Had it been made in Hollywood, the delicate love story would have been blown up into a full-scale affair. Had it been made in Britain, it would probably have starred Hugh Grant.