The film functions like a living magazine, structured into a travelogue, an obituary, and three distinct feature stories:
: A political chronicle of a student uprising—inspired by the May 1968 protests in France—focusing on the young revolutionary Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet) and veteran journalist Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand). The French Dispatch
: A food-themed adventure narrated by Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright), where a dinner with a legendary chef turns into a kidnapping rescue mission. Themes and Style The film functions like a living magazine, structured
: An arts report detailing the career of Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio Del Toro), a criminally insane painter, and his relationship with his guard and muse, Simone (Léa Seydoux). structured into a travelogue