French lessons, events & trips
FRENCH LESSONS EVENTS & GIFTS
Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel died on the 10th January 1971 and yet more than fifty years later, the designs from her eponymous maison de couture* scream her legacy.
Until the 25th April, we here in Australia have the chance to appreciate the enormous impact she had, not only on the way women dress, but on how they live their lives.
*Fashion becomes out of fashion, style never does | *fashion house | *More information here
If you just can’t wait for the Alliance Française French Film Festival to come to town, there is a stop-gap measure available to you.
Délicieux* was released in Australian cinemas on 26th December and though it is still showing, ne tardez pas* if you’re keen to catch it.
A historical comedy starring Isabelle Carré and Grégory Gadebois, Délicieux tells the tale of a talented and passionate chef, whose mistreatment at the hands of a grandiose duke eventually leads to the creation of France’s very first restaurant.
Enjoy la bande annonce*.
*Delicious | *don’t waste any time | *the trailer
Public domain photo colorized by Olga Shirnina
“France made me what I am. I will be grateful forever. The people of Paris have given me everything… I am ready, captain, to give them my life. You can use me as you wish. ”
What a life it was to give.
Born into poverty in Little Rock, Arkansas, Josephine Baker was waitressing by 12, married by 13 and at 19, long divorced from the first of her four husbands, took Paris by storm when she landed a leading role in La Revue Nègre*, a musical comedy show featuring an all-black cast.
But this was just the start. At Le Casino de Paris* she wowed in her one-woman show (if you don’t count her pet cheetah Chiquita, who wore a diamond collar) and at one time was the highest paid and the most photographed woman in the world. Dame Shirley Bassey said of her: “I swear in all my life I have never seen, and probably never shall see again, such a spectacular singer and performer."
The first woman of colour to have a starring role in a major motion picture, Baker returned to the States triumphant, but received terrible reviews for her role in a reprisal of the Ziegfield Follies. Heartbroken, she retreated to France, relinquished her US citizenship and became a French citizen.
A new marriage to Frenchman Jean Lion followed and as war broke out in 1939, Baker moved to the South of France and became involved in the French resistance. Later (and with yet another new husband Jo Bouillon) she adopted 12 children of different races and religions creating what she called her ‘Rainbow Tribe'.
There are so many more twists and turns to the life of Josephine Baker, but one constant was her love for her adopted country. Whereas her life in the US was hampered by segregationist policies, in France she could move about freely, without fear of reprisals. Like many American artists during the Jazz Age, she found her creative home in the clubs and theatres of Paris, and remained fiercely loyal to la République française until her death in 1975.
Jus this week, it was announced that Josephine Baker would become the first Black woman to be entered into the Panthéon mausoleum, joining illustrious alumni such as Victor Hugo, Pierre and Marie Curie, Louis Braille and Antoine St Exupéry, author of Le Petit Prince.
Read more about her fascinating life here…
*The Negro Revue | *The Paris Casino
We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but Noël* is just around the corner.
In great news though, the organisers of Le Festival* have decided to end 2021 with a bang by staging Brisbane’s first French Christmas Market .
Bringing a traditional, French festive vibe to West End’s impressive West Village complex, the event will run over two days, the 20th and 21st November. Come along to browse quality produits français* just in time to fill your Christmas stockings.
Hope to see you there!
Plus d’infos* right here.
If you have just une minute*, it is well worth watching the very beginning of this documentary, “Dior - Designer of Dreams”.
The opening scenes find us at a photo shoot for the image above, and the moment of its capture is pure magie*. Keep an ear out for the unexpected Australian accent off camera, too. It truly is une équipe internationale* who pulled off this exquisite exhibition of 70 years of the House of Dior at Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris in 2017.
If you have an interest in la haute couture*, you’ll fall in love dès le départ*.
If you’re more of a sceptic, though, this could be le documentaire* to win you over, as it illustrates in the most intricate detail le dévouement*, la passion* et le travail acharné* required to create things of such beauty.
Currently showing at the Brooklyn Museum in New York, is it too much to hope it’ll eventually find its way aux Antipodes*?
Entre temps*, we have a video to watch… Enjoy.
*one minute | *pure magic | *an international team | *haute couture (literally ‘high sewing’) | *from the get-go | *the documentary | *the dedication | *the passion | *the sheer hard work | *Down Under
Savez-vous que*….
Brisbane has its own French theatre troupe?
Here, Lingua Franca speaks to musician, actor, writer and director Thomas Smith, who wrote BFT’s latest play, Les Uns Contre Les Autres*.
Be sure to right to la fin*. We have two tickets to give away!
LF: Thomas, tell us a little about your background. Where are you from and how did you come to be living in Australia?
TS: I am a "Ch'ti" from Northern France who first visited Australia on a Working Holiday Visa back in 2008. After a year travelling around the country in a van, I spent a few months working in Brisbane... I fell in love with the city and decided to settle here!
LF: Have you always wanted to be a playwright? What propelled you to take this on?
TS: I was introduced to theatre by chance: a friend proposed we audition for Brisbane's first ever French play produced by Growl Theatre in 2015, and it soon became an addiction. Along with five friends, we founded the BFT in 2017. Writing original plays was mainly born out of necessity, after we found out how difficult and time-consuming finding an existing play was - when you have limited casting options and don't necessarily want to produce works from the traditional French repertoire.
LF: How long does it take you to write a play and do you collaborate with other writers? And where do you get your inspiration from?
TS: It's usually an uneven process that's spread over several weeks, with sudden bursts of productivity followed by days of drought. My partner (and BFT's resident director) Isabelle is of precious help as we exchange ideas, she reviews my drafts and provides feedback. Inspiration is a mixed pot of past experiences and random observations: crossing Paris one summer in the Metro led to "Alas April", while the romantic vision people often have of France was "Repeat After Me"'s starting point.
LF: What is this year’s play about and when and where can we see it?
"Les uns contre les autres" is a tragi-comedy dealing with the challenges of long-term relationships and how they can be affected by lengthy lockdowns due to Covid. It will show at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane on 14, 15 & 16 October.
Head here for online bookings.
*Did you know that | * Against One Another | *the end
I was recommended this Netflix series during a recent confinement* and it couldn’t have been more timely.
What more could you ask for while hunkering down? With exquisite French luxury properties, the extremely photogenic Kretz family, a dance-pop soundtrack and a good dose of humour, you’ll be hooked from the opening credits. And who wouldn’t want a grand-mère* like Majo with her urban trainers, cropped leather jacket and well-timed pep talks?
A note of caution, though. You’ll be tempted to faire un marathon*, but slowly does it - there are only five episodes so you need to savour them until a second season is announced.
Croisons les doigts*!
*lockdown | *grandmother | binge-watch | *Let’s cross our fingers!
If you’re looking to take your first step towards listening to French podcasts, we may just have la solution* for you!
Many of our students are keen users of the Duo Lingo app. It’s especially great for beginner students and really helps to build confidence.
Duo Lingo has been improving consistently over the years, but this latest addition is really quelque chose de spécial*. Not only are the subjects interesting and varied, but the structure is very clever and particularly good for upper-beginner and intermediate learners.
There is an introduction by the host in English, then the interviewee speaks for a short time in French, before the host chimes in to give a brief summary in English of what they’ve said. This is repeated throughout the interview, and better yet, a full transcript is included.
I would highly recommend you give at least one episode a go. Tu ne le regretteras pas*.
Simon Hérault
Simone Hérault had the gift of a unique voice, but as a child, she was too insecure to believe in it. Still, her talent and dedication would end up taking her places she never expected…until she became one of the most familiar and beloved voices in all of France.
Aliénor Le Gouvello
At 30, Aliénor Le Gouvello set off to ride solo across Australia’s toughest trails. She gave herself one year to train wild horses and complete the journey. Riding ten hours a day, every day, Aliénor was determined not to quit — not for crocodiles, fire ants…not even for the handsome helicopter pilot she met along the way.
Les Moines Brasseurs
At age 27, Matthieu Landri said goodbye to his family and shared one last beer with his friends…then began his new life as a Benedictine monk. He longed for a spiritual life of contemplation and prayer. But soon he found himself embarking on a new journey: reviving the lost French art of monastic beer-brewing.
*the solution | *something special | *You won’t regret it
In the May édition* of Le Chouchou News, I did a round-up of the French films showing on Brisbane cinemas screens. I was happy to report that although the Alliance Française French Film Festival was over for another year, there was still a small range of films on offer.
1959
2007
2011
2001
1961
1937
1967
1994
2011
1991
1967
1928
Imagine my delight, then, when this email floated into our account a couple of weeks ago. Voici un extrait*:
Sacré Bleu! From François Truffaut to Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Dendy presents a magnifique curation of essential classic French cinema. Celebrating Bastille Day, and running July 1-28, the same month as the 2021 Festival de Cannes,
Dendy has collated twelve iconic titles, each either hugely influential in their own right, modern classics exemplifying the titanic talents of France’s celebrated film industry, or just possessing a certain je ne sais quoi. Between romance and drama, comedy and adventure, experience these films as they were meant to be - on the big screen- and rediscover the artistic cinematography, creative directing, and the classic splendour of these truly essential masterpieces of French cinema.
If you love French cinéma, please support this fledgling festival to ensure we have access to another 12 films (or more) in years to come. Bon ciné*!
*edition | *Here is an extract | *Happy film-going!
If, as Frédéric Chopin said, la simplicité est la réussite absolue*, then the French Hacking Instagram account @frenchhacking is a huge hit.
The concept couldn’t be simpler: a post a day with a French phrase or quote on a plain black background. Not only does this solve the problem of how to insert more French into your vie quotidienne*, but if you take the time to scroll through a dozen or so posts in a row, I’ll be surprised if you don’t get a warm and fuzzy feeling from the exercise. Short enough to translate in just a minute or two (even for beginners), the posts tend towards the romantic, nostalgic and sweet.
Vivement recommandée* and thanks to one of our Chouchous*, Tania, for the tip off!
*simplicity is total success | *daily life | *Thoroughly recommended | *Teacher’s Pet
We know travel is tricky at the moment but the National Gallery of Victoria is nonetheless trying to seduce us southwards with their upcoming French Impressionist exhibition.
With over 100 works on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, you have the chance to see some of the most famous paintings from artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt and more.
Ça vous tente*? Jump onto the NGV website for more information. The exhibition opens 4th June and runs through to October.
*Sound tempting?
Finalement* ! The fourth season of Dix Pour Cent* (Call My Agent) is available on Netflix. In a stroke of good luck, filming was wrapped up before Covid hit in 2020, but it has been a long wait for fans, with the new series only dropping le 21 janvier*.
We know many of you jumped right on it, but if you haven’t just yet, or if you’ve not seen seasons 1, 2 or 3, you are in for a real treat. It’s fun, fast and sexy and with real French cinema stars playing themselves with just the right touch of auto-dérision* it gives us an aperçu* of life inside a chaotic Paris talent agency.
One note of warning, please do not judge your French by your comprehension (or lack of) of the dialogue. Parisians are known to speak quickly, plus there’s a high level of slang, jargon and swearing in the actors’ rapid-fire exchanges. Nos conseils*? Just sit back and make the most of the exhilarating ride that is Dix Pour Cent.
*Finally! | *Ten Per Cent | *on the 21st January | *auto-derision | *glimpse | *Our advice?
I spotted this new series (also on Netflix) pendant les vacances*, a time when I traditionally spend a fair amount of time looking for good movies to see at the cinema. So I’m going to forgive myself for confusing this series, starring Omar Sy, with Lupin III, a recently-released kids’ movie based on a Japanese manga series.
As it turns out, both new arrivals are inspired by the French fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise, Arsène Lupin, hence the names of the projects.
For the curieux(euse)* here’s a Rolling Stone review that gives some more background on the intriguing M. Lupin and his clever ways.
*during the holidays | *curious
After an especially difficult year in 2020, the Alliance Française French Film Festival est de retour* and from the bande annonce* it looks like it’s going to be an absolute cracker.
We’re waiting for the programme to be released so we can organise a film event for les Chouchous*. We usually choose a Sunday in April, but we’ll reserve our final decision until we’ve seen the entire sélection de films*.
I don’t know about you, but the idea of being transported into a French world for an afternoon sounds particularly enticing en ce moment*.
Croisons les doigts* that things remain stable, of course, and look out for an invitation in a future Le Chouchou News.
If you’d like to be notified as soon as the programme comes out, sign up to the festival website here.
*is back | *trailer | *the Teacher's Pets | *film selection | *at the moment | *Let's cross our fingers
With les vacances d’été* just around the corner, you may already be in the process of lining up tout ce qu’il faut* to enjoy some seriously relaxing couch time. Bol de cerises, coupe de champagne et un film français?*. We can’t help you with the first two but we can certainly point you in the right direction for the third, thanks to our friends at Rendez-vous Australie.
A web-magazine designed for French speakers who live in Australia, Rendez-vous Australie is a trésor caché* and our own Fiona Berrocal is on the editorial team (elle touche à tout* as they say). Dedicated to Australian news and culture but written in French, it’s a great way to take the first step in reading a French newspaper, which we know is a goal for many of you.
The team at RVA know their French films and where to find them. SBS On Demand has a fantastic collection of foreign films and their French compilation is particularly impressive. The full list is here, ranked by year and with links to bandes-annonces*, or if you trust our taste, we’ve selected a few of our coups de cœurs* below. Bon visionnage*!
En liberté !
(The Trouble With You)
Au revoir là-haut
(See You Up There)
Un homme à la hauteur
(Up For Love)
La famille Bélier
(The Belier Family)
La Môme
(La vie en rose)
*summer holidays | *everything you need | *Bowl of cherries, glass of champagne and a French film? | *hidden gem | *she has a finger in every pie | *trailers | *favourites | *Happy viewing!
Most people who have fallen in love with the French language came to it by the way of French culture: fashion, literature, movies, ballet, food, wine…the list goes on.
If you own a television or have ever flipped through a fashion magazine, you’ll know how ubiquitous the French aesthetic is. We often hold up French chic as the gold standard of style.
But how do we know if we’re being fed the true story? What does it mean to be Parisienne? Has it changed? Does asking these very questions make us feel slightly uncomfortable, like something’s about to be taken away from us?
Are we ready to have the dream not shattered, but perhaps adjusted to better represent the Parisienne of today? If you’re curieux(euse)* enough to consider the questions, you’re going to love this book.
*curious
Tout le monde en parle*, that’s for sure.
The new Netflix series, Emily in Paris, is causing a stir the world over.
“Emily in Paris Is Going to Seduce You” - New York Magazine
"Emily in Paris review – an excruciating exorcism of French cliches." - The Guardian
The debate reached Lingua Franca the day after the series dropped, with students either totally beguiled by the depiction of a young American (the titular Emily) who lands a dream transfer to Paris to work in a boutique marketing firm, or absolutely horrified by the unrealistic portrayal of expat life in La Ville Lumière*.
Intrigued, we decided to take a straw poll here au nid* among our six French team members to answer the question: Emily in Paris - info ou intox?
*fact or fiction? (intox is short for intoxication, which is a false friend. In French it means poisoning or brainwashing) | *Everyone’s talking about it | *The City of Light | *at the nest
We often have beginner students ask us if we know of any children's books that would be suited to their level. It makes sense - as a beginner you're really starting from scratch, as you do as a bébé*. What we tend to forget, though, is that before we start reading in our native language, we've already had years of exposure to words and sounds and our comprehension of the spoken word is almost perfect. Therefore, picking up a children's book in French is not as easy as it may sound.
This is why we were so delighted to discover this lovely little site. If you're a current Chouchou*, you may have seen a post about this great little site last week in the group Slack channel. In case you missed it, or for those who are not yet doing lessons chez Lingua Franca*, we thought you might enjoy it, too.
The French Experiment is a site dedicated to learning the French language. It's small but very well done, and when we saw the list of French contes* available, we knew we had to faire passer la parole*.
Though there are several tales available (there’s even an original love story between a whale and a bird), the one below is the only one to have been animated (so far). Though this is a high intermediate level, it is suitable for everyone as you can choose to have English subtitles, French subtitles or no subtitles at all. For the others, you'll find the story in French accompanied by lovely illustrations as well as the option to translate the text into English.
NB: Be sure to click on the red text “Watch the video” to see the animated version. If you click only on the play button, you’ll just hear the audio.
Alors, lancez-vous!* Les Trois Petits Cochons*, Boucle d'Or* and Le Petit Chaperon Rouge* are waiting for you.
*baby | *Teacher's Pet | *at Lingua Franca | *fairytales | *spread the word | *So, give it a go! | *The Three Little Pigs | *Goldilocks | *Little Red Riding Hood
With the Brisbane French Film Festival over for this year, you may have thought we'd seen the last of the films français* for 2020. Au contraire*! A quick scan of Brisbane cinema websites has turned up somewhat of a treasure trove of choices if you're keen to satisfy your cinephile* tendencies. Some of the more popular movies from the French Film Festival have come back on general release and the Brisbane International Film Festival is about to start so Brisbane French-lovers ont l'embarras du choix*.
https://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/now-showing/
We'll End Up Together - Nous Finirons Ensemble
La Belle Époque - La Belle Époque
The Translators - Les Traducteurs
Les Misérables - Les Misérables
https://www.dendy.com.au/cinemas/
Two of Us - Deux
Portrait de la Jeune Fille en Feu - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Blue is the Warmest Colour - La Vie d'Adèle
BPM - 120 Battements Par Minute
https://fivestarcinemas.com.au/new-farm
Secret Impressionists - Segreti Impressionisti
Felicità - Felicità
https://fivestarcinemas.com.au/regal
The Mystery of Henri Pick - Le Mystère Henri Pick
Bon ciné*!
*French films | *Quite the opposite! *film-lover | *are spoiled for choice | *Enjoy your movies!
Karen Curling
Lingua Franca student (Advanced 2) and accro de la lecture en français*.
Apart from learning French, one of my favourite pastimes is reading novels, so you can imagine my delight one evening before class when I discovered the little library shelf at Lingua Franca. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to a book with a bright purple cover, complete with a caricatured illustration and an intriguing title, L’accro du shopping a une soeur (Shopaholic and Sister).
The author, Sophie Kinsella, is well-known for her popular chick-lit and so with that in mind I decided to give myself a new challenge – to read a novel which has been translated into French.
This is an amusing, light-hearted book which follows the story of a loveable and ever-optimistic character, Becky Brandon. Recently married, Becky (a happy shopaholic) and her new husband, Luke, return to London following their ten-month around-the-world honeymoon. Upon their return, they are greeted with the news that Becky has a half-sister, Jess, whom she never knew existed. True to her charming character, Becky receives the news with great excitement and completely throws herself into this new sisterhood. Unfortunately, there is another shock in store for Becky because the two girls are like chalk and cheese - and furthermore, Jess detests shopping!
Throughout and to the end, poor old Becky experiences heaps of ups and downs – and yes, I did manage to get to the end, albeit six months later. Reading this book offered so many positives. It was rewarding to recognise and recall words which were covered in class, while the exposure to new vocabulary has boosted my confidence with speaking.
Personally though, it was helpful to see the whole range of verb tenses in action. Ultimately, it has shown me that reading an entire novel in French is possible. It is always a luxury to cosy up with a good book but especially so this year. If you are looking for something light-hearted to read which will complement your class work, “L’accro du shopping a une soeur” vaut vraiment la peine*.
* is really worth the challenge
The French Open, or Championnats Internationaux de France de Tennis*, to use its official name (when not being referred to simply as Roland Garros - la confusion!*) has been delayed due to COVID-19 and is currently scheduled to take place in late September.
Since the French word for tennis is le tennis, you'd be forgiven for thinking the French imported the game from England. Oui? Non!* The modern game is actually based on an ancient French game called Jeu de Paume*. We don't want to lose you in translation, so take a look at this recent article from the New York Times to get to the bottom of the white games, hallways and eggs that make up tennis en français*.
*The French International Tennis Championships | *how confusing! | *Yes? No! | *Real Tennis (literally: palm game) | *in French.
