Lourdes

Lourdes, written and directed by Jessica Hausner and released n 2009, is a beautiful and thought provoking film that asks many questions and leaves the viewer to do the answering.



Lourdes is one of modern Catholicism's most famous pilgrimage sites. Before the 1850s it was an ordinary town in the French Pyrenees. In 1858 a young girl, Bernadette (now Saint Bernadette) saw the Virgin Mary in a grotto. The Holy Mother appeared several times over the following days and weeks, at one point commanding Bernadette to drink from a spring and eat bitter herbs as an act of penance for sinners. Crowds began following Bernadette to the grotto, who witnessed the first act of healing there: a girl with a dislocated arm was healed by the waters of the spring. In 1862 the Catholic church officially recognized the apparitions as valid, and today millions of pilgrims journey to the Grotto every year. A candlelight procession culminating in a Mass has been celebrated Every evening since 1872. Another ceremony shown in the film that may not be familiar to non-Catholic viewers is the Blessed Sacrament Procession; the Sacrament, preceded by the sick seeking healing, is taken to the Underground Basilica of St. Pius X. This ritual culminates in the Blessing of the Sick.

The story follows a group of pilgrims who have come to visit the holy site, some wheelchair bound, others able bodied but elderly, as well as a team of sharply dressed volunteers to tend to their needs. The story focuses on one young woman in particular, who we find out has multiple sclerosis and is capable only of sitting up and speaking. She depends entirely on the volunteers to feed and dress her, put her in bed, and even take her to the bathroom. While she says that she goes on pilgrimages for a chance to get out and see the world, it becomes clear that she is seeking a physical healing (despite the counsel of the priest and others on the trip, who reiterate the importance of seeking healing for the soul).



The driving questions of the film center around this story: do miracles happen? Can the waters, caves, and rituals of a place like Lourdes really heal people? Why are some healthy and others ill? Why is one person healed, while countless others continue to suffer? Do the works of those seeking miracles (lighting candles, praying at shrines, going to confession, and countless other manifestations of piety) count for anything?

A diverse cast of characters helps the viewer consider these questions of faith. One young volunteer chose to come to Lourdes instead of skiing in order to find a sense of purpose, but her best intentions are waylaid by the distractions of a trio of dashing male helpers. One old man seeks only the company and warmth of human affection, and is desolate at the thought of being alone again at the end of the trip. Two women, who have nothing terribly wrong with them, continually speculate about reported miracles; they seem to motivated by curiosity more than anything else. Another older volunteer makes skeptical jokes about the shrine, but expresses a desire to really believe. Perhaps the most intriguing character is an elderly woman who takes a keen interest in the main character; she takes her to the front row to be blessed during Mass, pushes her wheelchair through the cave and to the baths, and rarely if ever takes her eye off of this young woman. Despite this solicitous care, she is never thanked and is only barely acknowledged by the other helpers.

Lourdes does not feature a traditional score. Instead there are two devotional pieces played repeatedly throughout the film: Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ (by J S Bach, BWV 639), and a beautiful setting of Ave Maria by Franz Schubert. These pieces are evocative of the pleading of the pilgrims at this famous shrine to the Virgin Mary; although written centuries apart, they each have a bittersweet quality that illustrates the dichotomy between human suffering and the comfort of faith more poignantly than any dialogue could. Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor is also featured, and the film closes with a jarring pop song that pulls the viewer back into the secular world as the pilgrims and volunteers end their trip.

Lourdes does not end with any kind of closure or sure answers, for the characters or for the viewer. Instead it offers a chance to meditate on faith and miracles in a modern world.

Lourdes will be shown one more time today at International Cinema at 5 pm.

Quiche!

Quiche is a delicious, simple, and (according to Julia Child) practically foolproof French dish. It can be served hot or cold, as a main course or as hors d'oeuvres. Quiche is basically an egg mixture baked in a pastry shell, but any number of combinations are possible. All kinds of vegetables, meats, and cheeses can be added. As for the crust, if pastry just isn't your thing some recipes allow you to skip it altogether, or replace with tasty prosciutto. I even found one recipe for eggless quiche (although I admit I have my doubts). After skimming through various recipes on Marmiton, Epicurious, Allrecipes, and Julia Child's masterpiece Mastering the Art of French Cooking, there are a few essential ingredients you should have on hand: eggs (at least 3); milk, cream, or half and half; an 8-9 inch pastry shell, or the ingredients to make one; butter (this is French cooking after all); whatever seasonings and fillings your heart desires.



Like I said, there are all kinds of possibilities, but to get you started here is Marmiton's recipe for a classic quiche lorraine:


Ingredients (serves 4) :
- 1 pie crust
- just under 1 cup lardons (ham or blanched bacon work, too)
- 2 T butter
- 3 eggs
- .8 cups cream
- .8 cups milk
- salt and pepper
- nutmeg

Préparation :

Brown the lardon/ham/bacon and place it in the crust. Dot with butter. Beat the eggs, cream, and milk together. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste, then pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 F. Julia Child recommends checking for doneness with the classic knife-in-the-center trick; if it comes out clean, then bon appetit!

Les cowboys fringants

France has produced some incredible musicians over the centuries, from the École de Notre Dame (if that's your thing) to Claude Debussy to Edith Piaf. That said, the Hexagon by no means has a monopoly on good francophone music. Celine Dion may be Quebec's most famous singer, but she is joined by a host of other Quebecois musicians, like Les cowboys fringants.

This band could not be more Quebecois if they tried. The first two members, Jean-François Pauzy (guitarist) and Karl Tremblay (singer), met in 1995 in a locker room after finishing a hockey training camp. That summer Jean-François met Marie-Annick Lépine, a violinist who officially joined the group after their success at a music competition. They were later joined by a bassist and drummer, and released their first album (12 Grandes Chansons) in 1997. At first it was mostly family and friends who listened to their music, but by 1998, when they released their second album (Sur mon Canapé), they had fans all over the province. In 2005 their tour included France as well as Quebec, and in 2009 they performed to sold out crowds in Paris, Lyon, and Geneva. To date they have sold over 800,000 records (see their homepage for a full biography and discography).



Their sound employs a variety of instruments: harmonica, accordion, violin, piano, lots of guitar, steady bass, and great drums, with male vocals and harmonies. Here are links to my favorites; some are official videos, others include lyrics.

Toune d'automne (Some great franglais lyrics, and a wonderful showcase of a Quebecois accent.)

La tête haute (The drums really make this track for me.)

Les étoiles filantes

(Are there any French singers or groups you would like to see featured on the blog? Let me know in the comments; I want to write what you want to read.)

As previously announced, Tuesday the French Consul General of San Francisco, M. Romain Serman, came to BYU to talk about the relationship between France and the United States. M. Serman's address (delivered with a wonderful French accent) covered a broad range of issues relevant to both France and the United States, while the question and answer session following focused more on France's policies both at home and abroad. What follows is a summary of his address:

M. Serman began by reminding us of the long relationship between France and the United States, one which goes back to the American Revolution. France is our first and oldest ally; they were instrumental at the famous battle at Yorktown, and French involvement in the American War for Independence eventually led to their own revolution. The alliance has been "forged in blood", as American troops left their homes to liberate Europe in World War I and World War II. M. Serman declared that the French remember and are grateful for the sacrifice of those American soldiers.

The alliance between France and the United States is not exclusive to the battlefield. We share the common values of liberty, tolerance, and democracy, as well as the belief that each nation has an important role to play in the world. In 2007 Nicolas Sarkozy became the president of the Republic, and a hallmark of his administration has been to not be ashamed of being pro-American and a part of the Western world.

That said, to be allied does not always mean to be aligned, and M. Serman stated that it is because of this strong friendship that our two nations are able to participate in open and productive dialogue even when we do not see eye to eye on something. These disagreements arise over such issues as trade (competition between Boeing and Airbus for example).

But there are many more examples of close cooperation between the United States and France. After September 11, 2001, France was among the first of our allies to deploy troops to Afghanistan. Today there are approximately 4,000 french soldiers there helping move forward the common goals of a secure Afghanistan with its own army. Each nation is a leader in the fight against terrorism, and under Sarkozy's leadership France has reintegrated into NATO's military command.

Americans hold many misconceptions about France; M. Serman listed three that he felt were the most important, then explained why they were not true. First, the idea of France as antisemitic is opposite to the reality of a legal system with harsh punishments for any antisemitism. Second, Americans tend to perceive the French as ungrateful for the service of American troops during the two World Wars; on the contrary, M. Serman reiterated that France will always be grateful. Third, the perception of France as a nation failing to enact economic reform is simply not true.

In fact, both Europe and France are major players in the American economy. The European Union produces 28% of the global GDP and is the largest foreign investor in the United States. Europe has invested more in California alone than the US has in all of China. France itself is the 7th largest foreign investor in the US, and $190 million dollars worth of trade are conducted between the two countries daily. Every year 17,000 American students study in France, while 3.5 million of their compatriots visit as tourists.

He concluded the address by simply stating: "We love America, we love American people".

Quelques petites annonces

Next Tuesday French Consul General Romain Serman will give a lecture in 238 HRCB at 2:00 p.m. Romain Serman is the youngest consul in the French diplomatic corps, but already has an impressive background in diplomacy. After graduating from the École nationale d'administration he began his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in charge of Franco-Algerian relations. He went on to spend four years at the United Nations before being called back to the Élysée to work for President Sarkozy on African diplomacy. Since arriving at his new post in San Francisco in August, M. Serman has expressed his desire to continue President Sarkozy's efforts to improve Franco-American relations, which will be the subject of his address on Tuesday.



Also coming up next week is another French film at International Cinema, Lourdes. It will be shown Wednesday at 5:30, and Saturday at 11 and 7.

Bon weekend!

Career Fair

On January 26th nearly 100 employers will be at the Winter Career Fair. In preparation for this event University Career Services will be doing resumé critiques from January 21st to the 24th. Career counselors will be available to help you create a good resumé from 10 am to 3 pm. If you have any questions their office can be reached at 801-422-6535.

L’Aventure ambiguë

The African continent has produced some incredible writers, and Cheikh Hamidou Kane is one of the best known in the world. In 1961, fifty years ago this year, he published his most famous work, L'Aventure ambiguë , which in 1962 won the first Grand Prix littéraire d’Afrique noire. Since then he has served Senegal's Minister of Economic Development and Planning, Director of UNICEF for Sub-Saharan Africa, and President of several NGOs dealing with the protection and welfare of children and with the preservation of West Africa's cultural heritage.

L'Aventure ambiguë is an autobiographical novel that discusses a "traditional society in transition"; that is, a traditional Muslim, West African society dealing with the influence of secular, Western (French) society. The narrative follows a boy, Samba Diallo, as he goes from a traditional Koranic school, to a French primary school, and ultimately to the Sorbonne. "The substance of Kane's novel is not in its incident, but in its argument, presented by way of parable, metaphor, and symbol. It is structured as a series of confrontations and dialogues, each presenting a stage in the quest for the Absolute, a facet of a complex spiritual dilemma, or, at the lowest level, a search for a strategy to halt the destruction of the basic values of [religion] by the inroads of westernization. The novel's symmetrical structure, and elegant simplicity of language give it its classic proportions and make it a work of poetic beauty" (Dorothy Blair,Oxford Companion to French Literature).

March 17-18 BYU will host a colloquium celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of L'Aventure ambiguë. Cheikh Hamidou Kane is now 82 years old and has already visited BYU twice, but is determined to make the trip again because he feels here a "kindred faith". Other speakers include writers such as Adourahman Wabéri, who won the Grand Prix Littéraire de l’Afrique noire in 1996 and is at the moment a visiting professor at Claremont College in California, and Lydie Moudelino, a professor of Romance Languages at the University of Pennsylvania and author of critical works on Caribbean and African literature. Souleymane Bachir Diagne, a Senegalese philosopher currently teaching at Columbia University, will also speak, as well as Mamadou Sy Tounkara, Director of l’Ecole Supérieure de Sciences Politiques et de Relations Internationales in Dakar and General Secretary of the Committee on the 50th Anniversary of l’Aventure ambiguë.

At present the program looks something like this:

• An Honors seminar is already scheduled for Thursday, March 17, at 11:00. Title of the seminar: The Clash of Culture and Faith in Colonial Africa. Professor Thompson will give an introduction to the novel, focusing on reason vs. faith, then turn the time over to Cheikh Hamidou Kane himself. We will open this seminar (in English) to the BYU community at large and expect 200-300 people.
• An evening activity sponsored by the French club and the College of Humanities on Thursday, March 17 at 7:00 pm, in the Hinckley Center Assembly Room. The Ambassador of Senegal in the US may be in attendance. We will hear briefly from each speaker, give an award to Cheikh Hamidou Kane, and then enjoy a performance by Voice of Africa, a local group specializing in African music and dance.
• On Friday, March 18, we will have a full day of presentations by our distinguished speakers—titles pending.

I've posted this announcement two months in advance in the hopes that you, the faithful reader, will have time to read L'Aventure ambiguë for yourself and benefit from this extraordinary, truly once in a lifetime opportunity. The book can be found here and here in translation. Thanks to Chantal P. Thompson for her contributions to this article.

Soirée Crêpes

Allow me to indulge in a personal story. One of my first afternoons on my own in Paris I decided to explore the Quartier Latin. It was a bitterly cold, grey, January day; a misty rain had started to fall. All of a sudden the most beautiful smell overtook me: a crêpe maker on the street corner had just poured batter onto to his pan. As I watched it got even better. This crêpe maker, nay, this artist, spread Nutella (if you don't know what that is, that's the spread of the gods) all over the crêpe, let it melt for a few seconds, then folded it with a flick of the wrist and handed it to his customer. Needless to say I was next to order.



This joy can be yours too, to share with whom you will. I've hosted several soirées crêpes since I got back from the City of Lights, and I have yet to meet somebody who does not love those Continental cousins of the pancake. I got this recipe while I was in Paris, and it has yet to fail me:

Pâte à crêpes facile

1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon of olive oil
a pinch of salt

Crêpes are not that difficult to make if you have the right tools. Although you don't really need a real crêpe pan, at the very least a smooth, non-stick pan is absolutely essential. A multitude of crêpe pans are available online, as well as crêpe spreaders, which are a cheap and extremely helpful little tool. When you're actually making the crêpes, keeping your pan at the right temperature is important. Practice makes perfect, and as far as crêpes are concerned, even the mistakes can be pretty tasty.



Once you've made the crêpes themselves, your culinary creativity is really the only limit to what you put on them. Aside from the obvious Nutella, any number of fresh fruits and berries are delicious. A little whipped cream (real whipped cream, not "whipped topping") is always a good idea. Crêpes Suzettes are a surprising treat: sprinkle a little white sugar, then squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the crêpe before rolling it up. It's a deliciously light and refreshing dessert.



Crêpes don't always have to be a sweet treat; they make a wonderful dinner, too. Ham and swiss cheese with a bit of salt and pepper, or maybe a little spicy mustard, is fabulous. Another topping that my family loves (although the authenticity is debatable, its tasty enough that I don't worry too much) is zucchini sautéed with onions and garlic in olive oil. Eggs, tomatoes, shrimp, cheese, spinach... the sky's the limit. Here are couple of great recipes from my bona fide French crêpe cook book, Soirée crêpe by Anne-Cécile Fichaux and Jérôme Odouard (each fills four crêpes):

Crêpes aux épinards

2 1/2 cups fresh spinach
2/3 cup roquefort
3/4 cup fromage de brousse or ricotta
2/3 cup pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the spinach, remove the stems, and steam it for 5 minutes. Place the spinach in a sieve and use a wooden spoon to press out as much water as possible. Let it drain for 30 minutes. Use a fork to crumble the roquefort. Mix the spinach with the fromage de brousse/ricotta, salt, and pepper. Then combine the spinach with the pine nuts and roquefort. Put all the goodness in a hot crêpe, fold, and enjoy.


Crêpes aux poires à la vanille

2 teaspoons of vanilla
2/3 cup of cream
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 pears, not too ripe
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter

Bring to a boil the cream with the vanilla and half the sugar. As soon as it begins to boil turn down the heat and let it infuse for an hour . Peel and slice the pears, and sauté them over low heat with the butter and the remaining sugar. Put the pears in a hot crêpe, fold it, then pour the cream on top.

Zaz!

If you have been to Paris then you have enjoyed (or at least heard) any number of street musicians- singers with karaoke machines, accordions, string ensembles, you name it. Sometimes you hear little more than an out of tune violin before a cup full of change is meaningfully shaken in your face. Other times, though, you are treated to a truly talented musician or group. Zaz (Isabelle Gefroy's performing pseudonym) is one of those: an extraordinary singer who started out singing on the streets, then last year released a record to enormous international success.



Zaz's style, while undeniably French, is difficult to sum up in a single word: while she certainly uses a lot of jazz elements, like a double bass, creative rhythms, scat lyrics, and vocal trumpet-like effects, at times she also plays with Middle Eastern vocalizations that create an exotic tone to her work. At the end of the day I should really just let her music speak for itself. Check out these songs on YouTube:

Singing in Montmartre before her big break.

Le long de la route

A tribute to Edith Piaf

Dans ma rue

And last but not least, Je veux.



Enjoy!

BYU Language Certificate

Except for a few extraordinarily gifted people, learning a language is hard work that deserves a little recognition. BYU has recently introduced a new program that allows those studying any of the school's top ten taught languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portugese, Russian, and Spanish) to earn a Language Proficiency certificate and an official notation on your transcript indicating your language proficiency. The required courses overlap conveniently with the requirements for the French majors and minors. Applying is simple: go to languagecertificate.byu.edu and create a profile. You can then report your grades for the required courses (a minimum B- is necessary). Once all the courses are completed, you will be able to sign up to take the oral and written proficiency tests. Visit their website for all the details, including the list of required courses, complete application instructions, and other FAQs.

La faute à Fidel

Bonjour à toutes et à tous! Last week International Cinema showed a wonderful French film: La faute à Fidel. Directed by Julie Gavras, this film is set against the political and social turmoil of the 1960s and 70s and tells the story of a 9-year-old girl named Anna who lives a comfortable life, visiting her wealthy grandparents in Bordeaux, attending a posh Catholic school for girls, and passing the evenings with her beloved nanny Filomena. Her world is rudely turned upside down when her parents decide to take up the communist cause, and dedicate their time and resources to visits to Chile and women's liberation movements. Anna is not pleased about these changes (which entail moving into a small apartment, losing their nanny, and quitting divinity classes), and when her parents fail to explain their new world to her satisfaction, she sets out first to return life to normal, then tries to reconcile the differing world views of her parents, grandparents, and teachers.

La faute à Fidel is not only a compelling coming of age story; it is a beautifully made film. The sets and costumes are filled with brilliant color, not to mention fabulous plaid bell bottoms and other gems of 1970s couture. The cinematography is reminiscent of another French film, Ponette; each film is centered on the life of a little girl who has to find her own answers and explanations in an adult world. In both Ponette and Fidel, the camera rarely if ever rises above the height of the child; we see everything from her point of view. The incredible soundtrack by Armand Amar is often absent and never obverbearing, allowing the movie to speak for itself. When the music does appear, it is full of guitars and Latin rhythms, invoking images of the South American countries Anna's parents work so hard for and enhancing the emotional dramas played out on the screen.

If you missed the La faute à Fidel at International Cinema, all is not lost. It can be streamed with subtitles from Netflix under the title Blame it on Fidel.

Internship Opportunity!

The semester has only just begun, but time flies and soon summer in all its sunny glory will be here. If you're still thinking about what to do once finals have come and gone, take a look at this incredible internship, available immediately:

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN THE VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT
The internship at the Visual Arts department of the French Cultural Services
offers the opportunity to work on interdisciplinary visual arts contemporary
projects, in collaboration with both America and French institutions and
galleries. 3, 6 or 9 months. Internship unpaid

………………………………………………………………………………………………

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Mostly participate in the follow-up and process of the French-American grant
program for contemporary art, along with the curatorial program -
http://www.facecouncil.org/ - by helping in processing applications for the
grant deadlines before they are submitted to a selection committee of
professionals. Keep the weekly art events calendar up-to-date. Write newsletters or blasts if needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Detail-orientated and ability to multi-task. Good communication skills (the work requires substantial communication, written and otherwise). Computer proficiency. Interest in French and Francophone art in general. French Language a plus. Internships are non-paid positions, although school credit can be arranged. Candidates are required to commit to a minimum of 10 weeks for a minimum of 20 hours per week (maximum duration: 6 months).

TO APPLY:
Please send a cover letter, resume and short writing sample as well as contact
information for two references by e-mail with the subject line "French Embassy 2010 Internship" to: armelle.pradalier@diplomatie.gouv.fr and ella.marder@diplomatie.fr
All documents should be sent in Word or PDF file format.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Due to the large volume of applications we receive, we are only able to contact
those candidates selected for an interview.

Bonne année!

Welcome back everyone! Christmas has come and gone, leaving behind plenty of snow to adorn our first week of the new semester. The year is starting off great for French Studies, with a new facebook page, a job opportunity, and a French movie being featured at International Cinema's Encore Week.

The Department of French and Italian has launched a new facebook page that, although still in its infancy, hopes to be a useful tool for students to explore the manifold benefits of studying French or Italian. Follow the link in the sidebar to check it out.


How would you like to work for the French Department? The Department of French and Italian is currently seeking a student editor to work on the departmental journal Lingua Romana (http://humanities.byu.edu/lingua_romana/). Duties will include formatting the journal to conform to EBSCO specifications and assisting the volume editor in the preparation of volume 9. Attention to detail is a must. Experience with .html or Dreamweaver preferred. Knowledge of French, Italian, or Romanian is a plus. To apply please send a short CV to the department front-desk secretary by Jan. 15 (email: french_italian@byu.edu; phone: 422-2209).


Last but never least, what better way to pass the semester's first weekend then at International Cinema? They showed "Blame It On Fidel" last semester, and have brought it back for this semester's Encore Week. The trailer can be found here. "Blame It On Fidel" is will be showing in 250 SWKT on Friday, January 7 at 7:15, and Saturday, January 8 at 1:15 and 5:45.