BYU French Studies

First French Club Activity of the Year!

2012-01-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

The first activity of the year is here! I am pleased to announce la Foire Francophone 2012! There will be displays on different French countries and territories! Food! Fun! and French!

Here are the details:
When: Thursday, February 2nd @ 7 PM
Where: WSC 3222

On a side note...

The French Department's own Jesse Hurlbut is/was over in Angoulême to attend the 39th Festival of Comic Books (how do I get that job?). While he was there he did some reporting on the event for us stuck over here in America. Check out the video below to see what he did!

Anatomy of a Scandal: A Murder in 1930s Paris

2012-01-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

Sarah Maza, a historian from the University of Chicago, will be visiting campus this week. She is the author of the book The Myth of the French Bourgeoisie as well as a few other books. She will be giving a lecture to students this Thursday, February 2 at 11 AM in B192 JFSB. The title of her lecture is "Anatomy of a Scandal: A Murder in 1930s Paris" (how cool of a title is that?!). So if you'd like to learn how to create a scandal, I think this is your lecture to attend.

From reading her bio from Northwestern University, all I can say is that she is an impressive person and writer. Her book The Myth of the French Bourgeoisie won a George Mosse Prize of the American Historical Association back in 2003. She was the president of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies and currently serves on the council of the American Historical Association.

If you would like to read her whole profile check it out here. If you would like to read a little of her books check out the Amazon.com link here.

Tell everyone you know about this, and come yourself!

BYU French Club

2012-01-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

It's easy to be social here at BYU. There is always something going on, somewhere, with some group of people. But how often is there something to do, that is totally awesome, that's in French? Let me introduce you to the French Club.

The French Club is a group here at BYU run by French students. Each semester there are a number of activities arranged by the club that anyone can participate in. In the past they've had things like a French Halloween party complete with a presentation on torture. Another time they held a French comic book night and watch the trailer to the new Tintin movie. A huge crowd favorite is French Idol, where French students and professor get on stage and show the world what they got. It is a really fun group to be a part of.

So how do you become a member of the French Club? All you need to do is go up to the French Department office in the JFSB (3134) and tell the secretary that you would like to join the club. It costs $5 for a semester long membership (available now and in the fall) and $10 for a year long membership (available fall only). With your membership you can purchase a club t-shirt for $2 ($5 without a membership). With your membership you can enter all the French Club activities for FREE! It will for sure pay itself off quickly if you do go to the activities.

I've been in contact with the adviser of the club, and I've been told that the French Club is going to be starting their activities in February. I don't know what it is yet, but I'll have a post up about it soon.

For more info you can check out the club's Facebook page here. Also be sure to stay in contact with this blog. We'll be posting about all French activities this semester.

I hope to see many of you at this years club activities!

BYU Career Fair & Resume Help

2012-01-24T10:30:00.001-07:00

The BYU Career Fair is tomorrow. Get your resume in shape with a free critique session from the Humanities Advisement Center. All day today in 1175 JFSB! Tell your friends!

Visit the Career Fair website @ careerfair.byu.edu

Phoenix: Frenchies Crooning in English

2012-01-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

I'm still learning about how many good French music artists there are in the world. In all honesty I've been surprised many-a-time to find out that a band I like (who sings in English) is actually French. The latest one to pop up in my life is Phoenix, and only reason I found out that they were French was because of their Pandora profile.

Here's one of the music videos that they made...I'm not sure if I should say that it's a typical European film, but it is kind of trippy. (You've been warned)

So for a little bit more on the band. They started off in a garage in the suburbs of Paris. Members of the group were changed out quite often in the beginning (an incoming member was actually an old band mate with the guys who started Daft Punk!). In 1997 they released their first self-produced album. While they only made 500 copies, they were soon signed on with the record label Source Records. Between the years 2000 & 2006 they produced four albums, though it wasn't until the release of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix that they became a worldwide sensation. Their music was used in multiple American TV shows, movie trailers, and even the Green Bay Packers season montage.

Here's their music in the trailer for Valentine's Day:

Does anyone else have a favorite French band they'd like to share with the masses? Share below in the comments!

Source: Wikipedia

International Cinema Calendar

2012-01-17T18:19:00.005-07:00

As the semester gets underway, we as French students are faced with the daunting task of getting our French cultural activities (CA) done for our respective classes. Over the course of this semester I'm going to try and do my best to come up with ideas that could possibly be used to fulfill these activities. Now as a note I am in no way an authoritative voice when it comes to CAs. In all cases ask your teacher if a certain activity will work.

My first suggestion is the International Cinema (IC). This is one of the coolest things at BYU in my opinion. Not only do you get to watch foreign movies in a plethora of languages, but they're also shown for free. On top of that they're not just old school weird foreign films; there are often newer films, and most of the time they are award winning films (Some great examples are 'Joyeux Noel', 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'Of Gods and Men'). Each week the IC shows three films from three different languages at a variety of times. It's not always easy to remember the schedule of films, or even what's showing. To help you I'm going to compile this semester's French films show-dates into one easy to follow list.

Here it is:

(All descriptions are taken from the IC schedule)

January 31 - February 4

Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot [Mr. Hulot's Holiday] (1953)
"Monsieur Hulot goes on a holiday to a seaside resort, but accidents and misunderstandings follow him where ever he goes. The peace and quiet of the hotel guests doesn’t last very long with Hulot around, because although his intensions are good, things always end catastrophically."

February 21 - February 25
L'Illusionniste [The Illusionist] (2010)

"When an older, but persistent French illusionist travels to Scotland to perform a show, he meets a young girl who changes his outlook and opens his eyes to the magic of life."

March 13 - March 17

Play Time (1967)

"Monsieur Hulot has to contact an American official in Paris, but gets lost in the maze of modern architecture filled with the latest technical gadgets. Caught in the tourist invasion, Hulot roams around Paris with a group of American tourists, causing chaos in his usual manner."

Silences of the Palace (1994)

As Alia, the daughter of a beautiful servant Khedija, grows up in the Kings Palace at the end of the French colonial rule in Tunisia, she is horrified to discover the sexual favors required of her mother and other servants."

March 20 - March 24

Germania Anno Zero [Germany Year Zero] (1948)

"Edmund, a young boy who lives in the destructed Germany after World War II, has to work to help his family survive. One day he meets a man who used to be his teacher, and finds out that war changes people in unsuspecting ways."

March 27 - March 31

Palsa [Palsan] (1946)

"Six vignettes follow the Allied invasion from July 1943 to winter 1944, from Sicily north to Venice, depicting fragile national communication and postwar reconstruction, both physically and psychologically"

So that is the list for the semester. I hope you found it helpful, and that it will help you stay on top of the IC's busy movie schedule.

On a side note...does anyone have any good/memorable/cool cultural activities that they've done in the past? Comment below!

Source: BYU International Cinema

International Internships

2012-01-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

Have you ever dreamed of working in Paris? Have you ever thought about working in a US embassy in France? Have you ever considered teaching English to French students? If yes, now is the time to do an international internship!

International internships are like a study abroad, but on speed. With an internship you not only get the college credit, the chance to visit major and historical European cities, but you also get to beef up your resume with real life work experience. The best part about it too is that the French Department wants to send you to do an internship, and are willing to help you along with the process.

The French Department has already sent students to places like Paris, Lille, Marseilles, and Toulouse. Students have been able to get jobs teaching English, working in French businesses, and serving in the US embassy in Paris. The department offers internships in fall and winter semesters, as well as during spring and summer terms. With so many available times to go, pretty much anyone can work it into their schedules.

The French Department is currently accepting applications for their international internship program. If you are interested you have until February 1st to get your paperwork in. The man to talk to is Professor LeBras. His contact info can be found here. If you have any sort of questions you can also check out the Kennedy Center's website here.

Act now and never regret! Wait and you will.

The Tuesday Lecture Series...Tonight!!!

2012-01-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

Don't Be a Fool...Stay In School

2012-01-09T22:36:00.002-07:00

Believe it or not being a liberal arts major means you
can still do very well in life.

When I first came to school I wanted to study nursing. I wanted to help people, save the world, and all that jazz. I was sure that that was the path that I was meant to take in life. Then, in my first semester at university, I met organic chemistry. It was that day that I knew medicine wasn't for me.

I spent the next couple of years bouncing between different majors, but never really committing to anything. It wasn't until a stint in France that I found a true passion in my life: French. The problem was convincing my parents that this was the right way to go. I gave a pretty good argument, and with a little bit of compromise, I became a French major with a minor in business. Since that day life has been good.

It can sometimes feel daunting studying the arts at a place like BYU. We study at a place known for a top business school, a great PR program, a stellar advertising major, and one of the better nursing programs in the country. When I discuss my major with others I'm often asked if my plan is to teach French (the answer is no). I never really felt down on myself for studying what I study, but I often felt like I might not go places like the business and communication folks. Then Professor Cropper sent me an email with an article attached that helped me change my future outlook on life.

Did you know that 40% of the people running Fortune 500 companies are liberal art majors?! I didn't. Here's a quote from the article:

"It is true that humanities study, unlike technical training in,...prepares students not for any specific occupation, but for an unpredictable variety of occupations...[As] many before us have rightly pointed out, in an unpredictable marketplace this kind of versatility is actually an advantage."

The article (found here) is a short good read. It links up to a paper (found here) written by some people at Georgetown that talk about the advantages of getting a bachelors degree, as well as the advantage in certain areas of study. And for those of you who aren't sure if college is worth it, check out this article (found here) from the New York Times that talks about how getting a college degree still pays off.

I hope everyone is getting settled into school, and wish you all the best of luck this semester!

Source: The Humanities Aren't Totally Useless After All (link)

International Cinema

2012-01-05T13:50:00.004-07:00

There are quite a few swell films on the docket for this semester at International Cinema, sponsored by BYU Humanities, several of which are entirely or partially in French.
The fun begins this Friday with the classic Cyrano de Bergerac a funny story in alexandrin based on the play by Edmond Rostand.
Showings are at 7:15 Friday, and 11:00, 3:30, and 8:15 on Saturday, FREE in 250 SWKT.

For complete information about International Cinema's schedule see their poster at http://ic.byu.edu/PDF_Schedules/CurrentPoster.pdf and their website at http://ic.byu.edu/

Welcome Back!

2012-01-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever consider a French Studies MA?
Come to an info session on January 10th to find out more.

I hope everyone had an awesome break. Anyone go anywhere exciting? Sadly it's now time to get back in the swing of school, and keep planning for the future.

To help you figure out your future, the French Department is hosting an information meeting about their MA in French. This is a great opportunity to see if a Masters in French is right for you. From what I've heard the graduate programs done by the department are top notch, so come to the meeting to find out for yourself.

Here's the info:
What: Info about BYU's French Studies MA
When: January 10th @ 5 PM
Where: B003 JFSB

To help sweeten the deal there will also be pizza! For that simple print out and fill out the form found here.

Also remember that if you have anything to announce about any French happenings comment here, send us a tweet, or find us on Facebook!

Happy semester everyone!

Café CSE Speaker Series

2011-12-05T13:12:00.011-07:00

The Center for the Study of Europe Presents:
“You Are What You Eat: Food and Identity in Europe”
Where: 238 HRCB
When: Wednesday, December 7 at 4:00 p.m.
Professor Anca Sprenger will be speaking; you don't want to miss it!

Soirée BD

2011-11-30T19:14:00.002-07:00

By now most of you are au courant thanks to Jacob's post, but here is the flyer for the French Club activity next Tuesday.

French Choir Concert

2011-11-30T18:13:00.001-07:00

This is just a quick note to let everyone know about the French Choir Christmas Concert. Come enjoy the sounds of Christmas sung in French! I'm sure there will be some other non-Christmasy songs too, so even if you're not a fan of the holidays there will still be something for you.

Here's the info: December 1, 2011 @ 7 PM in the Varsity Theater.

I hope you can make it!

Last Minute Activities!

2011-11-29T17:46:00.001-07:00

In the last push to the end of the semester we have a few more activities to help you break up your winter doldrums. Check 'em out below!

The Consul General of Germany will be giving
a presentation this Thursday.

First off the German Department has sent out an open invitation to attend a lecture being given by the Consul General of Germany. The lecture will be in English, so no German knowledge is required to attend this presentation. He will be talking about the European financial crisis that is taking place. This should be a pretty awesome lecture, so if you can make it...go!

Here's the info: December 1 @ 4 PM in 1104 JKB

Next up we have a classic activity from Le Club. I'm super pleased to announce this years Soirée B.D.! So in English terms, this is Comic Book Night! And mind you these won't be an random comics...these are the bees knees of Francophone comics. There will be a specific presentation on Tintin (ahhh!) that you will not want to miss. For those of you who don't know who Tintin is, check out the wikipedia article here. For those of you who are fans, check out the trailer for the upcoming movie here.

Here's the info: December 6 @ 7 PM in B037 JFSB. Cost is $3 (Free for Le Club members)

I hope you are all having a great of the semester and are staying sane!

Intern In France

2011-11-28T13:37:00.003-07:00

Whether you are interested in politics, education, service, or business, there are many fantastic opportunities to intern in France through the Kennedy Center for International Studies.

But the last information meeting for 2012 Internships is Tomorrow!

Tuesday, November 29, at 3:00 PM in 238 HRCB

So if going to France to gain a great experience, improve your French, and experience an exciting new culture appeals to you, you don't want to miss it!

The deadline to apply for 2012 Internships is November 30.

Apply at: http://kennedy.byu.edu/isp

Please contact Grant Emery in 101 HRCB or at byufranceinternship@gmail.com with questions.

Noël!

2011-11-28T13:20:00.007-07:00

As we return from Thanksgiving break, we enter a beautiful season - it is time to turn up the carols, trim the tree, bake the gingerbread cookies, and frantically finish term papers and prepare for finals. However, another highlight of this holiday season that you don't want to miss is Professor Chantal Thompson's Noël en France Presentation.

When: Thursday, December 1, 11:oo AM

Where: Varsity Theatre in the WILK

Who: people who like France, or study French, or who like Christmas; You

Je Ne Sais Pas!

2011-11-15T20:44:00.001-07:00

Joyce Jonathan...an amazing French singer

Over the summer my wife was in China. One day while walking through a store she heard a French song playing over the PA system that she didn't recognize. Quickly she wrote down some of the lyrics, and when she got back to the hotel she looked them up online. There she stumbled upon the 2011 NRJ French Revelation of the Year, the person who would get me excited again about French musicians, Joyce Jonathan.

I'll be honest when I first heard 'Joyce Jonathan' I thought of an American, but this girl is French to the max. Born the youngest of three girls, to parents who lived in Paris, Joyce quickly found a love of music in her life. During her younger years she learned to play the piano and started putting together some of her first compositions in secret. At the age of 16 she posted her first few tracks on MySpace, before getting signed on by My Major Company. Her only album to date was certified gold after only five months, before going on to being certified platinum the following year.

Since signing with her label she has been able to work with other artists like Pétula Clark and Louis Bertignac.

For a full list of songs from her check out Grooveshark.

Below is my favorite song from her Je Ne Sais Pas.

It's Good Hearing From You

2011-11-15T20:19:00.001-07:00

So a couple of weeks ago I posted a survey on the blog. A lot of you responded to it, and I just wanted to give you all a big Thank You! Your commentary and ideas were very helpful, and now it's my turn to give back by implementing your ideas.

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

An overwhelming majority of you wanted to read more about French culture, so like books, movies, recipes, news articles, etc. This is a great idea, and I will get on that ASAP. A lot of you mentioned that you wanted to see more internship opportunities, workshops, and such. Again I will try to stay on top of those openings and events as they appear. I hope this blog will always give you relevant and up-to-date info on all things French.

With all this I want to put out a proposal for all of you, the readers; I would like to start posting things that you guys find on the web. Say for example you find a sweet new French musician and want to share it with everyone, let me know about it! If you find a French recipe that you absolutely love, tweet it to me! If you know of an upcoming French event, send me a message on Facebook! I want to start hearing from you people in the French community, because this blog is really for you guys.

So how can you contact me? There are several ways. First off you can leave me a comment here with a link to what you'd like me to share. Another way is to write on the French Department's Facebook wall. You can tweet me @byufrenchblog. You can post something to our Google+ page. We also have an email that you can write us at: byufrenchdept at gmail dot com.

Now if what you would like to share is an important event and you would like to write the article yourself, that's totally fine by me. In that case please email, rather than facebooking the department. With any post if you could include some sort of contact info, so in case we have any questions that would be great!

A quick note: any link or event that you would like to have posted here will be run by me, and a member of the French Department. If it gets the okay we'll write up an article and get it posted as soon as we can.

I'm excited to see what you guys find!

BYU's International Week

2011-11-15T19:38:00.001-07:00

Don't miss International Week!

Marriott School's Global Management Center and the Kennedy Center have teamed up this week to bring you "BYU International Week". As you can probably deduce from the title, this is a week-long event with multiple presentations, lectures, films, and games. There is even a chance to win $1,000 scholarship to go on a GMC international experience.

To give you a taste of what this week holds, here what's going on tomorrow:

Wednesday November 16, 2011

Trivia Questions all day in 360 TNRB
Brown Bag Lunch Discussion on Asian Businesses @ Noon W410 TNRB
Kennedy Center Lecture: Cuban Missile Crisis @ Noon 238 HRCB
GMSA Lecture: Entering Emerging Markets by Lee Daniels @ 7 PM in W310 TNRB

This is going to be a great event, so if you can participate you're going to have fun!

For more info check out the flier for International Week here, or go to 360 TNRB.

Happy Tuesday!

From Your Faculty:

2011-11-15T09:16:00.006-07:00

As we are all trying to become more cultured and well "read" in French and one of our best resources is our beloved faculty, here are some recommendations from two of your profs:

Both recommended Les Fleurs du mal (Baudelaire), so that really must be a must-read for those of you reading this that haven't gotten on the poetry band-wagon yet.

Professor Jesse Hurlbut –

Film: The Three Colors Trilogy : Bleu, Blanc, Rouge

Literature: Essais (Montaigne)

Music: Véronique Sanson

Professor Corry Cropper –

Film: Zidane a 21st Century Portrait, Le colonel Chabert, and De battre mon cœur s’est arrêté (The Beat That My Heart Skipped)

Literature: Le Rouge et Le Noir (Stendhal) and Petit éloge de la bicyclette (Fottorino)

Music: Daft Punk, Justice, Telepopmusik, Camille, Tété

Check these out and let us know what you think in the comments!

Look forward to suggestions from more professors soon.

Don't Forget Your French Idol

2011-11-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

DON'T FORGET ABOUT FRENCH IDOL!!! THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10TH @ 7 PM IN THE VARSITY THEATER...BE THERE OR MISS THE MAGIC.

All I can say is that there were a ton of people who tried out, and from what I understand, this is going to be a pretty kick butt competition. Don't miss the drama, don't miss the beauty, don't miss the magic.

Imagine what your life would have been like if you skipped this episode of Britains Got Talent...

Check out the super sweet flier here for price of admission.

Linguists Have Got To Eat Too

2011-11-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Don't end up like this girl...come to
an event hosted by the Kennedy Center
and Multiling, to see how you can
advance you linguistic career!

The Kennedy Center sure has been spoiling us with events this year...it really is quite nice of them. The newest event that they have posted for your viewing pleasure, is an event hosted by MultiLing.

Here's what the Kennedy Center has to say:

We are pleased to invite students to a meeting on linguistic and technical career opportunities for international students in the translation and localization industry.

As international students are attracted by the excitement of global careers, finding these opportunities can be difficult. This meeting will discuss how opportunities can be found in the global industry of translation and localization.

You can check out the flier for the event here.

Here are the details:

Where: Zion’s Bank Financial Center Building (click for directions), 8th floor

When: Thursday November 17th @ 6 PM

What: A chance to rub shoulders with potential employers

I hope you all can make it!

How/Why to Live in the French House

2011-11-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Want a French cultural experience
without having to leave the States?
Check out the French House!

The first time I heard about the French House I conjured up images of a wild and crazy frat house in my head. I thought of students running around and stealing stop signs, all-the-while conversing in French so as to avoid attention. Recently I had the chance to sit down with Mme. Oscarson, mother of the French House, and my wild ideas were put to rest.

Is easy to see that Mme. Oscarson loves the French House. She herself lived in the house a few years back, and now has been the mother of the house since the winter of 2008. She describes the house as a way to "live French", and that it is the "closest thing to a Francophone environment" that you can get at university. She also sees the French House as a way of connecting people and helping them develop unique relationships while they are in school. From talking with her I now see the French House as an amazing and unique way to study and live French, instead of how I saw it before; as a crazy frat house.

While living in the French House you are exposed to French all the time. It is a rule that everyone in the house must speak French all the time. How cool is that? On top of that you have French movies at your disposal and you even have some television directly from France. One thing that I find great, too, is that it's not just a bunch of Americans all speaking French to each other, instead the House has a Resident Native Speaker who is a native of France living with you and helping everyone out with the language. So when Mme. Oscarson said you get to "live French" she wasn't kidding.

Another benefit of the French House is the social atmosphere. While in the House you have a set dinnertime where everyone eats together. This not only helps build friendships with your roommates, but also helps you speak French in a variety of contexts. Once a month the male and female houses meet for a French Family Home Evening, and often have other activities planned on top of that. Church is also a very unique experience. All the Foreign Language Houses meet together for Sacrament Meeting, Priesthood (for the guys), and Relief Society (for the women), before everyone splits off into their respective language for Sunday School. What's cool about this is that Sunday School is actually taught in French!

There are lots of reason to live in the French House, so what are you waiting for?! If you have completed French 202, and have a good handle on French, talk with Mdm Oscarson ASAP. The process is pretty straight forward, and is a lot like interviewing for a job, but in French. Just a quick note, the French House is only for non-married BYU students.

So as you go looking for a place to live in the future, be sure to consider La Maison Française!

"You Don't Have to Beat Down the Rich to Lift Up the Poor"

2011-11-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Stephen W. Gibson
will be holding a
series of lectures
until Dec 8th.

Great people walk this earth. People who shun the social norms of their time, and choose instead to follow a different path. They reach out to those around them, and even to those far from them, to help make others make their lives better. An alumni of BYU has done just that, and he will be holding a series of lectures to teach you how to help people in developing countries learn modern business skills.

Stephen W. Gibson will be holding a series of lectures every Thursday at 3:30 PM in 120 TNRB until December 8th. Let me write this out so you can see it a little more clearly:

Who: Mr. Stephen W. Gibson
What: Lecture series on teaching microentreprise development to developing nations
When: Every Thursday at 3:30 PM until December 8th
Where: 120 TNRB

Now for a little on Mr. Gibson:

Stephen W. Gibson graduated in 1966 from BYU with a BSc in Communications. From there he went on to found dozens of successful entrepreneurial businesses, including one that was listed in the top 500 fastest growing businesses by INC. magazine. The angel investment firm he started has invested over $20 million into Utah start-ups. He is also heavily involved with microentreprises in developing countries. With his wife they have started three schools, one in the Philippines, one in Brazil, and one in Mexico, that have helped over 1,500 people learn microentreprise development.

Besides being a pretty awesome business man, Mr. Gibson also enjoys an ice cold Dr. Pepper as he watches 'Dead Poet's Society'. In his spare time he and his wife enjoy visiting their four children and 13 grandchildren spread out around the US. And on a lazy day you might find him headed off on the high seas towards Alaska, New Zealand, or Norway. I must say he is a very well rounded man.

So be sure to check out his lecture series over the next month, I'm sure they will be quite the experience.

In the mean time be sure to check out his bio on the Marriott School website here, or an article he wrote here, or another little interview done by the Mormon Entrepreneur here.

Do You EU?

2011-11-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

His Excellency João Vale de Almeida
will be addressing BYU this Friday
at 2 PM in 238 HRCB.

There are a lot of exciting things going on in the EU right now. With the whole Greece debt thing, and the Italian Prime Minister under fire, and the Euro on the rocks, it's an exciting time to be up to date on the European Union.

If you're a fan of our European neighbors, here is some very exciting news: the European Union's Ambassador to the United States is coming to BYU!!! Yes you heard it right... His Excellency João Vale de Almeida will be visiting BYU and giving a presentation entitled "Why the Euro Will Survive". Now this is a very unique event, and a very awesome event too; I mean how often do we get the Ambassador of the EU on this side of the lake?

This is an event sponsored by Kennedy Center of International Studies, and here is the info for the event:

When: Friday November 11th, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Where: 238 HRCB
Who: His Excellency João Vale de Almeida

For more info on His Excellency you can check out his CV here, or his Wikipedia page here. There is also a flier for the event here.

I hope you all can make it!

Helping Others in Translation

2011-11-03T17:11:00.000-06:00

The Marriott School of Business has teamed
up with Helping in the Vineyard to create
new internships on campus.

Being in the French program here at BYU, you probably have learned a little about how great the French language is. I can honestly say that I love French, and this why I'm super stoked on this great new opportunity on campus!

The Marriott School of Business has teamed up with Helping in the Vineyard, to create some new internships. I'm not great with words, so here's what they had to say:

Gain professional translation experience with one of the largest organization conducting translation second to the U.S. government. All translation work will be completed through The Helping in the Vineyard website, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Helping in the Vineyard (vineyard.lds.org) provides online service opportunities that can be completed in small increments of time. This project will involve translating Church documents (Institute Manuals, Knowledge Base Articles, Mormon Messages, etc.) into [different languages].

So just to be clear with everyone, this is an internship offered through the Marriott School of Business, not the French Department. So if you have any questions feel free to contact the Business Department. There is also an informational website that you can find here.

Good luck to any of you who apply!

Mid-life Crisis

2011-11-01T22:56:00.000-06:00

Help Le Blog combat its
mid-life crisis!

As some of you might know the French Blog has been around since the beginning of 2007. In the technology world, 5 years is super-stinking old. So it's time for a refresh! And in doing that we want to here from you, the reader about what you like, what you don't like, what you'd like to see more, etc.

To help facilitate the process, a little survey has been put together. It should honestly not take more than like 5 minutes tops. To access this super sweet survey click here.

I can promise you that if you fill out this survey your life will be filled with rainbows (and maybe sometimes double rainbows).

If you'd rather pass on the survey and make your opinion known publicly, go ahead and post in the comments.

Happy Tuesday all!

French + Business = Le Business

2011-10-25T21:18:00.000-06:00

Take French Business winter
semester to expand you horizons.

Before I ever really started thinking about France, I had the whole notion that French people were lazy wine drinkers. Then once I got to know France a bit better, I found out that they are actually pretty stinking strong economically in the world. From Airbus to Renault, Accor to Michelin, France is everywhere.

Because you are reading this post, you probably are studying French. Because of that you might one day work with a company that is French, or deals with the French. To help prepare you for that maybe one future day, the French Department would like to introduce you to BusM 596R, also known as French Business.

This class is awesome (I'm in it right now). It is currently being team-taught by Professors LeBras and Cropper (a classic Jeeves and Wooster duo), and they do a tremendous job teaching. So far we've gone over French corporations, how to prepare your CV for Europe, how to pass a job interview in France, and how to successfully navigate the CAC 40.

Besides being mentally stimulating it counts toward requirements for your French major or French minor. It is also a class that supports the Humanities Department's 'Humanities+', showing that humanities can be used successfully in the real world. So if you have time this upcoming semester on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM, this is the class to take.

Has anyone else taken this class? Sound off in the comments!

A Smattering of Announcements (Updated)

2011-10-24T10:41:00.003-06:00

Lot's of announcements this Monday.

Well happy Monday to all. Today I'm going to just list a whole bunch of stuff coming up this week. A lot of them have already been talked about, but hey, reminders are nice.

First up...tomorrow there will be a French Internship Info Session sponsored by the Humanities Department. Here's what they have to say about it, "Learn about the internship opportunities with polictical, educational, commerical, and service organizations throughout France for next summer and the following school year."
This is going to be a pretty awesome session, so if you have ever wanted to go to France this is something to attend.
Here's the info: Tuesday Oct. 25th @ 2 PM in 257 HRCB

(UPDATE) SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) will be visiting campus tomorrow. They are a large government contractor, and they will be having a student information meeting tomorrow. Here's the info for the meeting: Tuesday the 25^th in B-152 JFSB @ 3-4 PM.

(UPDATE) Phil Egger, the new DIR (Diplomat in Residence) of the State Department, will be giving a presentation this Thursday at 11 AM in B106 JFSB. Here is a link to his facebook page if you would like more info on him.

Secondly, tomorrow is also Le Club's big Halloween Bash! If you want more info you can check out our post here, or go straight to Le Club's Facebook page here. Here's some quick info for you: Tuesday 25 October @ 7 PM in 3228 WSC

Next up we have Le Club's French Idol coming soon! Auditions are this week, so if you would like to perform sign up here. There are rumors floating around that Professor Hudson and Professor Cropper will be performing a rousing duet from Moulin Rouge (I'm stoked for that). The auditions will be held 26-27th October and 1st November from 7 - 8:30 PM in B135 JFSB. Click here to sign up. The actual event will be held Thursday 10 November in the Varsity Theater.

Registration starts today, and if you need help finding classes here is a great link to help you out. I've always hated trying to click through the registration window to plan out my classes, so for me this little tool is a life-saver. Good luck signing up!

The last thing to announce today is that the French Department is becoming more and more socially connected. To help the department keep more connected to the French student population, we have created a Google+ page! It's pretty exciting, and we definitely hope this will help us connect to those student's who are social media powerhouses. At this point Google+ doesn't support group pages, so if you're looking for the department search for LeDept Francais. We are also on Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook!

I think that is about it for today, so I wish you all good luck with registration! And enjoy your last week of October!

Get Your Groove On!

2011-10-20T22:45:00.000-06:00

Le Club will be holding its yearly French Idol
November 10th in the Varsity Theater.
Sign up today!

Do you remember the first time American Idol came on television? Oh the days of Kelly Clarkson winning the first season (can I say that I have a slight music-crush on her?). The judges were fun, the contestants made you cry (sometimes because the music wasn't so great), and the suspense of people getting kicked of the show made my week.

Recently I found out that the French Department does a French Idol each year. How cool is that? Singing, dancing, acting! All in French! Or at least French-themed! Check out the what Le Club has to say:

Can you sing, dance, or put together a great skit? Do you believe (as we do) that singing, dancing, and...skitting...are all better in French (or at least with a French theme)? We are getting ready for the annual French Idol event (to be held Thursday 10 November in the Varsity Theater) and auditions are coming up: 26-27 October (Wednesday and Thursday) and 1 November (Tuesday) from 7-8:30 in B135 JFSB (there's a piano in there if need be). Get an act together (on your own or with friends), e-mail us to schedule your audition, and come show us what you've got!

I guess it's time now that I put my Thriller dance to Le Marseillaise...

So here's the details pulled from above:

Auditions will be held October 26-27 (Wednesday and Thursday) as well as November 1 (Tuesday) from 7 - 8:30 PM in B135 JFSB. To sign up for an audition click here.

The main event will be held Thursday November 10th in the Varsity Theater...(I don't have a time yet, so check back here)

Everyone! Get your groove on! or should I say your French Groove!

Happy Thursday!

Major Update for Halloween!

2011-10-19T11:14:00.000-06:00

Le Club's Halloween Party is coming
up! Prizes, food, and torture
will abound!

Are you planning on attending the French Club's Halloween Party next week? If you're not, I hope this update will convince you it's the place to be.

So here's the newest info from Le Club:
In addition to a chilling and seasonally appropriate presentation about medieval torture by Professor Unlandt, we will have a creepy cuisine cook-off (with a copy of the Petit Nicolas DVD as a prize for the most creative dish!) and a costume contest with prizes for the best and most French costumes. Come celebrate Halloween with both cuisine and couture!

I must admit I'm super stoked on the medieval torture, especially since it will be taught by Professor Unlandt (awesome guy).

Now so I don't forget, if you would like to sign up for the creepy cuisine cook-off there is a sign up sheet here. Even if you wouldn't like to compete...bring something if you can!

Here's the skinny in case you didn't get it last time:
Where: WSC 3228 (big room = big party)

When: October 25th @ 7 PM (always good to start the festivities early)

What: Besides an awesome presentation on ancient torture techniques (how cool!), there will be the standard fare of contests including a costume contest (best costume and best French-themed costume) and a dessert contest (these won't be your Grandma's sugar cookies).

There's lots more fun stuff coming from Le Club, so keeping checking le blog, twitter, or Facebook!

The Voices From Up North

2011-10-19T10:49:00.000-06:00

Dr. Sprenger of the BYU French
Department will be giving a lecture
Thursday October 20th at noon.

I'm not sure how many of you know Dr. Anca Sprenger of the BYU French Department, but to help you get to know her better she will be giving a presentation tomorrow. Her presentation is called "Gabrielle Roy and the Voices of the Great Canadian North", and she will be be giving it in conjunction with the BYU Women's Studies Colloquium.

Here's the run down of the event:
When: Thursday October 20th at noon
Where: 4188 JFSB

I'll be honest I don't know Dr. Sprenger or Gabrielle Roy, so I had to do a little bit of research. What I found out was actually pretty interesting. Dr. Sprenger received her bachelor's degree in French Literature from the University of Bucharest, before going on to get her PhD at the University of Southern California. She has been at BYU for a little while now, and most commonly teaches French Literary Analysis and Introduction to Romanian Literature and Culture. She is a big fan of French Literature and is currently working on a book about Gabrielle Roy.

Dr. Sprenger will be giving a presentation
about Gabrielle Roy, acclaimed
French-Canadian author.

Gabrielle Roy was born in 1909 in Manitoba, Canada. She received her education at Saint Joseph's Academy before becoming a rural school teacher. She lived in Europe for a few years, before being forced out during the outbreak of the second World War. While in Quebec she wrote her first book Bonheur d'Occasion. She continued writing through out her life, before passing away in 1983. Since her death she has had several schools in Canada named after her, as well as having one of her quotes being printed on the back of the Canadian $20 bill.

This should be a very interesting presentation, and I hope you all come out to support Dr. Sprenger!

Sing Choirs of Pizza Boys

2011-10-13T18:36:00.000-06:00

Scott Barrick, General Manager of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
will be giving a presentation Friday the 14th at noon.

I'm going to start this post out with the thing that will probably draw most of you in: free pizza lunch! Yes it's true...tomorrow, Friday October 14th, at noon the BYU French and Italian department will be pleased to host Scott Barrick (better known as the General Manager of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). This event will be held in B192 JFSB, and there will be free pizza to follow.

Now Mr. Barrick is quite the accomplished man. He has spent the past 25 years in business, working for companies like Proctor & Gamble, M&M Mars, and Great Western Bank. He started with MoTab in 2001, and while there has done some amazing things. As General Manager he not only works with the marketing and PR sides of the choir, but also works with the choir's label and guest stars. He graduated from BYU in Italian before going on to get his MBA from Harvard. This is quite the accomplished man!

So remember Friday the 14th, noon, JFSB B192!

Happy Thursday!

Connaissez-vous vos professeurs?

2011-10-13T10:59:00.003-06:00

An Interview with Professor Chris Flood, the newest member of the BYU French Department!

What do you like about teaching?

Interacting with students and seeing them progress and learn and grow as we study material together. I feel that teaching is an important aspect of my continuing education; as I teach things that I’ve studied for years now, I learn more from what students add to the discussion.

Why did you become a professor?

I decided I wanted to be a professor when I was 12, when I had no idea what it entailed, I just I wanted to teach. I knew that teaching at the college level would give me an opportunity to study beyond what I would be able to do teaching high school. When I was older and really looking at professions I realized that being a professor would also give me the freedom to be with my family much more so than other careers, and that became as important as any other reason.

What are your research interests?

I am interested in philosophical and theological French literature. Right now I am focusing on satire of the reformation and wars of religion in 16th century France. I am also interested in musicology, and time keeping technology and how that was related to the social changes of the Protestant reformation.

How were you introduced to studying French?

In my family we were encouraged to study French in junior high and high school. My mother lived in Morocco as a child, where she learned French, and she wanted her children to learn French. I served a mission in the France Bordeaux mission, and while there I started reading French literature. I got a library card in every city I went to and read French classics, which led to my interest in philosophy.

What are your hobbies or other interests?

I play music; my main instruments are the tuba and the guitar. I also enjoy spending time with my family. And I like fixing things and working with my hands (of which mastery is still very much a work in progress...)

In Need of Opinions

2011-10-12T10:19:00.002-06:00

Are you one of those people that like to share what's on your mind? Do you write more to the Daily Universe than you call your mother? Do you walk up to random people and tell them what you think of them? If you answered yes to any of these questions, or any questions you thought up of, then you have a new calling in life.

The Humanities Advisement Center (HAC) has just created a new website. It is pretty stinking cool, but sadly it is still in version 1.0. That is where we need the opinions of the masses, you, to tell the HAC what they can do better.

The process is pretty simple; simply hop on the site here, and then leave feedback by clicking the feedback button on the homepage. Now for your help in this process all that you can be promised is good feelings of happiness, and the knowledge that you helped the HAC become even better.

I think that is about it, so happy Tuesday world!

Tis the Season of Scares

2011-10-10T21:38:00.000-06:00

Le Club will be holding its annual
Halloween party October 25th @ 7PM

I have yet to read a study to know whether or not you get more candy during Christmas, Easter, or Halloween. I do know however that I get about equally sick of chocolate during these holidays, but I don't think that's any sort of basis for a good academic study. So, lacking any sort of accredited study and only having my own personal opinion to roll on, Halloween is most definitely the time of year that you get the biggest variety of candy (mmm...Tootsie Rolls), thus leading to more happiness in the world.

Now I'm sure many of you participated in Trunk-or-Treating, or even Trick-or-Treating if your parents were really brave, when you were a little kid. Sadly about the time that you got around to high school old people just started chasing you off their porch with out even the smallest Lemon Head. Well thankfully Le Club has got your back to help you with your Halloween fix. That is why it is with great pleasure that I announce this year's Le Club Halloween Party!

Here's the skinny:

Where: WSC 3228 (big room = big party)

When: October 25th @ 7 PM (always good to start the festivities early)

I imagine this will be a good time, so don't miss out!

Also I don't have a flier yet for this, but look for it in the coming weeks.

Happy Monday world!

How to Put Cells Phones in a Communist Country

2011-10-05T20:35:00.000-06:00

Lew W Cramer will present a lecture
with a very long title on Oct 6th
in the JFSB. Be there.

Have you ever wanted to do something incredibly awesome? I know I have...that's why I'm missing three toes (I joke). Well as it turns out being a Humanities major and doing awesome things go very well together. Tomorrow BYU will be pleased to welcome an Honored Alumni Lecturer! Now this is a big deal...just listen to the title of his speech:

So How Did a Humanities Graduate End Up Putting Cell Phones Across the Soviet Union?

BOOM! 15 words long, and just as full of excitement.

Now who is this Honored Alumni Lecturer (HAL)? He is none other than Lew W. Cramer. While he has yet to write his on Wikipedia article, a quick Google search should that this man is a man of many hats. Since 2006 he has been the CEO and President of the World Trade Center Utah. Before that he was the Managing Director of Summit Ventures International, served as the Director General for the US and Foreign Commercial Service, and he was a staff member for Reagan and the first Bush when they were in office. While I didn't find the answer to the question that is the title of his lecture, I imagine he will answer it in his lecture. For more info on Mr. Cramer click here.

Here are the details on the event:
When: October 6th (tomorrow!) at 11:00am
Where: B-092 JFSB
What: A super sweet lecture involving Soviets

I know this is super short notice, but I also know known of you have any classes at this time tomorrow, so go! And be learned.

Happy Wednesday!

« C’est mon petit doigt qui me l’a dit »

2011-10-05T13:44:00.003-06:00

The French House in the Foreign Language Student Residence (FLSR) is a great place to live! Living in the French house is a great opportunity to improve your language skills – it’s almost like a little piece of France in Provo. Residents contract to speak only French in the apartments, so you can refine your language skills with your roommates in real life situations every day! All residents also take a turn cooking in teams once a week and eat dinner together Sunday through Thursday, while visiting in French, of course. There is a “Resident Facilitator (RF)” in every apartment – a native speaker, all of who are super nice and love helping their roommates increase their competency in their beautiful mother language, French! The FLSR program is a wonderful opportunity, unique to BYU. This is my second year living in the French house, and I can happily attest that it has helped me improve my French so much, and has been a very fun place to live. Far more convincing than my opinion is the hard, cold fact that overall, students improve their language skills even more in immersion housing like the FLSR than on study abroad!

We will be following with profiles of French House RFs, activities, participants, and an interview with Mme. Oscarson who oversees the program, so stay tuned!

Le Club

2011-10-05T13:35:00.003-06:00

The French Club activity last Thursday night, watching Petit Nicolas, was a hit.

What a great film! But the highlight of the evening for those with high club affinity

and keen fashion sense may have been the announcement of the winner

of the t-shirt design contest, Kathryn Mecham. Congratulations Kathryn!

We can't wait to see the shirts.

Is the Euro Toast

2011-10-03T21:52:00.002-06:00

Is the Euro Toast? That is the question to be discussed
this Wednesday by two BYU professors. Come and see!

The Euro has been around for a long time. According to Wikipedia it has been around since 1995 before being adopted internationally in 1999. Besides its sweet designs and it killing the dollar we don't really talk too much about it over here in the States. Well that is all about to change when two BYU professors will be debating the topic "Is the Euro Toast?". Sadly I do not believe that there will be toast there, but do expect quite a bit of cerebral stimulation.

Here's the details:
Who -  Professors Wade Jacoby (Political Science) and Rick Evans (Economics)
When -  Wednesday, October 5 at 4pm
Where -  238 HRCB (Kennedy Center Main Conference Room)

Why - To bring about Debatageddon! Be there!

Professors Jacoby and Evans will be discussing the Euro this
Wednesday in the HRCB.

So don't miss out on this awesome experience. If this blog post hasn't motivated you enough check out this sweet flier here.

Happy Monday to all!

Coin de Feu avec Elder Caussé

2011-09-30T20:10:00.006-06:00

The feeling of this fireside was quite casual and intimate as Elder Caussé introduced himself and spoke personally to the Francophone community of Utah. Elder Caussé and his wife both delivered lovely talks, sharing personal stories like the challenges and joys they faced when he was first called as a Member of the Seventy. Sister Caussé gave some inspiring remarks: If we decide to be happy we can be happy no matter where we are, and Joy comes from service. Do we take all the opportunities we are presented with to serve? Elder Caussé tried to convey that General Authorities are just normal people, which he didn't realize before he was one. He bore a beautiful testimony and spoke about the growth of the church in Europe and vaguely addressed the progress of the plans for the temple in France. (About which we are all anxiously awaiting and hoping for a formal announcement from President Monson).

The BYU French Department was well represented with several professors and their families and many BYU students.

It was a great turnout and was so pleasant to be surrounded by everyone speaking French!

Help Little Kids Learn French

2011-09-28T08:35:00.001-06:00

Edgemont Elementary is seeking French students
to be volunteers in their French classrooms.

Have you ever wanted to make a difference in the life of a little elementary school student? Have you ever wanted to share your love of French with others? Have you ever wanted to relive your elementary school days? If you've answered yes to any of these questions keep reading (even if you didn't answer yes, you should probably keep reading...it's a really cool opportunity.)

Principle Dennis Pratt of Edgemont Elementary is looking for volunteers to help in his school's French classes. The available classes are for grades 1 through 3, both morning and afternoon. There are lots of positions available for BYU French students, so don't count yourself out.

What you'll be doing is pretty straight forward. You will be working either one-on-one with students or in small groups. You will primarily be tutoring French Literacy or French Math (I should brush up on my vocab there.)

How do you get this job? Probably the best first step to starting this program would be to run it by one of your French professors; just to make sure they think you can handle the position. Next either call 801-221-9984 and leave you contact info with one of the secretaries, or send an email to the principle himself at DennisP@provo.edu. From there you will be set up with a teacher that will work best for you.

The relationship that the BYU French Department has had with Edgemont Elementary has always been pretty good. So let me just give out one more shout of encouragement to go help out this school. I know it will be an awesome experience for anyone who gets to participate.

Well everyone happy Wednesday, and good luck with the rest of the week!

The Best Event Ever!

2011-09-24T19:16:00.001-06:00

Elder Caussé and his wife will be holding
a soirée Francophone this
Thursday September 29th @ 7:15 PM

Have you ever wanted to get chummy with a General Authority? Well now you can! Elder Caussé and his wife will be visiting the French-speaking of Utah this upcoming Thursday September 29th. The meeting will be held in Draper (directions found below) at a stake center. From what I understand the meeting will be pretty casual with a lot of interaction amongst the French community and Elder Caussé.

Here is how the meeting will go:
6:30 PM - Meet and Greet with Elder Caussé and his wife.
7:15 PM - Remarks given by Elder Caussé and his wife. There will be a question and answer portion here too.
~8:15 - The Caussés will stick around to visit.

This is a very unique opportunity, and really quite a privilege. Elder Caussé visited my mission a few years ago, and he is a hoot to be around (yes he is quite talented when it comes to the piano).

The talented Elder Caussé at the piano.

Now it should be noted that this is an event catered more to the French-speaking community of Utah, so please be respectful in that regard.

Here is the address: 14065 Canyon Vista Lane Draper Utah
For a map click here.

If you have any questions about the event please contact Jean Luc Magre at jeanlucmagre@yahoo.com.

Happy weekend to you all!

Le Petit Nicolas

2011-09-22T19:38:00.000-06:00

The French Club will be showing
'Le Petit Nicolas' in the JFSB
Thursday the 29th at 7 PM

Who likes French movies? I know I do...like a lot. So to satisfy your need for good flicks, the French Club will be screening 'Le Petit Nicolas'! This movie is awesome. It's based off of the hit French book series 'Le Petit Nicolas'. So if you would like to watch a sweet movie and eat some great French food, you should totally come to this event!

Here's the info:

When: Thursday September 29 @ 7 PM

Where: JFSB B002

What: Good food, good film, good times

Now the movie will not be the only thing taking place this upcoming Thursday night; the French Club t-shirt design winner will also be announced! If you've forgotten about this, or still want to get in on the action, check out the link here.

Well everyone, I wish you a happy Thursday and good luck with the weekend!

Un Film avec Un Grand Nez

2011-09-20T16:14:00.000-06:00

Do you remember that film that Steve Martin was in forever ago? Well, believe it or not it was actually based on a pretty sweet French film. And before that, the French film was based on a French book/play (good luck to all the people in 340!). Now you have the chance to see this amazing film (I've seen it) in the BYU International Cinema! Sadly this will be the last French film shown there for the next little bit.

Here's a brief rundown: Guy has big nose. Guy with big nose is a pretty awesome solider. Guy with big nose loves girl. Girl is good friends with big nose guys. Girl loves another guy who is not guy with big nose. Other guy is also a solider. Girl asks big nose guy to take care of other guy. Other guy likes girl. Other guy is no good at flirting. Big nose guy is great at flirting. Love triangle ensues. Watch film for the rest of the story.

If you are early on in the French major, go see this film (you're going to have to read the book eventually). If you are taking French 340, go see this film (you're going to have to read the book eventually). If you are almost graduated and have also already read the book, go see this movie (it's a lot more fun on the big screen, and you're probably going to have to read this book again eventually).

Here are the show times:

Wednesday September 21 @ 5:30 PM
Friday September 23 @ 5:00 PM
Saturday September 24 @ 3:00 PM

Have a great week everyone!

How to Score an Internship

2011-09-14T19:43:00.001-06:00

Humanities+ will be offering an Internship Fair
Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 11:00am

Humanities+ will be offering an Internship Info Fair next Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 11:00am in B092 JFSB (that is the basement for all the newcomers). There will be people there giving workshops on the importance of internships, all the different internships opportunities, how to get funding, and lot's of other stuff. If you come you will not only receive a head full of knowledge, but also a packet of information on internships. And if the odds are in your favor you could win some awesome door prizes!

Now remember that internships are not just running and getting coffee like back in the day. In our time you actually get to do some pretty wicked stuff. So if you have time this next Thursday, you should stop on by and see what all you can learn about scoring the next big internship.

Happy Wednesday!

And a BIG PS!!! There will be REFRESHMENTS!!!

French Blog Now On Twitter!

2011-09-13T11:36:00.000-06:00

Yes I finally broke down and got a twitter account for this here blog. With it I'll be posting blog posts, reminders of things, and little factoids. Don't worry I won't be super spammy like a lot of the other people you follow :) If you follow me I can promise you a lifetime of happiness and French joy.

Here is the account: @byufrenchblog

Happy Tuesday to everyone!

A Grand Ol' Opporunity

2011-09-09T18:37:00.004-06:00

Get ready for this years t-shirt contest!

Update!!!: Winner of the design contest will be announced this upcoming Thursday at the French Club's screening of 'Le Petit Nicolas'! Go for free food and a great film, come away a design champion! Check the link here for more info on the event.

Get your crayons out and sharpen up your pencils! Le Club has just announced this year's t-shirt design contest!

Do you considered yourself to be a creative type? Do you often dream of starting your own fashion line? Do you just want to win some awesome prizes, and go down in Le Club history? If you've answered yes to any of these questions check this contest out!

Here's the steps to fame and fortune:

1. Turn on your computer.

2. Design the most awesomely amazing thing ever.

3. Save it as a PDF.

4. Email it to byufrenchclub@gmail.com, or bring it in to JFSB 3134.

5. Wait to be basked in endless glory for winning.

So if you really do win (there can only be one) there are some pretty sweet prizes. You will win endless glory. You will also receive $50 of French prizes (no word yet on what they are...stay tuned for details). Now that's not it...on top of all that you get a copy of the t-shirt that you designed! How great is that?!

Now as always there will be questions. For those please direct them directly to the Le Club at byufrenchclub@gmail.com.

Check out the poster here for more info.

Good luck to all!

A Scholarly Lecture and A Rainy Musical

2011-09-06T22:22:00.001-06:00

While we have yet to enter the rainy season here in Utah, grab your umbrellas because the BYU International Cinema will be screening "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg for the Frenchies out there) next week. This is a 1964 French Musical direct by Jacques Demy and music done by Michel Legrand. This was a wildly popular film in its day, and I'm really kind of excited to see it.

I won't spoil the movie for you, but just know that there is a love triangle and a illegitimate child involved :) If you can't make the screening, or just want to know how this romantic musical ends, check out the Wikipedia article. For everyone else who might be interested here is the trailer for your viewing pleasure:

Show times are as follows:
• Tuesday the 13th of September at 5:30 PM with a pre-show lecture at 5:00 PM (see below)
• Wednesday the 14th of September at 8:00 PM
• Thursday the 15th of September at 9:00 PM
• Friday the 16th of September at 9:00 PM
• Saturday the 17th of September at 1:30 PM and 9:30 PM

Professor Robert Hudson will present a lecture on The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Tuesday September 13th at 5:00 pm in the International Cinema in the SWKT

Now above I mentioned a pre-show lecture, this will be done by none other than Professor Robert (Bob) J. Hudson of the French and Italian Department. For those of you who have yet to take a class from Professor Hudson, he is the ever popular teacher for French/Italian 317 French Italian Cinema course. I have yet to take a class from him, but from what I've heard he is quite the lecturer.

Professor Hudson received both his BA and Masters degree here at BYU before heading off to the sunny country of California to get his PhD at UCLA. He is currently writing numerous articles and one book-length manuscript on a variety of French subjects. When he is not working on all things French you might find him cooking, traveling, running, or following a California based sports team. For more info check out his bio page on the French/Italian Department website.

For those of you who need cultural activities, this would be a great one to go to!

Well everyone good luck with school and happy Tuesday!

Dean of Humanities Will Give a Lecture September 7th! Where Will You Be?

2011-09-02T11:47:00.000-06:00

Dean John Rosenberg will present a lecture entitled
"Humanities+: The Case for a Liberal Arts Education"
September 7th at noon in 238 Herald R Clark Building.
This is a free event.

Grab your calendars French students 'cause we have an awesome lecture for you!

On September 7th at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building, John Rosenberg, dean of the College of Humanities here at Brigham Young University, will be presenting a lecture entitled "Humanities+: The Case for a Liberal Arts Education".

To give you a little background on John Rosenberg, he was appointed dean of the College of Humanities in 2005 after serving as assistant-dean in the Spanish-Portuguese Department at BYU. He has had an amazing history with humanities including a Hispanic Literature course he taught being ranked in the top 25 foreign language courses by the Educational Policy Improvement Center. If you want to read more about the dean click here.

Now if you're like me and would like to go, but can't make the time, the lecture will be archived here by the Kennedy Center. If you have any additional questions you can contact Lee Simons at lee_simons@byu.edu.

This is an open free event, so bring your friends, kids, grandmother, whomever you would like!

A Shiny Brand New Semester

2011-09-01T23:02:00.002-06:00

Boy didn't summer go by quick?! But no matter how fast it went for you all I hope you at least enjoyed yourself a bit doing something fun. Sadly now it's time to put away the sun tan lotion and swimsuits and get back to the grinding stone.

School can be be tough, but school can also be a lot of fun. Here in the BYU French Department we want to make sure that you have fun with French in all of its facets on and off campus. There are lots of programs and activities sponsored by the French Department and other departments that will help you have a great experience with French this semester. Some of these events things are:

• French films shown by the International Cinema

• Workshops put on by the College of Humanities

• French themed activities put on by Le Club (BYU's French Club)

• Study abroad programs (there is one coming up next year!)

• And more (we'll post them as they show up)

For the new freshmen, enjoy French 101 (most of your teachers are students too). For the seasoned French students, try something new this semester to keep French exciting for you. And lastly for all of you about to graduate, get to know your professors (you never know when you might need a good reference).

Check this blog often (and our facebook page); we'll be posting previews for activities, events, workshops, etc. as they come up. Also we'll post a general calendar for everyone so you can start keeping track of the events that you want to attend this semester.

To all: Bonne Chance! Enjoy yourselves!

New Blogger

2011-04-25T16:21:00.002-06:00

Well readers, the school year has come to an end and with it my tenure as the French Studies bloggeuse. I am less than thrilled about giving up the best job in the world, but I have to graduate sometime. On a brighter side, this means that there is a great opportunity opening up for anyone interested in all things francophone. Think you have what it takes to write the BYU French Studies blog? Send a writing sample to Dr. Cropper at corrycropper@gmail.com. Bonne chance et au revoir!

Sustain Haiti Meeting

2011-04-05T15:30:00.000-06:00

I just got this from Sustain Haiti:

We just wanted to remind you about our weekly mobilization meeting which we will be holding tomorrow at 6pm. As always, we will be discussing, planning, and learning in Room 184 of the Tanner Building on the campus of Brigham Young University.
At this particular meeting we will be privileged to hear from Personnel Director Rob Polo, who will be explaining how to write a fundraising letter, who to send those letters to, trip deadlines and expectations, and anything else necessary to prepare for service in Haiti this summer.
In addition to Rob's presentation, we will be discussing in greater detail what is to be expected for those who go to Haiti this summer and what is needed from volunteers as we prepare.
We were please to see several new faces at the last meeting and hope to see more as friends and acquaintances try to decide what they will spend this upcoming summer doing!

Best wishes,

Joshua Satterfield
Director of Communications
Sustain Haiti

Sustain Haiti

2011-04-04T14:31:00.009-06:00

It's been over a year since a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, killing 230,000 people and leaving millions without homes, jobs, or clean water. Even though a year has past and untold millions of dollars and thousands of hours of aid have been dedicated to the Caribbean nation, Haitians still suffer from incredible poverty. A broken infrastructure, hunger, lack of clean water, and outbreaks of disease have hampered efforts to help the estimated 1.3 million Haitians left homeless.

Sustain Haiti is an NGO dedicated to solving these problems. They have already sent over a thousand volunteers to Haiti to teach English, business skills, and work to improve public health. Volunteers also provide hands-on education in family-level agriculture projects, clean water technology, and micro-finance opportunities. All of these efforts point to one main goal for Haiti: putting sustainable development into the hands of Haitians themselves.

Brooklyn Day, a student here at BYU, volunteered with Sustain Haiti last summer. To raise money for the trip she organized a 5K and recruited sponsors. Brooklyn also teamed up with her brother's Eagle Scout project to collect medical supplies, which she was able to distribute to four orphanages in Haiti. As far as language preparation goes, Brooklyn had taken French through 201 at BYU; most people they worked with understood French, but Creole is more common. Here are some excerpts from the blig she kept during her trip:

Today I went with some girls to one of the orphanages. We work with four main orphanages but this one is the most heartbreaking. Today when I walked in the kids swarmed us, like usual but then they all ran away because they got their lunch. For about 40 kids there was one bowl of food. I don't know how else to explain what it was except that it looked like a microwave lasagna or something. It was that small. Every kid took a bite, with the same fork and that was their lunch. After they were done they fought over the styrofoam container it came in, ripped it into pieces, and ate them. The other day at the same orphanage a mother came to visit her children who were staying there because she couldn't take care of them. It was her first visit in a long time, and the two young boys cried for 45 minutes after she left. The mom was crying too, but there was nothing she could do...

...Junior is our gardening friend. He hangs around the house a lot. I have never met anyone sweeter. One of the guys down here said that if Haiti was full of Juniors then they wouldn't have any problems. I totally agree. I asked one of the volunteers, Andrew, why Junior hangs out with us all of the time if he has a wife and 2 kids (1 son and 1 daughter, Junior just learned that in English). Andrew told me it was because Junior doesn't have the means to feed his children and take care of his family and so it is easier to just not be there. We feed him to, so that's probably another reason he hangs around. It's crazy how much love I have for these people and I have only been here a week. I have never wanted to speak a language so bad. I wish I could communicate with the people here, I would feel so much more useful...

... The combination of everything makes everyone a little crazy. We go to bed at 8:30 pm. We are so tired by the end of the day, and I think the fumes from the 100% deet are getting to us. I only have 8 bug bites, not too mad so far. I have a gnarly farmers tan, and I currently have paint in my eye...I sleep so well every night which is also a first for me. I will probably come home with 29 diseases but hopefully I'll survive. As much as this is wearing on us physically, it's harder emotionally for sure. I haven't had a full on break down yet, but I'm still waiting for that one. This by far though is the most rewarding experience of my life...

...I am really confused. I don't know why I wasn't born Haitian, or why I wasn't born with a disease, or anything like that... Why were these people given so little, and I was given so much. It's so crazy to me. I got so so lucky. I think it's important to not forget that we are incredibly blessed. Yeah, a lot of us work hard for what we have, and a lot of us don't... either way, we are so fortunate, and I thought I realized that before I came, I thought I knew how lucky I was. Then I saw a small boy, laying on the floor in 101 degree weather in so much pain because he broke his leg, who doesn't have medication and who can't move unless an orphanage worker picks him up, but then as soon as the worker remembers he has brown liquid leaking from his cast they put him down and he is back on the tile floor, sitting in the sun, with no parents and no family. Then I remember just how lucky I am. I could have been that boy...

...Well today was wonderful, except for the fact that I have the black lung and I heard a pig being slaughtered down the street. We went to deliver my brother's medical kits at the orphanage and it was really cool because we got to teach them about sanitation and first aid and we got to treat some of their wounds. They were really interested, and we could tell the medical kits were going to a good place, so that was cool. Then we went to the Field Tent Orphanage and did manual labor, moving rubble, building a school etc. I was the only girl working there so that made it rather interesting. This guy told me, "Blooklyn, you are very beautiful, I hope you ok for me to say that." Keep in mind I had sweat dripping down my face and dirt on my clothes. Then he told me, "Listen to the rain, it's coming, we have to go." He grabbed my shoes, some other random haitian grabbed my bag and we ran to this tent. Right as we got there it started to downpour. That term doesn't even do it justice, it was coming down in sheets. I don't think it rains like that in the U.S. Anyways, about 5 minutes later, Matt, the man building the orphanage told us he needed our help because the Haitians can't work in the rain, they will get pneumonia. So off we went, digging up dirt and moving rubble into wheelbarrows for an hour and a half in the pouring rain. ... it was awesome. The rain felt so good. Even though I was digging in the crumbled streets of Haiti and I was working harder than I ever have in my life I felt so clean. That was the cleanest I've felt since I've been in Haiti...

...I've been back from Haiti for almost two weeks. It's funny how my time there has impacted me since I've been home. Haiti was definitely something that will have an on-going effect on me for a long time. From my air conditioned seat on the airplane looking over Haiti, I could have sworn I had never seen somewhere so beautiful. The island was emerald green and encircled by the most pure turquoise blue I've ever seen outside of a paint tube. From the airplane it looked like paradise. As we got closer though everything came into detail. It wasn't the same place I had seen from higher in the sky. I started to see the rubble, I started to sense the heat, I saw that the surface of the land was dotted with tent cities I could actually see the destruction from the air. When I stepped off the plane, the first thing I noticed was the heat. Maybe the first thing I noticed was the smell. Either way, both were overwhelming. What had I gotten myself into?

Haiti is the most potentially beautiful place that I have ever seen. Potentially beautiful. That's what's so sad. Everything in Haiti has fallen apart. People are living in places we'd never think could be called home. Children are packed into orphanages and people scurry through the streets, which are hardly streets at all, because they have no work. Bathrooms are wherever you want them to be, tent cities are crowded, hunger is rampant, children hang around our gate hoping for food or money and everyone has lost someone close to them in the earthquake. The thing is though, the people of Haiti are still so happy. I have never learned more about life. Happiness can come from simply loving others. Happiness comes from simple things, like listening to Sean Paul at 3 in the morning, or laughing at the American girl who fell in the mud while playing duck duck goose. Yes, that was me. Happiness comes from the human connection, happiness comes from love. The people of Haiti are beautiful because even though everyday is a fight for them to stay afloat they manage to find happiness in little things. Maybe it's because most of them don't know a different life. Maybe it's because they are simply better than me in that way... Haiti has all the potential in the world, and absolutely none of the tools to ever cultivate that potential. I miss Haiti. I miss the people, and sweating non-stop and the orphans, and the jungle and all of the things I saw that are burned into my memory. I've always rolled my eyes when I've heard the saying that "beauty comes from within." Until now. The natural landscapes and waterfalls and jungles and beaches are all amazing, but that's not what makes Haiti beautiful to me. It's the people that make Haiti what it is.

If you want to volunteer, you can find up to date information about information meetings, costs, fundraising, and more at sustainhaiti.blogspot.com. Many thanks to Brooklyn Day for her blog and incredible pictures!

La maison française, French conversation, and Le Club's biggest event of the year.

2011-03-31T17:09:00.004-06:00

The French house is now looking for qualified French natives speakers. If you are a native French speaker apply to the French house to be a resident facilitator. You may qualify to receive a scholarship for your housing and dinners. Scholarships are available for spring, summer, fall and winter of 2011-2012. If you are interested or know someone who may be, please contact ML Oscarson at: mloscarson@gmail.com

For anyone interested in improving their French conversation skills, or just looking for a chance to speak the celestial language, there is a weekly conversation group that meets at 10 am each Wednesday. All levels from beginner to advanced are welcome to come and practice reading, listening, and speaking French. You can find out more by contacting them at Utah Valley French Club on Facebook.

Now, last but never least, (drumroll....) SOIRÉE FROMAGE! This is my favorite French Club event of the year, and most of the reason I joined the club in the first place. Do I really need to say anything else? I didn't think so.

Crawfish anyone?

2011-03-22T16:27:00.002-06:00

Bonjour à tous et à toutes! After an extremely hectic couple of weeks, the French studies blog is back with an overdue look at some French culture right here in the United States. A couple of weeks ago Carnaval and Mardi Gras celebrations took place all over the world, one giant party before the forty days of Lenten fasting. One of the most famous takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana, a shatterbelt of cultures: French, English, Spanish, Caribbean, just to name a few. Louisiana may not be a part of the Francophonie, but French language and culture have left their marks on Louisiana's dialect, cuisine, and music.

The area that became the state of Louisiana was passed around from one European imperial power to another since it was first claimed for Spain in 1541 by Hernando de Soto. The French took over shortly after that, then at one point the British, then Napoleon, who sold the territory to the United States. During the Civil War the state experimented with their own republic before joining the Confederacy. Louisiana's population is as diverse as its history: Spanish and German settlers, English planters, Hungarian oyster farmers, free blacks, and French aristocrats fleeing the Haitian revolution all found their way to Louisiana. In the 1750s Great Britain, then at war with France, demanded that French residents of Acadia (now Nova Scotia) renounce Catholicism and swear loyalty to the British crown. Those that refused were exiled, and eventually settled in the bayous of southern Louisiana. Through all of this diversity the French influence has been the predominant one in Louisiana; for example, the Napoleonic Code is still used in the state courts. (See http://www.louisiana.gov/Explore/About_Louisiana/ for more about Louisiana's history and government.)

Cajun (from the word Acadian) culture has evolved over the centuries into an incredible hybrid of all these influences. Although it is beginning to die out, many people still speak Cajun, a French dialect infused with bits of English. Check out short clip from Louisiana Story; if you understand all of it, you have a better ear than me.

More recently Disney brought Cajun accents into the mainstream with Raymond, the Cajun firefly from The Princess and the Frog; that little guy is probably one of Disney's best supporting characters, fo sho y'all. Fortunately Youtube is full of videos that record the Cajun dialect; this old grandpa is my favorite.

The bayous of Louisiana offer a multitude of delicacies to the adventurous gourmand, and Cajuns have taken advantage and created some mouthwatering dishes. I'm no expert, but the good folks at Gumbo Pages are. They've compiled all kinds of recipes to make your own creole spice mixtures and stock, not to mention Cajun staples like gumbo, which they describe as "the Rolls-Royce of soups". While you may not be able to find alligator tail or crawfish at a café in France, not all Cajun food is unique to the bayou. Beignets are popular both in Louisiana (especially during Mardi Gras) and back in the Hexagon. You can take your pick from Paula Deen's version (no butter, can you believe it?), or this lemony version from Marmiton.

Now that you have some new recipes to try, how about a little music to go with them? Zydeco music is wonderfully illustrative of the hybrid nature of Cajun culture. Banjos, guitars, bass, and fiddle are all typical of Southern music, while the washboard adds a percussive zest to zydeco that sets it apart from bluegrass or folk music. What really makes zydeco special, though, is the accordion; combine all of that with Cajun lyrics, and you get a sound unique to the bayou. A few years ago Sesame Street did a little Zydeco 101, and of course zydeco was featured in the Princess and the Frog.

Here are a few selections from more bona fide zydeco groups.

On va s'revoir!

Unintentional Hiatus

2011-03-18T15:47:00.003-06:00

Bonjour tout le monde,

It's been a hectic few weeks, and the blog has been the victim. As of this weekend, though, we're back in business, so keep reading for new recipes, a look at Zydeco music, and most importantly, an in depth look at the incredible colloquium that took place this week, Africa's Ambiguous Adventure. In the meantime, enjoy this belated Saint Patrick's Day salute; note that according to this kid, Saint Patrick is actually French. Boo yah.

Africa's Ambiguous Adventure

2011-03-07T14:02:00.003-07:00

Next week, March 17-18, BYU will host an incredible colloquium to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Cheikh Hamidou Kane's materpiece, L'Aventure ambiguë, considered by many to be a cornerstone of African literature. This is not an occasion to be missed, as a remarkable group of scholars, writers, and world leaders are coming from around the country and around the globe, including Cheikh Hamidou Kane himself, to discuss this wonderful book. Chantal Thompson provided this introduction of the speakers:

The Author:

Now 82 years old, but determined to make the trip to BYU, which he has visited twice before and where he has felt a “kindred faith”. One of the best known African writers in the world. Also a prominent political figure in the government of Senegal (Minister of economic development and planning) for many years, former Director of UNICEF for Sub-Saharan Africa, and President of several NGO’s dealing with the protection and welfare of children, and with the preservation of West Africa’s cultural heritage.

Other Speakers:

• Adourahman Wabéri: African writer from Djibouti, author of numerous novels, essays, poems, articles, and reports. His first volume of short stories, Le Pays sans ombre (The Land without Shadows) received the Grand prix de la Nouvelle francophone in 1994. Cahier nomade (Nomad Notebook), another collection of stories, received the acclaimed Grand Prix Littéraire de l’Afrique noire in 1996. Wabéri lives in France but this year is a visiting professor at Claremont College, CA.

• Souleymane Bachir Diagne: Senegalese philosopher, named by Le Nouvel observateur one of the 50 thinkers of our time. Author of Léopold Sédar Senghor: l’art africain comme philosophie (2007), 100 mots pour dire l’Islam (2002) and other critical works. Currently teaches at Columbia University.

• Lydie Moudelino: author of L’Ecrivain antillais au miroir de sa littérature (1997), Littératures africaines: 1980-1990 (2003) and other critical works on Caribbean and African literature. She is a Professor of Romance Languages at the University of Pennsylvania.

• Mamadou Sy Tounkara: Director of l’Ecole Supérieure de Sciences Politiques et de Relations Internationales in Dakar; General Secretary of the Committee on the 50th Anniversary of l’Aventure ambiguë.

Cheikh Hamidou Kane's address on Thursday morning will be in French accompanied by translations shown on Power Point slides. Abdourahman Wabéri's presentation on Friday, as well as Cheikh Hamidou Kane's closing remarks, will also be in French. Click on the flier above to view the full schedule of events, including times and room numbers.

Foire francophone!

2011-03-03T15:56:00.003-07:00

Last semester Amélie stole your heart, and you sang along with les chansons des années soixantes. Two weeks ago you saw France's favorite Gaulois beat up the Romans. Next week Le Club is hosting yet another wonderful activity, the foire to end all foires:

I'll see you there.

Le corbeau et le renard

2011-03-02T16:30:00.005-07:00

La Fontaine's influence has extended from the 17th century all the way to Youtube. A contemporary of Molière and Racine, La Fontaine's work was well-received during his life; he enjoyed the patronage of Louis XIV's Suprintendent of Finances Nicolas Fouquet (before the latter fell out of favor with Louis XIV), and received good reviews from Madame de Sévigné.

Today his Fables (which can be read in French or English here) are known the world over, and fans young and old have put their own retellings on Youtube. This is a charming animated version of Le corbeau et le renard. As cute as that selection is, though, this video has to take the cake, or the fromage as the case may be. Enjoy.

Coeur de pirate

2011-02-24T10:29:00.004-07:00

Bonjour mesdames et messieurs! The week is coming to a close, midterms are upon us, and those of our readers graduating in April are battling raging cases of senioritis. This seems like a good time for more French music.

Today we turn again to Quebec, to listen to a young Montrealer named Béatrice Martin (Coeur de Pirate to her fans). Classically trained on the piano since the age of three, Béatrice only started writing her own songs a couple of years ago and released her first album under her stage name, Coeur de Pirate. Coeur de Pirate writes, sings, and plays her own music, and is one of few major francophone singers to actually sing in French. She has been rewarded with widespread popularity across Canada as well as the francophone world (her launch to stardom was aided in part by this adorable video). She has consistently been in the Francophone top ten, has been nominated for several music awards, and won the La Victoire (France's equivalent of the Grammys) for Best Original Song of 2010.

The piano is a staple of her self-titled debut album, making her music somewhat reminiscent of Yann Tiersen's soundtrack for Amélie. Coeur de Pirate also plays with a wide variety of instruments that give her music a vibrant, multi-faceted texture. Guitars, drums, organs, trumpets, xylophones (or glockenspiels... what's the difference?), reeds, strings, a banjo, and of course, that trademark of French music, an accordion, all contribute to her unique sound. Coeur de Pirate's lyrics are usually centered on the tried and true subject of many musicians: love, in all its poetic bliss and tragedy. An optimistic (or perhaps ironic; I haven't decided yet) cheerfulness pervades many of even her sadder songs. While "Corbeau" is decidedly mournful, it ends on a positive note; "Berceuse", on the other hand, matches the pangs of lost love with a flirtatious melody in waltz time accompanied by an accordion.

Coeur de Pirate's debut album is available from all the usual places, but here's a taste of some my favorites, as well as a few tidbits from live performances:

Comme des enfants

La vie est ailleurs

Ensemble

Pour un infidèle (collaborating with Julian Doré)

Corbeau

C'était salement romantique

Printemps

J'ai demandé à la lune (with Indochine at a benefit concert)

Umbrella (This one makes me giggle a little; an unexpected, but good, cover.)

You say you want a revolution...

2011-02-17T21:09:00.004-07:00

Tunisia, a member of the OIF, has started a chain of protest, demonstration, and unrest across northern Africa and the Middle East. Here's what's been happening:

The protests in Tunisia began on 17 December. Mohamed Bouazizi sold produce for a living, but had been doing so without a permit. When his town authorities forced him to stop, he lit himself on fire in protest. According to the BBC, Bouazizi's hometown is one of the poorest areas of Tunisia, and his fellow citizens soon followed suit and began protesting, expressing their discontent about unemployment and rising food prices.

Up until December, the West had seen Tunisia as something of a work in progress. Since France withdrew in 1956, Tunisia has established itself as a relatively stable economic power, with significant European investments coming from agriculture and tourism. But despite the economic growth and continuous efforts against Islamic extremism, Tunisia was still fraught with human and civil rights issues. Habib Bourguiba, who became president when France withdrew in 1956, remained in power until 1987. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali took over from Bourgiba, and has since amended the constitution to allow himself to continue to run for reelection. He won each election with 99.9% majorities, drawing criticism both at home and abroad. In addition to questionable election practices and rising unemployment and food prices, the Tunisian government's widespread internet censorship, which included deleting dissident blogs and blocking websites.

The demonstrations quickly spread and quickly reached the capital. The government responded with violent attempts to put down the protests, and by January dozens of protestors had been killed, curfews were in place, and Ben Ali was frantically making promises of reform and improvement. Promises were not enough, however, and Ben Ali is now in exile in Saudi Arabia (where he has since been hospitalized because of a serious stroke), leaving Tunisians to rebuild their government and lives. A transition government has been formed including representatives of several of Tunisia's political parties. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has announced that those imprisoned for political reasons will be released, and that the media will now enjoy full freedom. Members of the opposition party have been named to prominent government positions, although several veterans of Ben Ali's regime will remain in power, which has inspired continued unrest in the capital city of Tunis. In fact, despite what seem to be several victories for the revolutionaries, the protests continue as many desire more change. The interim government will remain in place until proper elections can be held.

The BBC was my primary source for this post; for more information, and to keep up to date with what is happening in Tunisia, visit the BBC's country profile for Tunisia.

Mon meilleur ami

2011-02-15T13:16:00.003-07:00

Another Valentine's Day has come and gone, and so I offer (a little late) a celebration of love that has little to do with cupids and heart shaped boxes of chocolates. Mon meilleur ami is a beautiful story about the importance of real friendship. The protagonist is François Coste, a high end antiques dealer in Paris who mistakes a long list of business contacts for a long list of friends. When he attends the funeral of one of these contacts he is astonished that only seven people attend (he himself is only there to finish a business deal); imagine his surprise when his business partner, Catherine, points out that there will be even fewer mourners at his own death. When he protests that he has many friends, she makes a bet: if François cannot produce his best friend, son meilleur ami, by the end of the month, he will have to give up a Greek vase that he bought on an impulse. The vase depicts the legendary friendship of Achilles and Patrochlus, and becomes a symbol of François's search for un meilleur ami. Alas, François is lacking in any kind of people skills, and so enlists the aid of a talkative taxi driver, Bruno, who seems to be friends with everyone. But for Bruno being friends with everybody is the same as being friends with nobody, and he needs François's friendship as much as François needs him. One is isolated by his own coldness, the other by betrayal, but each is equally alone.

I don't believe in spoilers, so I won't reveal any more of the plot. Suffice it say that the journey of these two lonely souls tells a powerful story about making, keeping, and having friends (and it stars my favorite French actor, Dany Boon. You have to see this movie). Mon meilleur ami, as well as many other French films, can be found on Netflix under its English title My Best Friend.

So just what is the Francophonie?

2011-02-08T13:41:00.006-07:00

Like other European nations, France at one time had colonies all over the world; the poet and former Senegalese president Léopold Sédar Senghor observed that "in the rubble of colonialism, we have found a marvelous tool: the French language". It is this marvelous tool that has united 75 governments (click here for a world map showing members and observers; OIF members make up one third of the United Nations) into what is now known as the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.

Francophones have been aware of their shared lingual identity since the nineteenth century, when the term "francophonie" was coined to describe the global francophone community. The official international organization of francophones began in 1926 when a group of writers formed the Association des écrivains de langue française; over the next 50 years journalists and radio stations, then some government ministries such as education, followed suit. In 1970 l’Agence de coopération culturelle et technique was formed. This francophone undertaking went on to become the l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (International Organisation of the Francophonie,) which today faces the dual challenge of integrating francophone countries while preserving respect for cultural diversity.

The OIF spearheads a plethora of efforts to preserve, promote, and promulgate francophone language and culture, supporting everything from literature prizes to theatre performances to art exhibits in rural areas. TV5Monde was created by joining 5 public television channels (from Belgium, France, Quebec, and Switzerland) and today reaches 187 million homes worldwide. There is even an athletic competition every four years, the Jeux de la Francophonie.

The Francophonie is headed by an elected secretary general; Abdou Diouf, a former president of Senegal who has since been a strong advocate for greater African unity, currently holds the position. Biannual summits are held to discuss development, culture, communication, and language, as well as technological development and scientific research. Culture and education are the original focuses of the Francophonie, but over the years other aims have been added: peace, democracy, and human rights; sustainable development; economics; and technology. For example, the OIF played an important role in the 1992 Roumanian elections, providing technical assistance as well as supervising ballots and educating voters.

The Francophonie has its own website, which in fact was the source for this post. Visit francophonie.org to learn more about member nations and specific OIF initiatives. And next time someone asks you what's so special about French anyway, you can mention a couple of these statistics: there are 220 million francophones in the world, and French and English are the only languages spoken on 5 continents. French is the third most common language on the internet, after English and German, with Spanish coming in at fourth. 19% of global trade takes place within the OIF.

Save the liver!

2011-02-03T13:05:00.002-07:00

Lest anyone think that too much of this blog is dedicated to la cuisine française, allow me to present my excuses: first, I love food (and really, who doesn't?). Second, UNESCO seems to agree. In November of 2010 Unesco's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity added French cuisine to the list (I guess ET should have gone with a pain au chocolat instead of Reese's Pieces). Arguably no one has done more than Les Trois Gourmandes to make this aspect of humanity's intangible culture accessible to Americans. Anyone who has seen Julie and Julia knows who Les Trois Gourmandes are: Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, and of course, Julia Child. What started as a dining club evolved into cooking classes for Americans living in Paris. When the Childs returned to the United States, Julia continued working with her French friends to write a cookbook. After years of revision and transatlantic correspondence, Knopf finally agreed to publish Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Not long after the book was released, PBS approached Julia Child about making a TV show, The French Chef, and the rest is history.

Julia described Mastering the Art of French Cooking as being "written for those who love to cook", but not necessarily for those who know how to cook. Little has changed since it was first published in 1961, except to adapt instructions for changes in kitchen technology (like the food processor) and ingredients (such as enriched rice). The actual cookbook includes as much instruction on basic techniques as it does specific recipes; she gives detailed instructions about what pan to use and when, suggestions for timing so that everything can be served perfectly, how to brown and season meat just right, you name it. If you are "a servantless ... cook" who can take the time (and budget) to dedicate to "the enjoyment of producing something wonderful to eat", you must have this book in your kitchen. Bon appétit.

Mark your calendars...

2011-02-02T16:13:00.003-07:00

...for the first French Club activity of the semester! Adam McBride, Dennis Meyer, and Jesse Hurlbut with all be presenting at a Soirée B. D., and if that's not enough incentive, there will also be comic books to browse, prizes to win, and Haribo to eat. See you there!

In other news...

2011-02-01T13:04:00.004-07:00

There are all kinds of French news sources online: France24, Le Monde, and Le Figaro, to name a few, all provide international as well as local coverage. France-Amérique is an American newspaper published in French. These are essentially online newspapers, but most provide a wealth of other media, like slideshows and interview videos. One of my favorites among these multimedia features, "Radiozapping" on Le Monde, consists of clips from radio shows talking about whatever the news headlines are for the day and is a fun way to work on listening comprehension. Another regular feature on Le Monde, "l'Actus en patates", is just what it says it is: news-based cartoons using potatoes (yes, potatoes) to satirize the headlines.

(This print and others can be found here.)

If your French skills aren't quite up to reading, watching, or listening to the news in French, there are still several good places to read about la Francophonie. France24 publishes in English as well as French. The BBC has incredibly thorough and easy to navigate profiles for every country in the world. These profiles also include links to each country's own news media. For example, Côte d'Ivoire has several news sources, some private and some state-owned. The page also includes lists of recent and popular news stories, timelines, and photo collections.

Armed with this plenitude of news media you can dazzle everyone with how informed you are. And in the tradition of one of America's greatest contributions to the world of journalism, I wish you a good night and a pleasant tomorrow.

Lourdes

2011-01-29T12:49:00.004-07:00

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!

2011-01-28T14:02:00.005-07:00

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

2011-01-27T17:17:00.005-07:00

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.)

2011-01-26T21:02:00.005-07:00

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

2011-01-20T15:03:00.005-07:00

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

2011-01-20T14:12:00.003-07:00

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

2011-01-19T21:15:00.006-07:00

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

2011-01-14T14:05:00.005-07:00

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!

2011-01-13T14:07:00.002-07:00

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

2011-01-11T13:51:00.002-07:00

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

2011-01-10T14:22:00.005-07:00

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!

2011-01-06T13:13:00.002-07:00

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!

2011-01-05T17:50:00.004-07:00

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.

Noël en France

2010-12-03T15:15:00.003-07:00

In spite of their best efforts, final projects, papers, and exams cannot defeat the fact that Christmas is just a couple of weeks away. This past Thursday Mme Thompson's annual presentation "Noël en France" was a perfect reminder of the Christmas light at the end of the homework tunnel. Through music, pictures, and stories, Mme Thompson shared the Christmas spirit with all in attendance.

The history of Christmas in France goes back over a thousand years to 496 AD, when the French king Clovis and three thousand followers were baptized in the cathedral at Reims. Thus the birth of the French nation into the Christian faith coincides with the birth of Christ. "Noël" (which comes from the Latin word for birth), became the people's cry to welcome a victorious king. When Jeanne d'Arc took Orléans she too was greeted with joyful cries of "Noël".

Some of our Christmas traditions come from medieval practices. In Alsace they would put on mystery plays retelling Bible stories from the Creation through to the Nativity. Not many trees look good in the middle of winter in Alsace, so a fir tree was used for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; apples hung on the branches represented the Forbidden Fruit. Think about that when you decorate your Christmas tree this year.

But, Mme Thompson told us, it's the Nativity scene, not the Christmas tree, that is the center piece at Christmas time. At one time Crèche scenes were only in churches. At one point during the Revolution, however, Christmas celebrations were banned and churches were closed on Christmas day. Not willing to give up on their traditions, people made smaller scenes in their own homes, and added figures of themselves called santons. The Christ Child was only added after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and the Three Kings on Epiphany (January 6).

Mme Thompson's accounts of Midnight Mass were incredible. The service begins at 10 pm on Christmas Eve, in front of the church's crèche scene. At midnight, a moment of beginning and ending, the bells ring and the Christ child is placed in the manger. It is then that "Minuit chrétiens" (written in 1847 by a wine merchant named Placide Cappeau, and performed at the presentation by Jim Shumway with Jeff Shumway at the piano) is sung, calling Christians to fall to their knees and recognize the birth of their Savior. While "O Holy Night", the English translation of Cappeau's "Minuit chrétiens", is a wonderful song, the words are of course much better in the original French.

After Mass everyone goes home to a massive feast: oysters, foie gras, turkey, lasagna, thirteen different desserts, and of course bûche de Noël. Sound good? Keep reading the blog this week and next for Christmas recipes, music, and of course more French Studies announcements.

Joyeux Noël

2010-12-01T17:25:00.003-07:00

I know that I've already announced the showtimes for the French film Joyeux Noël, but this movie deserves more than a quick blurb (as do most of the films they show at International Cinema, really). Released in 2005, Joyeux Noël was nominated for a host of well deserved film awards for acting, music, costumes, as well as best film for director Christian Carion. It is based on a true story of a group of French, Scottish, and German soldiers who decided on an unofficial cease fire Christmas Eve 1914. This film should be particularly interesting for American viewers, since World War I is often just a passing paragraph or two on the way to World War II. Joyeux Noël is an excellent portrayal of the war that was supposed to end all wars.

The storyline begins simply enough: war is declared, and young men are called from their homes and families to the trenches. Their dreams of glory and excitement are destroyed in the bitter cold of winter, hiding from artillery and machine gun fire in the trenches. On Christmas Eve they decide that just for one night they could stop the fighting . They meet together to sing, eat, drink, celebrate Mass, and even enjoy a game of soccer (or a football match, whichever you prefer). But what happens after Christmas? It's one thing to shell a mysterious enemy hidden in the opposite trench, but what about someone you've spent time with? Despite the title, Joyeux Noël is about far more than Christmas. This is a story about the worst and the best in human nature: the horrors of war, vengeance, and unreasoning hatred, contrasted with forgiveness, compassion, and sacrifice.

If you haven't see it yet there are still a few showings this week: 5 pm and 10 pm on Friday, and 1:30 pm on Saturday.

MA in Literary Translation at NYU

2010-11-30T16:15:00.004-07:00

I imagine that most of you who are French majors have been asked more than once what exactly you plan to do with it. Based on my experience the first assumption is that you want to teach. The truth is that there is a plethora of doors opened to those who have studied the French language, like this one at NYU. Their one year program includes two semesters in New York City (where most books translated from French are published) and 6 weeks in Paris, all the time studying translation theory, creative writing, literature, and of course French with top professors, publishers, and French writers. The culminating thesis is your own original translation. Interested? More information on the program can be found here.

(This image, as well as many others like it, was created by Vahram Muratyan and can be found here.)

The Home Stretch

2010-11-29T14:09:00.005-07:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone (I hope everyone had a great break!), and that means that finals and Christmas are right around the corner. If you haven't finished your cultural activities yet, or just need a break from the stress of the next couple of weeks, the French Department has got your back. Here's what going on this week:

2 December, 11 am - Noël en France, Mme Thompson's annual presentation about Christmas traditions in France, is not to be missed. You might be surprised at just how many of our own traditions have French origins. This presentation, full of stories and music, is a perfect way to start off the Christmas season.

2 December, 7 pm - French Choir! In case Mme Thompson's presentation wasn't quite enough to get you in a holiday spirit, the French Choir will be performing Christmas music Thursday night (also not to be missed).

Joyeux Noël at International Cinema - This week International Cinema will be showing a film that is truly international. Joyeux Noël tells the story of a group of French, Scottish, and German soldiers during World War I who declared a truce for Christmas Eve. This promises to be a moving story about a tragic moment in history that is all to often neglected in American history books. The film is 116 minutes long, and for the most part is in French. It's showing four times this week: Tuesday 30 November at 8 pm, Friday 3 December at 5 and 10 pm, and then Saturday 4 December at 1:30 pm.

For a little Christmas fun in the meantime, how about a young Celine Dion singing Le petit renne au nez rouge?

Thanksgiving!

2010-11-19T20:31:00.004-07:00

Ahhh, Thanksgiving break. It always presents something of a dilemma for me. I'm torn between grandiose plans for finishing all my homework for the rest of the semester in a marathon of writing and studying, and (what usually wins out) catching up on good movies, sleep, time with friends and especially family, and of course lots of food. And since Thanksgiving can't really happen without pumpkin pie, here's a tasty looking recipe from our friends at Marmiton (the original is found here; below is my translation):

Now, quite often in French recipes one comes across ingredients that are difficult to find in Provo. This is when Google becomes your best kitchen tool. With a little creativity and the help of other gourmands, you can make just about anything you need to. Take poudre d'amande for example; you need 100g for this recipe, just under a cup. You may not be able to find it at your usual grocery store (maybe I just haven't looked hard enough), but this discussion board has some great ideas for making do without.

And of course you can't have French cooking without alcohol. A little rum here, a little wine there, make many recipes seemingly out of reach. I recently found this extremely helpful website that provides manageable (and non-alcoholic) substitutes for most wines and liqueurs that you'll encounter in any recipe. For the rum called for in this recipe, you have a choice of vanilla, pineapple juice, grape juice, or apple juice. While none of these may exactly replicate rum, it's better than not eating French food at all.

Ingrédients (for 6-8 people) :
- 250 g pie crust
- 500 g pumpkin
- 150 g sugar
- 50 g almonds
- 6 eggs
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 100 g poudre d'amande
- 60 g butter
- 6 cl cream
- 1 tablespoon rum (see above for substitute)
- salt and pepper

Préparation :

Spread out the pie crust in a pie pan 22 cm in diameter. Poke a couple holes in the bottom with a fork and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Mince the almonds toast them briefly over the stove.

Bring the cream to a boil, turn off the heat, and add the vanilla.

Peel the pumpkin and cut the flesh in pieces. Steam it for 20 min and let it cool.

Spread dry beans along the bottom of the pie crust and bake for 20 minutes.

Mash the pumpkin. In a bowl, mix 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks, as well as the sugar.

Add the pumpkin, the poudre d'amandes, the cooled cream, softened butter, your chosen rum substitute, a pinch of salt and a little pepper. Mix it up.

Remove the dried beans from the pie crust. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the crust, then add the pumpkin mix and bake for 15 minutes.

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Indochine

2010-11-18T17:38:00.005-07:00

An anonymous commenter shared this link on a past post, and it couldn't be more perfect for what I want to write about today. A brand new radio station in the UK will be playing all "Gallic pop", begging the question (at least of our neighbors across the pond): can we learn to love French pop music?

I say absolutely yes, although like any art form, music is certainly subjective. When I went to Paris on study abroad I had hoped to discover all kinds of great modern French music, but my host mom listened to Debussy and everyone else wanted to know about "Steve Meeler Band". My first meal in a Parisian café was accompanied by the sweet strains of Elvis, Barbara Streisand, and It's Raining Men (Seriously? It's Raining Men? I ask you). Ironically it's been this semester in Provo that I've really discovered some great French pop music, thanks to Dr. Decoo, who takes a few minutes out of class every day to introduce us to a singer or musical. That was how Indochine came into my life. I am crazy about this band; in fact, at the moment they're probably my favorite non-Beatles band. But enough about me. Let's get to the music.

Indochine (according to a very informative Wikipedia article) formed in 1981 and were very successful in France as well as a few other countries throughout the 80s. Although they continued writing and recording during the 90s, it wasn't until 2002 that they made it back to their former glory. Their sound is 80s-tastic (just like their hairspray and music videos): strong melodies, sweet guitar riffs, and plenty of synthesizer. Some accuse them of simply imitating The Cure, but I'll leave that call up to you. Here are a couple of my favorites to get you started. Youtube has many of their videos, and a few tracks can be streamed from the HLRC website. L'aventurier was the song that got them started (I wasn't kidding about the 80s folks); the guitar riff in this song is one of my all time favorites. More recently they came out with this haunting song, J'ai demandé à la lune (featured at Star Académie last week), performed here with Coeur de Pirate at a concert for Haiti. Not long ago Indochine celebrated their 25th anniversary (even though Nikola Sirkis is the only original member left in the band today) with a concert at the Hanoi Opera House, where they reprised their first hit with the help of a symphony orchestra. Enjoy.

Do you want to hear about more French (or francophone) bands? Do you have a favorite you want to tell us about? Leave a comment and let me know!

Découvrir Gabrielle Roy

2010-11-17T13:37:00.003-07:00

As promised, here's a bit about the Gabrielle Roy symposium from last week. It was a week long affair dedicated to Roy and her work. On Thursday François Ricard, her biographer and director of the Gabrielle Roy research institute at McGill University in Montreal, gave a lecture covering the most formative events of her life.

Ricard thinks of Gabrielle's life in three parts: her childhood in Manitoba, her years in Europe, and then her career in Montreal. Roy was the daughter of Quebecois parents who had emigrated to Manitoba. Growing up French-Canadian in anglophone Manitoba meant that she was part of an ostracized minority. It was illegal to teach French in schools, so Gabrielle's teachers would clandestinely teach French subjects after hours. Her family, while not desperate, was certainly not affluent. The combination of poverty and exclusion gave Roy a feeling of being "destined for inferiority". So when she wasn't pursuing her thespian talents she worked as teacher, at once helping to support her family and preparing to escape to Europe.

Her time in Europe was a period of discovery and decisions that would change her future. She was exposed to British literature, especially Shakespeare. And it was during this time that she decided to write in French. Her stay in Europe ended with the onset of World War II, and Gabrielle went to Montreal. During the second World War Montreal experienced a economic and cultural boom. War industries provided ample employment, and after the fall of Paris, Quebec became the protector of French culture.

It was while living in Montreal that Gabrielle published her first novel, "Bonheur d'occasion", about a working class family in the slums of Montreal. It was an instant success and in 1947, just two years after its publication, Gabrielle received the Prix féminin in Paris. For the rest of her life she continued to write wonderful novels, oscillating between innocent stories about nature and grittier novels like "Bonheur d'occasion". She had for capturing in writing the human experience in all its complexity, at once painful and magnificent. By the time of her death in 1983 she had become one of Canada's greatest novelists.

"Bonheur d'occasion" can be found at the HBLL here.

Almost there...

2010-11-16T16:11:00.003-07:00

The semester is nearing an end, with Thanksgiving right around the corner and finals soon after. French Studies is still going strong, and last week was particularly exciting. After a fascinating symposium on Gabrielle Roy (more on that later this week), French Club's Star Académie finished out the week on a high note. What's that you say? You missed it? Quel horreur, how could you! Those of us who did go were treated to a wide variety of song and dance numbers, ranging from classics like La Mer by Charles Trenet all the way to some very intense rap. Some contestants sang their songs with simple accompaniment, like Kaylie (hope I spelled that right) with La complainte de la butte (so beautiful!). Others put their own twist on things, like Zach and his sweet piano stylings for La vie en rose. Evan and Valerie (I really hope that I'm getting all these names right) brought a little high culture to the evening with their respective performances of pieces by Camille Saint-Saëns and Georges Bizet. French songs were not the only to make an appearance; Tyler did his own translation of Michael Jackson's Beat It, and Adam blew us all away not only with his translation of Mika's Grace Kelly, but also with his remarkable falsetto. In the end the audience and judges were faced with a tough decision; how does one decide between so many wonderful performances, and I didn't even mention the original composition by Bryson and Lundy, Amy's performance of Tous les garçons (one of my all time favorites), or Kara's version of J'ai demandé à la lune, and so many more! In the end it was Clarissa Lewis who won the day with incredible performances of both La vie en rose et Non, je ne regrette rien by Edith Piaf.

Even if you missed all of that don't worry, because there's more going on this week. Tomorrow, 17 November at 3 pm there will be an info meeting in B032 of the JFSB for anyone interested in the Spring 2011 Paris Study Abroad. By the way, you should be interested because it sounds incredible. I'm already jealous of everyone who gets to go. On Thursday 18 November at 11 am in B190 JFSB, there will be a panel discussion with BYU Humanities alumni to help us humanities students use our studies in the Humanities help us be more successful in reaching our dream careers. Be there or be square.

P.S. Since I'm such a huge Beatles fan I can't help but acknowledge that Apple announced this morning that the Beatles' music is finally available on iTunes. In honor of this wonderful news, sit back and listen to the Fab Four singing Michelle.

Les enfants perdus

2010-11-11T16:24:00.002-07:00

No one does avant-garde like the French (think Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain"); even the term itself is French. Back in September Jean-Christophe Valtat, a French author whose visit was sponsored by the French Embassy, came to BYU and gave a talk entitled "The 'Lost Children': Myth & Mirage of the Avant-garde". He spoke first about his inner struggle of professor too conservative for the author versus author who does not always live up to the professor's expectations. These two sometimes conflicting perspectives lend themselves well to his topic, which is this: the avant-garde prove that literature is important for its "existential impact". What follows is my own summary of the lecture; click here to read the full text (well worth your time).

The avant-garde is a personal subject for him; Valtat first discovered them as a teenager, and his fascination with the avant-garde led him to reconstruct several aspects that connect the plethora of avant-garde movements and make them relevant to us today. First is radicality. Whether it be literature, music, visual arts, or anything else, the avant-garde artist does what has never been done before. This radicality is more than originality, in that the artist "should handle topics that were unknown or taboo before him or her". Second, that radicality is not just aesthetic; instead it has the intent to "change life". This power to change comes from the tendency of avant-garde artists to combine artistic media: poems and paintings, costumes and poetry, etc. It also derives from artists' efforts to make art as a "separate, specialized form" disappear, and replace it with "a life that would be a realization of art". Third, avant-garde movements are group efforts. There is a community pursuing "collective adventures". While some argue that these collective efforts are simply for marketing purposes, Valtat feels that these networks and groups were essential to their art.

Valtat's next points on surprising: after carefully constructing these three aspects, he now describes them in terms of myth and mirage (maybe that's not such a surprise given the title, but there you go). Radicality and reality do not always go in hand. It "often means taking steps towards political action", but politics and art do not always have the same agenda and not a few artists lost themselves to mistaking myth for reality". Changing life is almost oxymoronic to the avant-garde, for once change has been affected it becomes mainstream and thus no longer avant-garde. In fact, one group of young Frenchmen in the 1930s said that “ if they were to be remembered, it would only be as a catastrophe ”. And even those wonderful artistic communities were divided by rivalries and arguments. In Valtat's words, "an ideal community... demands conformity to its members, who in turn fail to see where the liberation, and therefore the point, is".

So where does that leave us? Were the avant-garde movements of the last century a waste of time and talent? According to Valtat, not at all, and I'll finish with his words: "...they left us the memory of a time where art was considered as something meaningful and essential, and possibly life-changing... So the avant-garde is dead, long live the avant-garde".

Cock fights, healers, and hidden passages. That get your attention?

2010-11-10T18:15:00.003-07:00

If your week has been anything like mine the last thing on your mind is trying to find more to read. But Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, and you won't always the joy of reading assignments to keep you busy. But never hear, your friendly neighborhood French Studies Blog is here, bringing you the latest in French literature. That's right, here on the blog we'll be posting short recommendation/reviews from our very own professors (and you too!) of good French books to broaden our horizons. Dr. Cropper has led the way:

My favorite French novel of late is Carole Martinez's Le Coeur cousu (Gallimard, 2007, 439 pages). It is the story of a mother and daughter, of their relationship, of supernatural family traditions and of miraculous gifts. It is a story of sewing and of writing, and of the intersection between the two. It is filled with cock fights, healers, and hidden passages. Its chapters read like shorts stories woven together to form the portrait of two powerful women who create their own stories out of the fabric of fate and of revolution. Find out more about the novel by clicking here.

So, chers profs (and students too), have you read anything good lately? Do you have a favorite French book, story, poem, anything? Write a paragraph or two and email it to cshell87@gmail.com with the subject "French Studies Blog" and I'll put it on the blog!

In the meantime, enjoy this little break from midterms.

Gabrielle Roy Symposium

2010-11-08T13:29:00.003-07:00

This week the French Department and Dr. LeBras are putting on a symposium on Gabrielle Roy, a French-Canadian author whose remarkable work spans the better part of the 20th century. On Thursday at 11, as part of this symposium, François Ricard, her biographer and director of research dedicated to Roy at McGill University, will present a lecture entitled Découvrir Gabrielle Roy in B002 JFSB.

I'll leave the good stuff to the lecture on Thursday, but in the meantime here is an excerpt from Gabrielle Roy's Bonheur d'occasion, translated by Hannah Josephson as The Tin Flute, (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1947), 25-26. (This excerpt found at vehiculepress.com.)

The street was absolutely silent. There is nothing more peaceful than St. Ambroise Street on a winter night. From time to time a figure slips by, as if drawn to the feeble glimmer of a store front. A door opens, a square of light appears on the snow covered street, and a voice rings out in the distance. The passerby is swallowed up, the door bangs shut, and only the spirit of the night reigns in the deserted street between the pale glow of lighted windows on one side and the dark walls bordering the canal on the other.

At one time the suburb had ended here; the last houses of Saint-Henri looked out on open fields, a limpid, bucolic air clinging to their eaves and tiny gardens. Of the good old days nothing is left now on St. Ambroise Street but two or three great trees that still thrust their roots down under the cement sidewalk. Mills, grain elevators, warehouses have sprung up in solid blocks in front of the wooden houses, robbing them of the breezes from the country, stifling them slowly. The houses are still there with their wrought-iron balconies and quiet facades. Sometimes music penetrates the closed shutters, breaking the silence hike a voice from another era. They are lost islands to which the winds bear messages from all the continents, for the night is never too cold to carry over alien scents from the warehouses: smells of ground corn, cereals, rancid oil, molasses, peanuts, wheat dust and resinous pine.

Jean had chosen this remote, little-known street because the rent was low, and because the deep rumble of the quarter, the whistle blowing at the end of day, and the throbbing silence of the night spurred him on to work.

In the spring, to be sure, the nights ceased to be quiet. As soon as the channel was free of ice the sirens blew from sunset to dawn, echoing from the bottom of St. Ambroise Street over the entire suburb, and even as far as Mont-Royal when the wind blew that way.

P.S. Don't forget about STAR ACADÉMIE, put on by the French Club this Thursday at 7 in the Varsity Theatre.

Tissot at the MOA

2010-11-02T16:29:00.004-06:00

"The Life of Christ" is a remarkable series of watercolors by James Tissot currently on display at the BYU Museum of Art. Tissot was an artist who worked at the end of the 19th century. After a sudden and profound conversion he dedicated ten years of his life to a massive opus called "La vie de notre Sauveur Jésus-Christ", which included his own commentaries on the Gospels as well as 350 watercolors depicting the life of Christ. 124 of those paintings are on display at the BYU Museum of Art until January 8, 2011.

The paintings debuted with enormous success at the 1894 Salon; men reverently removed their hats and women wept, moved by Tissot's stunning depictions of the events recorded in the Gospels. The paintings are the result not only of his dramatic conversion, but also years of travel in the Holy Land and a careful study of the Gospels. The detailed costumes, architecture, and landscapes in the paintings come from his careful observations during his travels. He was meticulous about every detail, right down to the proportions of the steps of the Temple where Joseph and Mary presented Jesus. Tissot often filled in details that were missing from the Gospels, such as the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, always drawing on his experiences in the Holy Land. Sometimes these details are jarring or even disturbing in their reality, as in his depiction of the Massacre of Innocents; for the most part though, they create magnificently portray Christ's life in vivid color.

Because Christian art portrays the same stories and subjects over and over, there is often repetition from one work to the next. Traditional symbols and gestures cue viewers into what is happening in the painting. Tissot departs from these standards and portrays the old subjects in new ways, and several times he paints moments that are not typically dealt with in religious art. For example he paints Joseph as he contemplates Mary's announcement that she is with child. Tissot portrayed Joseph as a young man (he is typically shown as old and grey, to emphasize his mortality), pensive and concerned about Mary's surprising news.

This is also apparent in his portrayal of the Crucifixion. While all of the usual people are present in the work, the change in perspective makes it completely unique.

The MOA will soon debut an exciting new exhibit of Carl Bloch's works; while Bloch is not French, if religious art is your thing this exhibit is not to be missed. More information about these and other exhibits at the MOA can be found here.