White and Red

It's not too late! If you've accidentally missed out on Dr. Sprenger's first two lectures on Kieslowski's "Three Colors Trilogy" you can still catch her third and final lecture this upcoming Tuesday at 5 p.m. Also, "White," the trilogy's second film, is screening Friday at 9:45 p.m. and Saturday at 3:45 p.m.

Last Chance!
Dr. Anca Sprenger
"Red" by Krzysztof Kieslowski
5:00 PM 250 SWKT

-david

A Prophet

The 'Grand Prix' winner of the 2009 Cannes film festival is sure to be one of 2010's most important French films. Jacques Audiard's latest has taken seven years to reach the screen and will be showing in select theaters the 26th of February. Take a look!

Bleu, Blanc, Rouge

Last Tuesday saw the first installment of Dr. Anca Sprenger's lectures on Kieslowski's renowned film trilogy, Bleu, Blanc, Rouge. Dr. Sprenger spoke briefly about Kieslowski's biography and then moved into his filmmaking evolution. Before creating more metaphorical films such as Blue, Kieslowski was a socialist realism documentary filmmaker. Problems regarding the unavoidable artificial nature of documentary filmmaking led Kieslowski to change his approach to film.

Following the lecture, Blue, the first of the trilogy was screened. For those of you who missed out, don't be too upset; Anca Sprenger will continue with a lecture on White, the next installement of the trilogy this Tuesday at 5:00 pm in the International Cinema.

-david

Three Colors Trilogy

When a young Frenchwoman (Juliette Binoche) tries to uncover her famous composer husband's secret life, her steps take her alternately closer to and further from the truth on a journey that ultimately leads to self-discovery. In this first installment of Polish cinematic genius Krzysztof Kieslowski's "three colors" trilogy, Blue stands for "liberty" (as in the French national motto) and is the first color of the red, white and blue French flag.


Event: Dr. Anca Sprenger lecturing on Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Three Colors Trilogy"
Date: Jan 12,19, & 26, 2010
Time: 5:00
Place: 250 SWKT

Come to the International Cinema this Tuesday for the first lecture and screening!

-david

Tautou + Ibsen ?

Everyone loves Amélie, and everyone loves Audrey Tautou.

Tautou is the French Audrey Hepburn of our day, and when all is said and done she will remain everyone's favorite, strictly French, actress. As she told Stevie Wong of The Straits Times:

“I am, at the end of the day, a French actress. I am not saying I will never shoot an English-language movie again, but my home, my community, my career is rooted in France. I would never move to Los Angeles.”

Tautou's next step in her young career is the stage--theater. She is going to star in Ibsen's famous piece, A Doll's House, starting in February.


Maison de poupée, d'Ibsen, une nouvelle version de la pièce présentée récemment à la Colline, avec, pour la première fois au théâtre, Audrey Tautou, « mariée » à Michel Fau, qui signe aussi la mise en scène. l La Madeleine (01 42 65 07 09), à partir du 16 février.

-david

War Noir

Come this Friday, Nov.13th to the War Noir Activity!

There will be prizes, a panel discussion, and the screening of Melville's Army of Shadows. The games start at 4:00pm and the film starts at 5:00pm. Be there, 250 SWKT!

-david

Lucky Luke

Director James Huth's live action adaptation of Morris and Goscinny's Lucky Luke with French comic Jean Dujardin in the lead role is coming! Watch the full trailer above.

-david

Small festival highlights 15 French films

The 13th annual Rendez-Vous With French Cinema will be showing this week at the IFC Center in New York. The festival will be showing 15 different French films from new and celebrated French filmmakers.



For more info on the Rendez-Vous With French Cinema:
NY Times: The Eiffel Tower Is Always Ready for Its Close-Up

Marion Cotillard takes an Oscar for performance in "La Vie en Rose"

Of the several French films nominated, only La Vie Rose won an Academy Award. Actress Marion Cotillard received an Oscar for best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

French Studies Calendar Update

We've just updated the French Studies Calendar. If your wondering where you can find your next cultural activity or if you're just wanting to take advantage of all the great things the French Studies program has to offer take a look at the calendar and see what great activities are coming up this semester.

Check the calendar here. You can always find this link in the "Links" section of the blog's left-hand sidebar.

French Films Nominated for Academy Awards

Several French films can be spotted on the list of Oscar nominees. Here are a few of the more notable nominations.

La Vie En Rose (La Môme) by Oliver Dahan nominated for:

• Best Actress - Marion Cotillard
• Best Costume Design - Marit Allen
• Best Achievement in Makeup - Didier Lavergne & Jan Archibald

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon) by Julian Schnabel nominated for:

• Best Achievement in Directing - Julian Schnabel
• Best Editing - Juliette Welfing
• Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski
• Best Adapted Screenplay - Ronald Harwood
  

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud nominated for:

• Best Animated Feature

See each film's trailer below:
La Vie En Rose (La Môme)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon)
Persepolis