Lights, Camera, Action: A Guide to Organizing a Mini French Film Festival in Your Classroom
Bringing the magic of cinema into the French classroom can be an engaging and enriching experience for both teachers and students. Organizing a mini French film festival is an excellent way to expose students to authentic language use, diverse cultural perspectives, and the artistry of Francophone filmmakers. In this guide, we'll explore the steps to create an unforgettable cinematic journey for your students.
Choose a Theme for your mini French Film Festival
To add a cohesive element to your mini film festival, consider selecting a theme. Whether it's exploring the works of a particular director, focusing on a genre like French New Wave or contemporary French cinema, or even highlighting films from specific French-speaking regions, a theme will provide a meaningful context for the screenings.
Curate Your French Film Selection
Once you've settled on a theme, carefully curate a selection of French films that align with your educational objectives and cater to the language proficiency levels of your students. Include a mix of classic and contemporary films, spanning various genres to appeal to diverse interests.
Check out my 10 Must-See Movies for French Class Here!
Pre-screening Activities
Before the festival kicks off, engage students in pre-screening activities to build anticipation and enhance their understanding of the cultural and historical context of the films. Introduce relevant vocabulary, discuss key themes, and provide background information about the directors or specific cinematic movements.
Create a Cinematic Atmosphere in your French classroom
Transform your classroom into a mini movie theater by arranging seating, dimming the lights, and perhaps even introducing some popcorn for that authentic cinematic feel. Consider using French film posters or other visual elements to enhance the atmosphere.
French Film Screenings
Schedule screenings over several days or weeks, allowing ample time for discussions and reflection between films. Provide students with viewing guides or worksheets to encourage active engagement, and consider incorporating subtitles or French-language subtitles for accessibility.
Post-screening Discussions
Facilitate post-screening discussions to encourage students to express their thoughts, analyze the films, and connect the themes to broader cultural contexts. This is also an opportunity to reinforce language skills through conversation and debate.
Mini French Festival: Culminating Event
Wrap up your mini French film festival with a culminating event, such as a class presentation or project where students can showcase what they've learned. This could include film reviews, character analyses, or creative projects inspired by the films.
Organizing a mini French film festival in your classroom is a dynamic way to immerse students in the language, culture, and creativity of French cinema. By carefully curating a selection of films, incorporating pre- and post-screening activities, and creating a cinematic atmosphere, you can provide your students with an enriching and memorable learning experience. Lights, camera, action - let the French film festival begin!
