Today I am sharing French films and short films with Muslim representation for the Core French classroom. You can show these in the French Immersion classroom as well.

These films and short films are a great way to humanize Muslims, especially Francophone Muslims, and foster empathy among our students.

Students need to see and hear stories about Muslims because it helps humanize their experiences, fosters empathy, and challenges stereotypes, allowing students to see the richness and diversity within Muslim communities. This kind of representation is essential for building a more inclusive and understanding world.

I also have a blog post with French picture books (that I love and adore) with Muslim characters. You can read it here.

À pleine voix – Saida Ouchaou-Ozarowski (ONF/NFB)

The first documentary is a 52-minute film featuring the stories of four Muslim Canadian women. They share their personal experiences of being Muslim in Canada and discuss how they navigate stereotypes and generalizations from society and the media.

Three of the women are Francophone and one is Anglophone.

The stories of these women are both compelling and highly relevant to today’s society, especially when it comes to the humanization (or lack thereof) of Muslims. In my opinion, it’s a must-watch.

À pleine voix, Saida Ouchaou-Ozarowski, offert par l’Office national du film du Canada

Au secours! Clichés de la Terre entière. Des filles et des règles.

This is a really fun series on TV5Unis. This particular episode is all about periods, a relevant and taboo topic.

This would also be a great episode for International Women’s Day or Women’s History Month!

Banlieusards on Netflix (Street Flow in English)

Banlieusards is the story of a Senegalese family living in a French banlieue. This is hands down one of my favourite French films because of the way it weaves the story of young people living in Banlieue and the immigrant experience in France. I showed this film to my Grade 10s last year and they were obsessed!

Please do note that there are some swear words in the film.

If you know any other French films or short films with Muslim representation, please leave them in the comments below!

The post French Films and Short Films with Muslim Representation for the Core French Classroom appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.

This blog post contains a growing list of French Black Lives Matter resources for Core French & French Immersion. The purpose of this blog post is to ensure that we have a variety of resources that put Black francophone voices, experiences and perspectives at the front and center. I frequently hear from teachers that French resources on racial injustices do not exist. That is false!

I have seen a flood of books, resources, Instagram accounts for English teachers and students on Instagram. As French teachers, we must remember that anti-black racism and police brutality are also widespread in Canada and in France. Despite the fact that the French boast about never being a part of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Black French populations continue to be marginalized and oppressed by French institutions.

Please do your due diligence by thoroughly watching and reading the resources before showing them to your own students.

This is not a complete and final list of resources. As I stumble upon and/or am made aware of other documents, I will be adding them to this blog post.

Finally, if you are interested in learning more about how to teach about Indigenous perspectives, anti-Asian hate, la francophonie, or the French Antilles, I have tons of content on these topics.

French documentaries & films about racial injustices

1. Banlieusards (Netflix)

This film is an absolute must-watch if you have access to Netflix at your school.

The movie explores the lives of three brothers living in a Parisian banlieue. Despite being siblings, the three could not be more different.

Themes of poverty, race, incarceration, criminal activity, ambition, and marginalization all intersect to produce a moving storyline.

Banlieusards is a must-watch if you are looking to explore systemic racial injustices in France

2. L’ascension (Netflix)

L’ascension is a charming romantic-comedy film.

The storyline explores the life of a young Black man who climbs Mount Everest to prove to a woman that he would do anything for her. You will definitely be laughing alongside the characters throughout the whole movie.

3. Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont (Netflix)

Bienvenue à Marly-Gomont is a poignant film about a Black family that moves to a rural French village from The Congo.

Seyolo Zantoko, the main character, accepts a position as the village’s sole doctor, a position that has remained vacant for some time.

Zantoko and his family are treated as second-class citizens by the villagers, and as a result, they struggle to settle into their new lives.

Warning : this movie is heart wrenching and charismatic. But there’s also a bare butt, so it may not be suitable for children of all ages.

4. Il a déjà tes yeux (Netflix)

The main characters in Il a déjà tes yeux are a French couple of West African and West Indies origin who are struggling to conceive. When the couple finally receives the green light to adopt, they discover, to their immense surprise, that their son is white.

Paul and Sali love their son unconditionally from the beginning. However, they find that their families and French society do not accept them as a family. Over the course of the film, the family encounters many obstacles that prevent their family from being happy.

This is a great film to teach your students about how racism is deeply ingrained in our minds and in our institutions. 

Despite being thematically serious, Il a déjà tes yeux also happens to be highly comical. You will be laugh-crying the whole time!

5. National Film Board of Canada – 19 free films and documentaries

The National Film Board of Canada has a selection of 19 films and documentaries on the lived experiences of Black Canadians. The majority are in English and have French subtitles. Here are four of my favourites :

1. Oscar

In this documentary, musician Oscar Peterson recounts stories about his life, career and his love of music.

2. Une mémoire oubliée… une génération sacrifiée

This is a documentary that recites the lived experiences of Haitian immigrants in the 1960s.

3. Neuvième étage

This documentary recounts a controversial event that occurred in Montreal in the late 1960s where a number of Black students of Caribbean descent accused a professor of racism. Students will hear first-hand the experiences of the former students at the heart of the event.

4. Âme noire

This is a short, but powerful film for all History & Social Studies students. A grandmother recounts to her grandson a series of events in the form of tableaux that their ancestors experienced.

Short videos & films on Black Lives Matter in the French Language

1. Là où je dors

2. Fary – Faciès | A COLORS SHOW

3. Couleurs Coeurs – Idello (série)

YouTube videos

1. TV5 Afrique – YouTube Channel

C’est quoi le racisme?

C’est quoi la discrimination?

Pourquoi y a-t-il esclavage dans le monde?

Minutes du Patrimoine – Viola Desmond

Printable French resources on racial injustices and inequalities

1. Les origines du verlan et des banlieues

This resource is one I created myself. The resource introduces students to the history of French banlieues and the origins of verlan. Students will learn verlan and other French slang, complete a jigsaw activity, and take part in a number of reading and listening comprehension activities. I also have an entire blog post dedicated to how I structure this unit with my own students.

2. La Ligue des droits de l’Homme : comprendre pour combattre

This is a dense text geared towards French Immersion students, most likely for a Social Studies or Social Justice class. This rich document educates students on the origins of race, racism, and anti-Semitism. This document also contains definitions of vocabulary such as discrimination, culture, human rights, colonialism, etc. 

3. L’histoire de l’esclavage au Canada – livre PDF (Commission Canadienne pour UNESCO)

4. Le racisme expliqué aux enfants : guide par tranches d’âge

5. La compréhension écrite – être africain ou français – l’identité hybride en France – GRATUITÉ

6. UNESCO – Les femmes dans l’histoire de l’Afrique

7. Histoire Canada Jeunesse (37 PAGES) PDF

8. Poèmes contre racisme

Other

1. Canadian Encyclopaedia – quiz (en français) – connaissez-vous l’histoire des Noirs au Canada?

• facile
• intermédiaire
• difficile

Podcasts

1. Kiffe ta race

2. Les enfants du bruit et de l’odeur

3. A priori podcast

4. Le Tchip podcast

Where to find books written by Black authors

1. Indigo français

I really quickly want to shout the Indigo français team on Instagram. I reached out to them about books written by francophone authors for elementary and high school students.

They got back to me a few days later with a huge list, including names and ISBNs of books they don’t even sell themselves! Thank you to Rachel & Patrick!

Here are the links to books written by Black francophones divided by age range :

3-5 years-old

6-8 years-old

9-12 years-old

Books for adults in French

2. Renaud-Bray

3. Librairies Racines Montréal

4. Le multiculturalisme : tous pareils; tous différents

Children’s Books

1. Bienvenue! : Un livre sur l’inclusion (ages 2-7)

2. Pain doré

3. La détermination de Viola Desmond

4. Le chemin de Jada (Laura Nsafou , Barbara Brun)

5. Nos boucles au naturel (Matthew A. Cherry , Vashti Harrison)

6. Huit jours: un Enfant à Haïti (Edwidge Danticat)

Books for teens & adults

1. Lettre à Adama (Assa Traoré)

2. Le racisme expliqué à ma fille (Tahar Ben Jelloun)

Alternative News Sources

The following are news sources that are NOT mainstream media. Mainstream media, especially French mainstream media, has an ugly history of propagating stereotypes of Black people and downplaying (or completely ignoring) issues affecting Black communities.

1. Bondy Blog

The Bondy Blog was formed after the murders of Zyed Benna and Bouna Traoré at the hands of police. The Bondy Blog’s goal is to provide a platform for the voices of minorities whose voices are otherwise suppressed and marginalized. My favourite part about the Bondy Blog is that you do not have to be a renowned journalist to write an article for the Bondy Blog.

2. Street Press

Street Press is another alternative media source. They strive to recount and analyze news stories affecting residents of urban centres and banlieues. Read their about page for more info.

Join our FaceBook group for French Teachers sharing their favourite French resources on racial injustices

Songs

1. Africain by Sexion d’Assaut

2. Je suis chez moi (Black M)

3. Regarde-moi (Soprano)

4. Parce qu’on vient de loin (Corneille)

5. Je crois que ça va pas être possible (Zebda)

Art & Posters

Affiche par Elise Gravel “la diversité me permet…”

Affiche par Elise Gravel “la discrimination”

Affiches gratuites : La vie des Noirs compte

Infographie – qu’est-ce que la discrimination?

Would you like to contribute to this blog post? Please feel free to share ideas and resources in the comments. You can also reach out to me on Instagram.

The post Black Lives Matter Resources for French Teachers appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.

How often have you purchased French DVD films that “looked” appropriate or had a PG or G rating but were not appropriate? I will share four school-appropriate French films for a school setting in this article. The best part is that you will not have to worry about your principal walking by and seeing or hearing something inappropriate!

Are you looking for graphic organizers, worksheets and activities to supplement French films you watch in class?

French films vs. Hollywood films

To begin, French films could not differ more from their Hollywood counterparts.

For one, Québécois and French films tend to be culturally significant as they offer commentary on social issues affecting their appropriate societies.

As a matter of fact, many films in French not only offer commentary on society, but they also tend to criticize an aspect of society.

On the other hand, Hollywood films rarely offer commentary on social issues. They are often purely for the value of entertainment.

This is partly because Hollywood films are often big-budget blockbusters with much to lose.

In addition, we often think of special effects and many action scenes when we think of Hollywood films. In contrast, French films are usually small-budget projects and tend to focus more on the storyline and relationships between the characters.

Why are French films important for French class?

French films allow our students to leave the classroom and experience francophone cultures first-hand temporarily. Culture should never be the “side dish” of a French class, it should always be the “meat and bones”. This makes for engaging French classes!

Therefore, I choose at least 3 French movies per course. Each film must offer a unique perspective on the lives of francophone individuals and communities.

Diversity is also key. I show my students films with diverse characters and storylines. As a Punjabi French teacher, this is one of my biggest priorities as a French teacher. My students need to see themselves reflected in the films.

But why is it so tough to find APPROPRIATE French films?

This is an issue that prevents me from showing so many incredible French movies to my students.

Nudity and explicit scenes somehow always tend to make an appearance in 95% of films. Especially the best ones! I do not show my students films with nudity or explicit themes because I don’t feel comfortable.

I also teach 13-15-year-olds. They can barely handle a scene with a kiss on the cheek, much less anything more mature.

I also choose not to show students movies that are otherwise excellent but have scenes that I would have to forward.

Finally, I feel my students are not missing out on unique stories and perspectives because I am not showing them films with mature scenes. There are so many incredible French films that are rated PG.

Therefore, I am totally okay with skipping ones that have random nipple scenes or a random explicit sex scene. 

So here are the three films I show my 13 & 14-year-old students.

Les Pee Wee 3D

Les Pee-Wee is my students’ favourite film as it is the first one they watch in French 8.

If you are not Canadian (and even if you are!), there isn’t a more Canadian film to watch in French class than this one!

This Québécois film features teenagers who play on a minor Hockey team.

The characters are charming, funny, but vulnerable. Throughout the movie, we witness bullying, the trials and tribulations of being a teenager, family pressure and the life of a teenager after a parent’s death. 

Some other themes include friendship, sportsmanship and hockey (of course!!). There is no violence or nudity in this film. However, there are some Québecois and English swear words. This isn’t an issue in my school, but please evaluate yourself before showing students.

Whenever my students watch this movie, they cheer during the hockey games as though they are watching their favourite NHL team!

This is, by far and large, my favourite French film and my students’ favourite French film. Many of them continue to beg regularly to watch the more mature sequel!

Un sac de billes

This French movie is about a Jewish family during World War II. This heartbreaking story is about two brothers who attempt to escape Nazi-ridden Paris for the south of France. This is a beautiful French film that is ideal for Grades 6+ as it does not have any scenes of violence.

Belle et Sébastien

This charming film is set in the French Alps during World War II. This one, in particular, is a massive hit with my students given it features an adorable dog.

The film is set in a village in the French Alps. The protagonist is seven-year-old Sébastien who lives with his adoptive grandfather.

One day, Sébastien finds a livestock guardian dog. When the Nazis invade the village, the village attempts to help Jewish refugees to escape to Switzerland.

This film is particularly remarkable due to the beautiful shots of the Alps, the soundtrack and the heartfelt storyline. 

Although the subject matter is sensitive, especially for young adults who may have little knowledge of the matter or may even come from families who lost family members in the Holocaust, the film itself has no gruesome scenes and hints in subtle ways as to what is occurring. 

Overall, the film is uplifting and inspirational and one of my favourite French films in French class.

Les Choristes

This is the only film that I watched myself in High School that I continue to show to my students.

I genuinely believe that we need to show students modern literature and films that center on social issues happening around us so that our students can develop critical thinking issues.

However, this film was released in 2004, and it is the oldest film I show my students! The main character is a music teacher who begins a job at a boys’ boarding school.

He encounters young children, including some who have faced adversity and are hesitant to trust an adult. In short, this beautiful film is heartwarming and charming and demonstrates the impact a fantastic teacher can have on students. 

These are my favourite French films for French learners. If you have any films you’d like to recommend to me, please do not hesitate to reach out in the comments or through Instagram!

The post Awesome French films for French class appeared first on FLE Avec MmeD.