“Reel” Learning: Honors French Students Study Cinema to Master the Language

Lawrenceville’s most experienced language learners don’t have to travel to Paris (as delightful as that might be) to put their français to meaningful work. Instead, France comes to Pop Hall with Honors French students dedicating fall study to French autobiographies, winter to French Impressionist painters, and the spring to French cinema.

“Lawrenceville’s language department is pretty amazing at what it does, offering speaking and writing skills in French alongside learning more about the stories and cultures of French-speaking countries,” said Claire Jiang ‘24.

Fifth Former Connor Dougherty has enjoyed the variety of topics covered throughout the year. “Had I not been taking Honors French, I would probably not have had the opportunity to learn about these subjects in any class, even conducted in English,” he noted.

The Honors French students are currently tracing the development of French filmmaking.  As they examine selections from the first films of the Lumière Brothers in 1895 to the new generation of filmmakers today, they not only learn the vocabulary necessary to talk about films, but also methods for analyzing films and images – all in French. Last month, they attended the nearby Princeton University French Film Festival to expand the already comprehensive syllabus.

Jacobs, who has taught the class for more than a decade, said, “It is important to teach the students not just to watch movies, but how to analyze them as well.” Students examine the films from historical, political, social, and cultural points of view. “We’re not just watching a movie – we’re really talking about the context in which that movie was filmed as well,” said Jacobs.

Subsequent class discussions – conducted in French – are led by students, with Jacobs stepping in to offer insight or pose a new question. “I’ve been so impressed with our class discussions and the way in which we all help bounce ideas off of each other and ultimately come to have such a rewarding conversation about the film,” said Dougherty.

Jiang said that discussing a new subject in a new language can be challenging but “it forces us to be more thoughtful about the words we use and how we express our ideas,” she said. Speaking in French pushes students to be more attentive to others which, Jiang explained, “builds a kind of camaraderie and listening that may be more difficult to get in English [only] classes.”

Bryce Langdon ’24 also noted the fellowship among his Honors French collègues, stating, “[The class] reflects a broader community of collaboration that exists at Lawrenceville – nothing changes when you get into the French classroom.”

The final project requires each student to make a pastiche recreation of one of the films using a topic Jacobs selects and in a style that they pick from a hat. It could be anything they have studied, from silent film to New Wave, from realism to surrealism.

 “I remind them that the technology they have in their pockets – their phones – is far superior to anything anyone had a hundred years ago when the earliest films were created,” said Jacobs. At the end of the trimester, they watch the creations together. “They all have the same theme, but are completely different. The students have a lot of fun and it really shows how well they understand the different moments in cinema,” Jacobs explained.

While the students enjoy learning about cinema, the advanced language skills they acquire at the same time are of great importance to them as well.

“Being able to connect with others in their native language is not something to be taken for granted. It is a special thing to say to yourself, ‘Although I may not be perfect, I am going to try to take the time and respect to communicate in a way that nurtures a deeper connection on a human level.’ And that in itself is invaluable,” said Dougherty.

The Fifth Former continued, “I have found learning French at Lawrenceville to be such an amazing experience. We have top-notch faculty who create engaging, pertinent, and rigorous courses for students to really harness advanced experiences speaking in the language. It has been such a pleasure getting to take all of these classes throughout my time here!”

For additional information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.