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Parce que vous avez tous quelque chose d’exceptionnel en vous. On est ici pour vous le rappeler !
N’oubliez pas : Vous êtes tous Super !

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Bonjour ! Welcome to Talk in French!

My name is Frédéric, I am French, and I created this website. I taught French for several years while travelling abroad, and one of the things that struck me was the lack of great resources for learning French. I plan to fix this step by step. With your help, we'll make this website the best place to learn French online.Please take your time around this site and enjoy the free lessons. Don't forget to download your FREE gift.

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The best site to learn French for busy people

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My name is Frédéric, I am French, and I created this website. I taught French for several years while travelling abroad, and one of the things that struck me was the lack of great resources for learning French. I plan to fix this step by step.

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Want to learn French but don't know where to start? I've finally discovered the fun side of language learning and now so can you! Here's my list of the 10 best ways to learn French right from the comfort of your home. I'm just bad at languages. It's not my thing.
After taking Mandarin classes for six years, I still couldn't understand what my teacher was saying almost all the time. My excuse? I'm just bad at languages.

After barely making it through high school French (I even shed a few tears in front of my grade 12 teacher for a pretty embarrassing reason...), any basic conversation was still a struggle. My excuse? I'm just bad at languages.

But maybe it's not actually true. Maybe I'm not as bad at languages as I thought. Maybe no one is inherently bad at language learning.

As a kid, I dreaded going to Mandarin classes every Friday night. And when I was actually looking forward to going, it was more for the socialization aspect with my friends (in English, of course). The bottom line? I wasn't interested in learning Mandarin and didn't put in much effort. So, of course, it makes sense that I barely retained anything.

As for French, even though I was genuinely interested in learning the language and chose to take French classes beyond the required grade 9 in Ontario, I was always "too busy" to focus on it beyond the few hours of classes and homework a week.

Don't get me wrong: I did put effort into French class; I could read and write; and by the end of high school, I'd learned all of the grammar rules and verb tenses (and there are a lot of verb tenses!). However, I could still barely speak. Why was this?

Well, it was school and "grades are everything" in school. Studying French to ace tests became a priority over really learning the language. Sure, we read aloud in class and had presentations here and there, but a few hours (if at all) a month wasn't really going to help. French became more of a chore than it was enjoyable and so, while I did have the best of intentions to learn the language, anything French-related slid to a back burner, that is, until a few months ago.

About half a year ago I discovered, for what may be the first time, the fun side of language learning. It all started with watching a French movie: L'Auberge Espagnole. This movie was funny, entertaining, but most importantly, it was something I would normally have watched in English.

So, my advice to make learning French fun?
Do the things you like to do in your native language in French! And this works for any foreign language you may want to learn. Just start doing the things you like to do in your native language in the language you want to learn!
Well, that was quite a mouthful. In other words, if you normally speak English and love watching romantic comedies, watch them in French, or Spanish, or German, or whichever language you want to learn. This doesn't just work with movies, though, but for many other activities as well.

Here I've compiled a list of 10 ways you can have a lot more fun learning French (or any other foreign language) right from the comfort of your own home. While I've only used these tips to learn French and provide many French-specific media links, the tips and resources I talk about can also be applied to learning other foreign languages.

1. Learn French by Watching French Movies

It's the age of Netflix and who doesn't love to relax by enjoying a good movie... or two, or three! So, the next time you're about to watch a movie in English, go for a French one instead! Turn on English subtitles if you're a beginner. Even if you have absolutely no idea what anyone's saying, just listening to the language will help your ears become more familiar with its sounds and rhythms. You'll easily pick up on certain words or phrases that appear often too.

Now, through a quick Google search, you can find dozens upon dozens of online lists of "best French movies for beginners" or "must-watch classic French films", but these just don't work for me - usually because I'm not interested in their suggestions. I mean, if I wouldn't be interested in a certain movie if it was in English, why would I be interested when it's in French?

With that said, below I've embedded the trailers of a few French movies I have personally enjoyed. They may not be everyone's cup of tea so only watch it if you think you might like it!

L'Auberge Espagnole (The Spanish Apartment)

This comedy drama fuelled both my love for travel and the French language. It follows the story of Xavier, a French economics student, who goes to Spain as part of a language program to learn Spanish. He moves into an apartment filled with students from all over Europe, and we watch as friendships, love, and other sorts of adventures unfold. The dialogue is mostly in French though there is some English, Spanish, and little bits of other languages as well.

L'Arnacoeur (Heartbreaker)

Here's another fun comedy: Alex runs a business where he's hired to break up unhappy relationships - and he's great at it. His new assignment is to break up the wedding of a man's daughter and her English boyfriend. Can you infer what events ensue?

Amélie

My last French movie suggestion is Amélie. This sweet and quirky movie is described as a "romantic comic fantasy" and will have you dreaming of Paris in no time. Amélie, a young woman with a very keen imagination, has decided to spend her life bringing happiness to those around her. In the process, she forgets about herself, that is, until... you'll have to watch the movie to find out!

Are you getting excited to learn French yet? I know I am just writing about it!

2. TV Shows Are Another Fun Way to Learn French

Don't have time for an entire movie? Watch an episode of your new favourite French TV series instead! Characters may have their funny signature catch phrases which you can hear over and over again every episode. Try saying it out loud yourself. Repetition can be fun!

Les Revenants (The Returned)

Les Revenants is one of my all-time favourite TV shows ever! It's right up there with The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad - yep, it's that good. This supernatural drama is based in a French mountain town where suddenly, people who have died several years or decades ago reappear. They seem to be alive and normal in all regards, and having no recollection of their death, try to go back to their old lives. In addition to this strange phenomenon, a series of other peculiar events begin to happen...

3. Watch French-Speaking YouTubers

Let's not forget about YouTube. Who else has been guilty of watching YouTube for hours on end? I mean, I just have to watch that next cat video right?

-
5 hours later: Now, what was I suppose to be doing?
Oh, that's right. I was writing a post about how to learn French. Let's see where I am.

Ok, so I was writing about learning French by watching YouTube... and then I got lost in the sea of random and strange and funny YouTube videos again...

Typical Cynthia.

I'm so sorry! Let's get back on track now, shall we?

-

Find some fun and interesting French YouTubers, subscribe to them, and you'll be set! The next time you find yourself on the strange part of YouTube again, you can just click on your subscription box and learn French while watching YouTube videos instead!

What's great about YouTube videos as opposed to movies or TV shows is that the language they use can be even more similar to spoken, everyday French.

Below, I'm going to give you a list of my favourite YouTubers that I watch to learn French and what their channels are about.

I'll begin this list with the very first French YouTube channel I discovered: Cyprien. I absolutely love watching his humorous sketches. Most of his videos are now captioned in both English and French (not the auto-translate ones which we all know are just terrible), so even if you're a beginner in French, you can follow along.
How many of the things Cyprien mentioned in the above video could you relate to?
Another great French YouTuber that does humorous sketches is Norman Fait Des Vidéos. Most of his videos also have English and French captions. I usually watch them once without captions and again with French captions.

Are you more of a beginner in learning French? Then Comme une Française may be the channel for you! Geraldine's videos teach you everything from the French basics to French culture, food, holidays and more. Certain French phrases in each video are introduced and repeated several times allowing you try to say them yourself. You are also encouraged to contribute your thoughts and practice writing French in the comments below. These videos are a great way to learn French for beginners and I definitely recommend them!

The videos on Easy Languages can be very helpful tools to help you learn languages from around the world. It has everything from Spanish to Greek to Korean to Swahili and more. In particular, I've loved watching the "Easy French" playlist, hearing how French people right off the street speak. Each video is based around a certain topic where people from the streets are asked a question and you can listen to their response. There are both English and French subtitles included as part of the video to help you understand. Try to cover the subtitles with a piece of paper or by minimizing your browser the first time you watch it, and play it again with the subtitles to see how much you caught the first time around. They currently have over 50 "Easy French" videos and come out with new episodes weekly.

The last YouTube channel I'll mention to help you learn French is related to travel too! Alex and MJ are two French Canadians who have quit their jobs and are travelling around New Zealand, Fiji, and probably many more countries to come! Each of their vlogs, usually around 3 to 5 minutes long, are full of fun French learning opportunities and beautifully captured and edited footage. Even though I'm from Canada, I'm more familiar with the Parisian French accent, so this French Canadian accent is an interesting change to listen to. You can follow along their travel adventures solely in French, or with help from the English captions they've provided.

Of course, these recommendations are not for everyone and may not be for you. Find YouTube channels that interest you and you're sure to have a lot of fun learning French. There are also French beauty channels, French gaming channels, French cooking channels, and probably just about anything you can think of!

4. Listen to French Music

Do you love listening to music? Another great way to incorporate more language learning into your everyday routine is by listening to French music!

I've found so many great songs in French on Spotify by browsing the playlists already put together by Spotify Canada or Spotify France. There are playlists sorted into genre-specific songs so you can easily find songs that you'll love to listen to!

Some playlists by Spotify Canada I enjoy include Succès de la chanson française, Pop indie contemporaine, Rock indie moderne, and Noël au Canada for Christmas time. There are also R&B playlists, country ones, and just about every genre you can think of!

5. Learn French by Playing On Fun Language Learning Apps

Everyone has had some experience with procrastination right? Whenever I've had a big assignment or report due, instead of doing it, I'd go on Facebook, watch YouTube videos, or play some games on my phone. After downloading Duolingo, I found myself learning on this app instead of playing Bejeweled, Tetris, or some other game. Because this app offers quick 5-minute, 10-minute, or 20-minute language courses a day, I would play and learn French for a short period of time and then go back to doing my work more quickly.

Duolingo is both a website and app that can currently help you learn 23 different languages including Latin American Spanish, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, and Swedish. You can find a full list of the languages they offer here. With over 120 million users across the world, I'm pretty sure they'll continue to grow and offer even more languages in the future.

This app is a great tool to help you practice your written French, or any other foreign language you choose to study on it. It has some speaking and listening exercises as well.

And the best part about Duolingo? It's absolutely free too!

6. Change Your Language Preferences To French

I mentioned in the previous tip how I sometimes find myself procrastinating on Facebook. Well, here's a way I made my Facebook time a little more helpful in my quest to learn French: I changed my language settings to it!

A few months ago, I was reminiscing about elementary school days and somehow remembered how people used to change their Facebook language settings to "Upside Down". This suddenly gave me the idea to change mines to French. You can easily change your own language preferences by going into Settings and selecting the Language tab, followed by your language of choice.

In addition to Facebook, you can also change the language settings on other social medias including Twitter and Pinterest.

Your phone and even your laptop or computer are also great options where you can change your language preferences to the foreign language you are trying to learn. I've changed my phone to French but am currently keeping my laptop in English because, let's face it, having everything in a foreign language can get pretty frustrating sometimes.

7. Read Your News From French Websites

Okay, I'll admit, I don't regularly read the news. I know I should, but I still haven't incorporated that into my daily routine. I mean, I eventually get the most important news - or most viral at least - through social media, right?

However, like my grade 8 teacher said, it's important that we know what's going on in the world around us. In addition to sometimes reading news sites in English, I now periodically visit French ones. and are two sites that I have been reading. They cover a variety of international news and have the usual lifestyle, sport, and business sections too.

8. Learn French by Reading About Your Hobbies and Interests

Do you like cooking? Why not learn to cook French cuisine while learning French at the same time? You can buy a cookbook in French or simply print out the recipe of a French dish in French! In the same way, you can also find recipes for dishes of other cultures and print out the recipe in their language!

Do you like sports or cars or gardening, or (since you're reading my blog) travel? You can find plenty of books, magazines, and online articles focusing on just about any topic you're interested in. Learn the key words related to your hobbies in the foreign language you are learning!

Reading something related to your hobbies and interests will ensure that you won't get bored of what you're reading. I've been thoroughly enjoying reading articles about travel in French on HuffPost Voyage.

Another website for a fun French read? You might think that Buzzfeed sometimes has the dumbest articles but you've got to admit they can be pretty amusing too. BuzzFeed France is a fun way to mix more French into your day.

9. Label Everything in French With Sticky Notes

Simply post sticky notes wherever your heart desires! This is a great way to learn French vocabulary (or vocabulary of any foreign language) that you'll need to use in your daily life.

Label everything from your coffee to your coffee mug, your fridge to its contents, your bedroom door to your bed. You can label as much or as little as you want and change it up every few days once those new vocabulary words are ingrained in your mind.

You don't have to limit yourself to nouns either: instead of labelling your cup "une tasse", you could label it "une tasse de café en céramique lourde" (a heavy ceramic coffee mug).

Granted, you may look a bit strange doing this, but it's all in the name of language learning, right?

10. Speak With a Native French Speaker Using italki

And last, but certainly not least, my favourite discovery for language learning: italki!

This site is my all-time favourite way to practice speaking French. Short of travelling to France and living there for an extended period of time, italki is probably the best language learning tool to help you improve speaking French.

italki connects you with native language speakers from around the world which you can then schedule a 1-on-1 Skype call with and practice speaking right from the comfort of your home. Apart from being able to learn French, italki also has teachers and language exchange partners in over 50 different languages.

This website connected me with a professional (and native) French language teacher, and since I already had a basic level of French, our lessons are focused on perfecting my (somewhat nightmarish) French pronunciation and familiarizing myself on different sentence structures to express myself. My teacher has been very patient with me and while I was hesitant to put myself out there and "make a fool of myself" at first, I quickly let go and started speaking and learning!

Lessons can be as cheap as $10 USD an hour, with 30-minute trials starting from just $1 USD. I recommend signing up for 30-minute trials with a few different teachers until you find one that suits your learning style.

What I love most about italki is that the focus is on speaking the language. If you want to learn to speak French or any other foreign language, I definitely recommend you give it a try!

What are your favourite ways to make language learning more fun? And if you've used italki before, let me know your thoughts on it in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links. If you decide to sign up and purchase italki credits through the links I have provided, at no extra cost to you, I will receive a small commission. This will help me maintain my blog and continue to bring more content to you awesome people! Please know that I will only ever recommend products and services that I use and love myself. Follow me on Facebook to stay updated with my latest travel tales. I also post photos of my adventures on Instagram, as well as inspiration and random tidbits on Twitter. See you there!

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How to Learn French at Home and Have Way More Fun Doing It

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Want to learn French but don't know where to start? I've finally discovered the fun side of language learning and now so can you! Here's my list of the 10 best ways to learn French right from the comfort of your home. I'm just bad at languages. It's not my thing.

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Reading time: 15 minutes You would be doing me a HUGE FAVOR by sharing it via Twitter, Facebook, Google + or Pinterest.

Bonjour tout le monde! I am here again to give you another compilation of French movies which will not just provide daily entertainment, but will also provide you with an insight in the world of French cinéma.

At this point, you may already be becoming familiar with what distinguishes French cinema from the films of other cultures. I'd love to add to this, however, by providing you with another 31 movies- one for each day of July!
If you'd love to have a longer list, then the FREE e-book 365 Days of French Movies is perfect for you.

Day 1: Diabolique
Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot Written by: Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jérome Geronimi Year: 1955
The story revolves around a provincial boarding school run by sadistic headmaster, Michel Delasalle. After being murdered by his wife and mistress, strange events being to plague the school, but what is their origin?

This film might be an old one, but there are no thrillers like Diabolique. Critics regard this movie to be above many comparable psychological thrillers because of its unusual attention to characterisation and the physical details of the setting. With its unpredictable narrative twists and horrifying images and ambiance, this film brought its director, Henri-Georges Clouzot, universal acclaim and made him the legendary "French Hitchcock".

Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video

Day 2: Le Salaire de la peur (The Wages of Fear)
Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot Written by: Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jérome Geronimi Year: 1953
Another movie created by the legendary "French Hitchcock", La Salaire de la peur. The Wages of Fear is a 1953 French film noir based on Georges Arnaud macho novel about the lives of the men who transport explosives for oil companies. The movie is purposely divided into two halves. The first, more slow paced half, explores the motivations of such men, and the greed and exploitation that entrap them The second part being a tense and suspenseful rollercoaster as the men drive through the mountains with their precarious cargo.

Tough and cynical, the film is ahead of its time in showing the brutal tactics of oil companies in developing countries. It is not an easy watch, money is shown as the primary motivating factor for all protagonists, but it's a compelling film that will have you on the edge of your seat nonetheless.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 3: Violette
Directed and written by: Martin Provost Year: 2013
Now to a more contemporary movie, Violette is a French biographical drama and the formation of the early French feminist novelist Violette Leduc.

In particular, it portrays the relationship between her and the renowned philosopher Simone de Beauvior, and how the lives and ideas of these two important women impacted on each other. This biopic presents issues such as sexuality, abortion, homosexuality, self-identity and women's insecurities. This movie is not just beautifully crafted and executed, but the exceptional acting and story plot will also captivate your heart.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 4: La Commune
Directed by: Peter Watkins Written by: Peter Watkins and Agathe Bluysen Year: 2000
A critical and audacious film, La Commune is an unusual documentary-style, historical drama about the legendary Paris Commune of 1871. Peter Watkins, a noted filmmaker and critic, explores the fractured French political system in Paris during the Franco-Prussian war in his epic (6 hour) film. Although, this movie was greatly criticized for the unorthodox format it uses, the thought-provoking 'breaking news' style will take you back to the history of the revolutionary euphoria and of the radicalization of the working class in Paris. Moreover, this film presents a cynical critique of modern media and our contemporary perspectives of French society.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 5: Le Cercle Rouge (The Red Circle)
Directed and written by: Jean-Pierre Melville Year: 1970
Le Cercle Rouge is a 1970 French film about a former prisoner, an escaped convict, and an alcoholic former cop getting together to pull off an elaborate jewellery heist. However, Police inspector Mattei (Bourvil) will use all means at his disposal to stop them.

This volley of action, stunts, running, physical dexterity and frantic chases has one cool scene after another. On top of this,, this masterpiece is more than a story of heists and crimes, as Michael Mann would later emulate, the film examines the nature of crooks, and the men who hunt them down. More than just a thriller, this is a meditation on machismo, and a clear influence on contemporary directors such as Quentin Tarantino.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 6: Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard Written by: Jean-Luc Godard and Marcel Sacotte Year: 1962
An exploration to a Parisian woman's descent into prostitution, Vivre Sa Vie is composed of twelve unconnected episodes, each presented with an introduction and brief summary, about the life of Nana (Anna Karina).

This innovative use of sound and vision is a clever device the director uses to explore and the outwardly beautiful but flawed and exploitative consumerist culture of that time in Paris: a seedy of cinemas, coffee bars, neon-lit pool halls, pop records, photographs, posters, pinball machines, jukeboxes. foreign cars, etc, etc... The film, is not just an unsettling critique of the sex-trade, it's an existentialist exposition of the materialistic life that the world is currently living.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 7: La Cage aux Folles
Directed and written by: Édouard Molinaro Year: 1978
Be gay and fabulous while watching this comical, international musical sensation depicting the hilarious events that occur when a gay man attempts to pose as a straight one for the sake of his son's future. Will they be able to pull it off and impress the arch-conservative parents of his son's fiancée? Find out by watching La Cage aux Folles! The film was followed by two sequels: La Cage aux Folles II (1980) and La Cage aux FollesIII (1985).
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 8: Innocence
Directed and written by: Lucile Hadžihalilović Year: 2004
How would you describe your childhood memories? It is probable that you were living with your family, studying in schools like the other children in the neighbourhood, and playing freely, in short, you are living a perfectly normal life: unlike the girls in this surreal movie Innocence. You might be confused at first on why a (living) six year old girl will arrive inside a coffin but that is only one of the mysteries to uncover in this dark gothic fairy-tale. The girls are carefully handpicked and taken from their families at a very young age for unknown reasons. They are kept in a remote boarding school under the governance of two teachers, and mainly taught and trained with ballet and biology. They are ranked according to their age, which are shown through ribbons in their hair. But why?
Available on Netflix: No or Amazon Instant Video
Day 9:A Prophet
Directed by: Jacques Audiard Written by: Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Abdel Raouf Dafri, Nicolas Peufaillit Year: 2009
Another award-winning movie, A Prophet showcases a great story about Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim) a young part Arab, part Corsican petty criminal. He arrives in the jail entirely alone and, because of his young age and ignorance, disadvantaged. However, his initiation into Corsican and Muslim subcultures, bravery and quick wit rise in the inmate community. This movie explores the connections between the brutal prison system and violent radical Islamic subculture prevalent in some parts of Europe. Although Audiard claimed that it is a fictional, it is easy for the viewers to draw their own parallels between violence, prison and gang warfare and extremism. It is also a film for any crime-flick fans looking for a great story.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 10: Le Million (The Million)
Directed and written by: René Clair Year: 1931
A hilarious movie from the 1930s; that takes us on a trip to the glory days of the 'music hall' school of entertainment. Le Million is a French musical comedy directed by Rene Clair, revolving around the gently humorous story of a poor artist who discovers that he has won one million on the lottery, but lost his ticket. Will he find it in time to claim the money? This is the major problem our leading man is facing, and he is ready to take any risk to find that small piece of paper.

Clair has this determined chase of one small, but important ticket accompanied with a light-hearted selection of theatrical dialogue sang by the actors and actresses. As a whole, the film might not match the technological perfection of contemporary movies, but it was still be regarded as a sophisticated masterpiece from the first true master of the 'talkie'.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 11: Cyrano de Bergerac
Directed by: Jean-Paul Rappeneau Written by: Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Jean-Claude Carrière, Edmond Rostand Year: 1990
Do you believe in true love? This may sound cheesy to cynics, but for hopeless romantics out there, you will find yourself relating to Cyrano de Bergerac, as he uses his passion to become a bridge to the happiness of the woman he loves. Cyrano is a brilliant swordsman, with a gift for words and poetry, but deprived of physical attractiveness by his enormous nose, and is therefore doomed by his insecurities to be forever lonely. Put into the position of helping his less eloquent friend win the heart of a woman both men love, he must decide between friendship and romance, risk and safety. The romanticism of Cyrano de Bergerac will make you fall in love and break your heart at the same time.
Available on Netflix: No or Amazon Instant Video
Day 12: Un long dimanche de fiançailles (A very long engagement)
Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Written by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant Year: 2004
After moving your heart with Cyrano's tragedy, watch another lost-soul searching for that most elusive of emotions, happiness, Set during the aftermath of WW1, this concerns a young woman desperately searching for her missing-in-action fiancée. Part romantic drama, part mystery, and part war film, this unusual and sumptuously filmed movie offers something for everyone.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 13: Jeux d'enfants (Love Me if You Dare)
Directed by: Yann Samuell written by: Yann Samuell and Jacky Cukier Year: 2004
The third romantic movie for the week, Jeux d'Enfants is about the lives of two alienated people trapped in an increasingly complex and irresponsible game of dare. Maturing in style as the characters age and develop, this multi-layered and often cynical film shows the lengths some people will go to protect themselves from emotional vulnerability. Not a 'Hollywood' style wacky comedy, the characters are selfish and sometimes cruel, but nonetheless one which shows uncomfortable truths about the complexities of male/female relationships.
Available on Netflix: No or Amazon Instant Video
Day 14: Mesrine: Killer Instinct
Directed by: Jean-François Richet Written by: Jean-François Richet and Abdel Raouf Dafri Year: 2008
For numbers 14 and 15, let us dedicate two days to the gangster biopic of the infamous Jacques Mesrine. The first part, Mesrine: Killer Instinct, is about Jacques' roots as a low-level thug involved in burglary and racketeering, which he perceived to be preferable to the life of a manual labourer. Tough, ruthless and resourceful, he climbs the ranks, delighted to have the opportunity to rebel against a government he distrusts.

The movie was received well by critics and movie viewers because of the exhilarating performance of Vincent Cassel. It also captured the rush of a criminal's life, wherein a man do whatever he wanted and take whatever he wanted, simply because he is capable of doing it.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 15: Mesrine:Public Enemy #1
Directed and written by: Jean-François Richet Year: 2008
Now to the second part of our gangster epic; which explores the later years of this complex and divisive character's life. Mesrine was declared as France's Public Enemy #1 when he kidnapped a judge and received a maximum penalty in a maximum-security prison. While in prison, he wrote his memoirs and began to establish himself as a household name. Upon escape, he resumes his gleeful mayhem. What puts this film into a league of its own, isn't the gangsterism, but its depiction of how Mesrine learnt to control the media, an arch manipulator, he remains a divisive figure in France to this day.

The two movies portraying the life of Mesrine will show you the twin faces of crime, both the power and the rush of success, and the heavy price paid in achieving it.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 16: 13 Tzameti
Directed and written by: Géla Babluani Year:2005
Desperate for money, an aimless young man takes the identity of another, a decision that takes him into a brutal world where rich men gamble with the lives of the dispossessed.

A stark black and white thriller about the cruelty of men, which shows the relationship between money, power and cruelty in the most disturbing way imaginable.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 17: La Pianiste (The Piano Teacher)
Directed and written by: Michael Haneke Year: 2001
A controversial yet interesting exploration of human psychology, La Pianiste uses Freudian principles about female sexuality, and how they relate to masochism and sadism. La Pianiste is one of a new wave of sexual explicit films in European cinema where sado-masochistic relationships are explicitly expressed. Intentionally disturbing and unerotic, it is an unsettling depiction of the depths lonely people can reach in their quest for fulfilment.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 18: Les Bien-aimés (The Beloved)
Directed and written by: Christophe Honoré Year: 2011
Is it better to love or to be loved? Director Christophe Honore presents the complicated love-life of a mother and a daughter in his movie Les Bien-aimes. Both the mother and the daughter are experiencing similar dilemma - they're trapped in a love triangle. Light, yet engaging, this movie chronicles the characters' lives and loves from the 60's to the present day. The radiant background and plot of Les Bien- aimes are made even livelier by the frequent musical interludes (though Director Honore did not categorize it as a musical.)
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 19: Le Havre
Directed and written by: Aki Kaurismaki Year: 2011
An aging shoe-shiner helps a young immigrant to the port of Le Havre, achieve his dreams. Mixing nostalgic comedy with social drama, this warm and tender comedy about the complexities and difficulties concerning immigration and identity has won many awards and high praise from critics..

The film received good appraisals and various awards because of unique theme and focus.
Available on Netflix: No or Amazon Instant Video
Day 20: JCVD (Van Damme)
Directed by: Mabrouk El Mechri Written by: Frederic Benudis, Mabrouk El Mechri, Christophe Turpin Year: 2008
A poignant and touching film that skilfully blurs fact and fiction, this stars 'The muscles from Brussels' as an aging, drug-addled action movie star called JCVD, whose real and screen lives become confused when he intervenes in a robbery.

A fascinating meditation on the often cruel way we treat film stars when they're no longer fashionable, this features a sensitive and engaging performance by Van Damme, basically playing himself as a vulnerable former A list star desperate to be popular again. Whether this is a movie or a documentary is debateable; it did pay dividends for the likeable star though, who has gained cult status once more.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 21: Ne le Dis à Personne (Tell No One)
Directed by: Guillaume Canet Written by: Guillaume Canet and Philippe Lefebvre Year: 2006
Tell no one tells the story of a bereaved doctor whose attempts to get his life back are thrown into chaos when two further bodies are discovered near to where his wife was murdered. On top of this, he has begun receiving emails from his supposedly dead wife! Under suspicion from the police, and convinced he's being framed by unknown forces, he goes on the run, but who, if anyone can he trust? Find out in this twisty thriller.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 22: OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius Written by:Jean Francois Halis and Michel Hazanavicius Year: 2006
James Bond in Paris!

A gleeful subversion of the creakingly old-fashioned 1960's novels of Jean Bruce, this movie has great fun at the expense of the spy genre. Set in an anachronistic world where men were men, women were admiring and foreigners were shifty stereotypes, this wild satire has great fun at the expense of the Bond movies. Never knowingly politically-correct, its absurd humour will appeal to anyone who's ever watched a thriller and shouted in exasperation at the illogicality of the plot.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 23: Indigenes (Days of Glory)
Directed by: Rachid Bouchareb Written by: Olivier Morelle and Rachnid Bouchareb Year: 2006
For a long time, it was rare to find a movie depicting the brave sacrifice of the North African soldiers who fought for France during the World War II. Most often derogatively referred to as 'Indignes' their sacrifice was generally marginalised on screen.

" Days of Glory " by Director Rachid Bouchareb is a dedication, revealing the great contribution of the North African soldiers during t World War 2 Beautifully filmed and stirringly acted, this is a timely and stirring reminder of the great sacrifice made by African troops during the Second World War.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 24: Coco Before Chanel
Directed by: Anne Fontaine Written by: Anne and Camille Fontaine Year:2009
France is iconic in the fashion industry. It is the home of many of the most famous designers and their signature brands of bags, clothes, shoes and hats Director Fontaine explores the life of one great persona in the world of fashion-of Coco Chanel.: a woman whose life was focused towards a paradigm-shifting aim 'It is not about glamour and luxury, but comfort and style' Coco Before Chanel is a biopic about the early life of Coco Chanel and her drive towards creating a modern style of hats for women. The movie damaged by its unsentimental approach to the lead's early life, but the film is never less than a beautifully crafted and tastefully refined film.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 25: Camille Claudel 1915
Directed and written by: Bruno Dumont Year: 2013
Camille Claudel 1915 is the fourth biopic in this list, and like Coco Chanel and Violette l, its story revolves around the life of an outstanding female artist, Camille Claudel. She is a brilliant sculptress who became insane due to loneliness and the pressures of her art. She was the mistress of Auguste Rodin and their complicated relationship added to her paranoia and misery. To protect her, Paul Claudel, her brother, put her in an asylum.

The movie was criticized as gratuitously disturbing because of its use of actual handicapped people as supporting cast members. Moreover, It has a tendency to concentrate on her unhappy later life in an asylum. Despite these criticisms, it is an intense and accurate portrayal of madness and obsession.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 26: Heartbreaker (L'Arnacoeur)
Directed by: Pascal Chaumeil Written by: Laurent Zeitoun, Jeremy Domer and Yohan Gromb Year: 2011
To lift the mood after three straight days of drama, let's cheer ourselves up with this French romantic comedy. Heartbreaker stars Romain Duris as Alex, a handsome but manipulative professional heartbreaker and. Vanessa Paradis as Juliette, a beautiful heiress. Hired by Juliette's father to break up the marriage before it has even begun, Alex pulls out all the stops, but soon finds himself dealing with more than he bargained for!
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 27: Prete-moi ta main (I Do: How to Get Married and Stay Single)
Directed by: Eric Lartigau Written by: Alain Chabat, Philippe Mechelen, Laurent Tirard, Gregoire Vigneron and Laurent Zeitoun. Year: 2006
Prete-moi ta main is a good example of a mainstream funny-Parisian-rom-com film. It stars Alain Chabat as Luis Campos and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Emma. Luis is savouring his life as a successful perfumer and a bachelor- despite his persistent mother and sisters. One day, his mother and sisters decide that he is not getting younger, so he needs to get married, immediately. The problem here is he does not want to enter in a serious relationship, so he ends up hiring his best friend's sister to be his fiancé; who will dump him in the date of their marriage. But is there a flaw in this brilliant plan?
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 28: Les Contes de la Nuit (Tales of the Night)
Directed and written by: Michel Ocelot Year: 2011
For kids and the young-at-heart, Le Contes de nuit is just right for you. From the vivid imagination of internationally renounced animator Micheal Ocelot comes six fables from differing periods and cultures. Beautifully captured in a faux-traditional silhouette style, it's evocative mix of fairy-tale and modern animation techniques are bound to enrapture the young; and young at heart!
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 29: My Piece of the Pie
Directed and written by: Cedric Klapsich Year: 2011
A biting satire about the gulf between the 'have's and have-nots' My piece of the pie tells the story of a poverty-stricken mother of three forced, by unemployment, to take a job as a housekeeper for a stockbroker who appears to be the living embodiment of the soulless corporate capitalist shark. In addition, it appears his shady dealings are the reason she's unemployed in the first place. Despite their differences, the two develop feelings for each other, but can she show him the error of his ways?
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 30: Comme une Image (Look at Me)
Directed by: Agnes Jaoui Written by: Jean -Pierre Bacri and Agnes Jaoui Year: 2004
Comme une Image (Look at Me) is a 2004 satirical-drama film about the dynamics of self-image and celebrity life against juxtaposed against familial love, acceptance and pure love for another person. 20 year old Lolita aspires to be a singer, but plagued with insecurities about her looks, and generally ignored in favour of her successful, self-obsessed father, her low self-esteem may prove an impassable barrier to success. A fascinating dissection of the desire for fame an attention, featuring well-rounded characters, and exploring this modern phenomenon in a sensitive, yet original manner.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Day 31: Holy Motors
Directed and written by: Leos Carax Year: 2012
Let's finish on a bizarre note with the acclaimed 'Holy Motors'. Although any synopsis for this experimental film is slightly spurious, follows a strange figure, Monsieur Oscar, who adopts differing roles during a night's journey through Paris in a white limousine. Featuring a brilliant performance by Denis Lavant, this will have you applauding and scratching your head in equal measure.
Available on Netflix: No (DVD only) or Amazon Instant Video
Conclusion

It may be fair to say that due to cross-cultural influences among filmmakers, you'll likely find some similarities among them. But as you become regularly exposed to French movies, you'll be able to easily distinguish aspects of French cinema from the others.

If you have started to develop this, are you satisfied with the list of movies that I compiled for this month? As usual, I am looking forward in seeing any comments, suggestions and even violent reaction from you! I will keep looking for good movies to help you learn more about France and French cinema.

P.S: As always, sharing is caring 🙂

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Reading time: 15 minutes You would be doing me a HUGE FAVOR by sharing it via Twitter, Facebook, Google + or Pinterest. Bonjour tout le monde! I am here again to give you another compilation of French movies which will not just provide daily entertainment, but will also provide you with an insight in the world of French cinéma.