Podcast: Interview with Alexandra Perrin

In our fifth podcast, we meet the very lovely Alexandra, La Trobe French Department’s new lectrice and founder of the La Trobe French Club library!

She tells us about the culinary specialities of her part of France, la Lorraine, why she loathes the title “professeur”, the differences in the French and Australian university systems and why Sarkozy is worthy of her admiration.



Oh, and don’t forget to check out our stellar collection of podcasts from 2011, including such luminaries as Rockwiz’s Julia Zemiro and the Melbourne French Theatre’s Micheal Bula!

Film review: “Des Vents contraires”

Against the Wind is a poignant film by Jalil Laspert about love and adversity. It tells the story of a man (Benoit Magimel) whose wife (Audrey Tautou) mysteriously disappears.

He is left with their two young, heartbroken children, a penniless writer, hopeless, depressed and lonely. After a year the family move to the small coastal town where Paul grew up, and where he is offered a job at his brothers driving school. Here, he struggles to rebuild his family and regain a sense of normalcy.

This is a is a story where tragedy slinks in to just about every possible facet and yet the profound love of family and the joy of children somehow conquer it as light defeats shadows, overcoming tribulations, pushing against the wind.

Review by La Trobe French student, Nell

Film review: “Un Baiser Papillon”

Un Baiser Papillon, set in modern day Paris, follows the lives of four separate families/couples as they endure hardships and triumphs whilst trying to keep up with everyday life.

The characters were easy to fall in love with and relate to, each with their own recipe of heart and soul which allowed you to follow their journey with them.

Paris was beautifully depicted, with the film highlighting some of the gorgeous landmarks and scenery, but also giving us a taste of its underground. The film touched on sensitive subjects such as cancer, infertility and some of the political issues facing the youth of France today.

A beautifully written film with a phenomenal soundtrack, had me in stiches of laughter, made me incredibly emotional, and encouraged me to stop and appreciate all the things in my life that I am grateful for. If I was to go by the chatter and smiles I saw on the other patrons’ faces after the film, I am certain they felt the same way!

Review by La Trobe French student, Jess

Film Review: “La Guerre est déclarée”

Le Film La Guerre est déclarée réalisé par Valérie Donzelli, ouvrait Le French Film Festival 2012 mercredi 14 mars. Le film parle d’un couple amoureux mais qui souffrent de difficultés terribles.

La belle femme Juliette (Valérie Donzelli) et le beaux homme Romeo (Jérémie Elkaïm). Ils ont un bébé, Adam, qui est très malade. Les couples ont besoin être forts pour Adam et pour eux-mêmes.

Le couple voyagent à Marseille voir un spécialiste et c’est là où l’histoire commence. Avec l’aide de leur famille et de leurs amis, Romeo et Juliette vont essayer de garder Adam vivant, mais est-ce que l’amour survivera à leur bataille contre la maladie?

Ce film était très beau à regarder. Le film partage les moments heureux et tristes, mais surtout il rechauffe le cœur. Il est parfaitment écrit et est émotif. J’ai pleuré beaucoup de fois.

J’ai adoré ce film biographique. La Guerre est déclarée est jouer à Westgarth Cinéma la semaine prochaine. Alors, vous ne pouvez pas manquer ce film. C'est Le film de l’année. Je voudrais remercier L’Alliance Française pour avoir eu l’opportunité de voir ce film de français.

Review by La Trobe French student, Jacqueline

News: La Trobe launches French Club Library!

The French Club and the French Program are glad to announce a new library thanks to the new Lectrice Alex! She has donated some of her books in French.

So now if you want to read in French, you can! You will be able to discover famous French authors, and translations of some very successful series. We hope you enjoy this new opportunity to improve your French! Pictured above is the first selection of books available in HU3 234. Click “read more” to check out some of the latest arrivals...

Recipe Collection: Gâteau aux Pommes

Laurène (right), near Grammond

Easy, quick and light, this traditional rustic French apple cake recipe comes from the loveliest of French girls, Laurène, who hails from Grammond, a tiny village near Saint-Étienne.

In fact, the recipe goes back to Laurène’s grandmother, so it is a true stéphanois classic! One can always  replace the apple with peaches, apricots, berries... whatever fruit takes your fancy or is the pick of the season!

The finished gâteau!

Ingrédients
2 eggs
7 soup spoons of flour (Laurène doesn’t bother to sift anything)
5 or 6 soup spoons of sugar
Half a sachet of yeast powder
A splash of milk
A splash of rum
Apples, peeled and cut into quarters

Présidentielle 2012: “Le changement, c’est maintenant!” François Hollande à Lyon

“Soyez les acteurs de l’espoir!” cried out a sweaty-faced François Hollande to a throng of thousands, having burst out of the Palais de Sports de Gerland and flooding into the streets of Lyon like nutella spilling out of a hot crêpe. And somewhere in that giant swell of socialist exhileration was a little bespectacled Australian smudge: me. But just getting there was no mean feat!

Hollande fans ascend on the Palais de Sports