The easiest way to strike fear into the heart of any unassuming college student is to bring up the subject of French cinema. At the mere mention of subtitles, funky lighting, or Gerard Depardieu, young scholars who handle daunting academics on a daily basis suddenly turn into blithering idiots.
But if professors Anne-Christine Rice and Kerri Conditto have anything to say about it, this sad state of affairs won't last for long. These two lecturers from the French department teamed up last year to found the French Film Experience (FFE) with the support of their colleagues in the Department of Romance Languages, the European Center, and the generous staff at the Olin and Tisch Media Centers. In just two semesters, this series of screenings has enriched the Tufts arts scene and dispelled the stigma that has always made America's youth wary of cinematic imports.
Roughly every other Sunday, Rice and Conditto host free showings of fresh French releases in the theaters of Olin 11 and 12. The lights go down at 6:30 p.m., and then the fun begins. These are not, Rice is quick to point out, the dusty VHS recordings one might remember from 11th grade French class.
"I think that a lot of teachers mean very well in high school and everything, but they tend to show films that are very depressing," says Rice. And, thus, a negative stereotype is born.
"A lot of students have this idea that French films are boring or they're chatty or nothing ever happens in those films," says Rice, "and we want to show them that if they come once or twice, they're going to see that French films are not what they believe."
On the contrary, Conditto and Rice expended great time and energy in hand-picking an eclectic and entertaining quintet of films to screen this semester. Though limited by availability and overlap with campus French classes, Rice and Conditto carefully chose diverse films that showcase the multifaceted nature of French cinema. Students tend to think that foreign movies are all alike, so the fall repertoire explores five distinct directorial styles, varied casts of actors, and every genre from romance to war epic.
Variety is assuredly the FFE's top priority as it looks to complement -- rather than compete with -- the established Tufts Film Series that screens American movies on the weekends.
"The thing that's different is that the movies you have at Barnum you can generally rent," said Conditto. "We show movies that you might not have access to, or that you might not rent."
"[The FFE] is giving an opportunity to people to watch something that might not otherwise appeal to them or that they wouldn't think about otherwise," Rice said.
And, although Rice claims that they never stray too close to purely mainstream selections, the FFE does not include obscure, esoteric films that could potentially alienate audiences.
"They [the films] were great hits in France, and there's a reason for that," said Rice. "If a film was a huge hit [abroad], it might very well appeal to an audience here as well."
Their formula struck gold last year when, at the first FFE screening, more than double the expected 35 students crowded into a single theater. This year, Conditto hopes that the FFE will be able to build on the continued enthusiasm of returning viewers to create a solid fan base.
Conditto also notes, however, that the FFE is looking to attract a more heterogeneous audience by selecting movies that include elements from fields of study outside the French department.
"That's a market we'd like to attract a little bit more: students who aren't taking French," she said.
"What we would like to do is to involve other departments," Rice said. "'Un long dimance de fiancailles' is a historical film; it would be great to draw some history students and maybe some faculty as well."
Hopefully, some of these newcomers will become the regulars that Conditto and Rice are so used to seeing.
"We have had students who came to virtually every single film last year," said Rice. She recalls how one student turned the Sunday screenings into a bimonthly social gathering with friends, and how others have used the FFE to help organize study groups with fellow language students.
"It does help your French skills to see [French] film," said Conditto.
"We are [now] giving expanded notes, cultural notes with more information on the film," in addition to the standard vocabulary lists to aide comprehension, Rice said.
The FFE kicks off on Sunday, September 18 with Philippe Muyl's "Le Papillon" ("The Butterfly"), the 2002 dramedy about a little girl who forms an odd relationship with an elderly butterfly enthusiast. The film will be preceded by a buffet.
"We're starting with a film that's really PG, very sweet and heartwarming," said Conditto.
For a complete listing of this semester's FFE marquee, refer to the posting on the Department of Romance Language's website. Both Conditto and Rice also welcome individual inquiries via e-mail at their Tufts faculty addresses.
"We just want people to feel comfortable and to feel welcome. They can just come once and check it out, and if they don't like it, that's fine. But if they like it, that's great!," Rice said.
And that would be the beginning of une belle amitie.
