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The Story of French and Two French Film Recommendations   In their book, The Story of French, available in paperback, French-Canadian writer Jean-Benoit Nadeau and his wife Julia Barlow argue (in English) cogently and convincingly that the French language, far from being condemned to inevitable decline internationally by the dominance and inexorable advance of English, has in fact continued to be extensively spoken in some countries, and gained in popularity in others. They put this down to the emphasis on French language teaching in French colonial policy, sustained and successful cultural diplomacy, and the efforts of organizations such as the Alliance Française. It¡¯s a readable and informative book, well worth taking a look at.   Two films, both in French, with English subtitles, remind us of the wide geographical reach and cultural diversity represented by La Francophonie. The first, Rue Casse-N¨¨gres (Sugar Cane Alley), is a deeply affecting story about an eleven-year-old boy, Jose, orphaned, and being brought up by a devoted grandmother in the harsh exploitative environment of a sugar-cane plantation in Martinique in the 30s. It tells of his struggle to avoid his ancestors¡¯ plight of servitude and penury by seeking to be educated in the capital city Fort-de-France. The village schoolteacher recognizes Jose¡¯s remarkable gift for French and reminds him that education is the key to attaining true freedom. Jose responds with determination to this exhortation and eventually achieves his goal. Writer-director Euzhan Palcy is to be commended for this beautiful, award-winning film, at once full of humor and humanity.   The second film, Indochine, is already well known, having won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1992. The intense love triangle between a French rubber plantation-owner (Catherine Deneuve), a French naval officer (Vincent Perez) and Deneuve¡¯s Vietnamese adopted daughter (Linh Dan Pham) is played out against the backdrop of a restive Vietnam in the twilight of French colonial rule, a nation ripe for revolution and independence. It is a stunning and powerful film, with scenes of fabled Halong Bay, sumptuously photographed, giving the country¡¯s natural beauty as much of a starring role as the actors.                                                                                                                                          Jeffrey Tao                                                                                                                July 2011   Return to Home