Language Training Centre Valodu Darbnīca and the Embassy of Canada in Latvia in collaboration with cinema Kino Bize offers Francophone Cinema Club nights. From 28 October 2014 till March 2015, UL Radio NABA club Nabaklab (Riga, 12 Z.A Meierovica Boulevard) will demonstrate recognised Canadian films and documentaries, also offering the audience a wonderful opportunity to practice their French.
Francophone Cinema Club opening session on 28 October, 18:00 will screen the best Canadian feature film 2011 Monsieur Lazhar (Mr. Lazhar). 30 minutes before the film sessions guests will be invited to practice French and engage themselves in discussions about the film. The film will be demonstrated in French with English subtitles.
Monsieur Lazhar (Philippe Falardeau, 2011) is a story about Algerian immigrant Bashir Lazar, who is recruited in a Montreal school to replace a popular teacher who has committed suicide. Despite the cultural differences emerging already from the very first class, the teacher and the students gradually learn to respect and understand each other. Bashir helps his students deal with their grief, but no one in the school knows about his painful past and the danger of being expelled from the country. The film has won awards at several international festivals, and named the best Canadian film 2011 in Toronto International Film Festival. In 2012 the film was awarded the annual Academy of Canadian Cinema Genie Award in six categories, including the best feature film, best adapted screenplay and best director's work. In the same year the film received Oscar nomination for best foreign language film.
Francophone Cinema Club offers an opportunity to study French in a pleasant, efficient and unique way. From 28 October 2014 till March 2015, Cinema Club will demonstrate recognised Canadian feature films and documentaries giving an insight into Canadian society, culture and lifestyle. Cinema Club's repertoire includes such films as
La Bataille de Passchendaele (
Passchendaele, dir.
Paul Gross),
Pointe de Fuite (
Vanishing Point, dir. Stephen Smith, Julia Szucs),
Soraïda, Une Femme de Palestine (
Soraida, a Woman of Palestin, dir.
Rached Tahan),
Les boxeuses de Kaboul (T
he Boxing Girls of Kabul, dir. Ariel Nasr),
Gabrielle (dir. Louise Archambault) and many more.