May Term: Introduction to French Cinema

This May Term, students in Intro to French Cinema traveled with Dr. Bryant White, assistant professor of French, to Antibes, Nice, Cannes, and Paris. Through film screenings, class discussions, museum visits, and cultural immersion, they studied French cinema in its cultural context. The trip included a week at the Cannes Film Festival before concluding in Paris.

Nice and Cannes Film Festival

The Cannes Film Festival is recognized for its exclusive premieres of films from all over the world, ranging from documentaries to short films. At the festival, students had the opportunity to watch several of the films entered at the festival. The wide variety of films presented gave students a unique opportunity to consider cinema through a Christian worldview. 

McKinsey Wilson '27 reflected on the value of these conversations: "Engaging with these films and discussing them afterwards with believers was very enlightening. Many of us had varying convictions and sensitivities, but it was interesting to work together and look for the common grace in each film. Through those discussions, I learned a lot about how to engage with films as a Christian, how to be in the world but not of it."

One especially memorable screening was Gabin, a documentary that follows a boy from age eight to eighteen. Wilson recalled, "I'll remember sitting in a theater after watching a documentary called Gabin and realizing the director, and the family that the documentary was centered on, were sitting a few rows behind us. There was what felt like a ten-minute standing ovation for them [at the end of the film]. They were all crying and hugging each other and we all stood there and clapped for so long. It was so sweet to see them all after we watched the product of such a long journey. It was truly unreal."

Paris

In Paris, students continued learning about French culture, visiting the Eiffel Tower and museums, attending class, and watching movies at various theaters. Isabella Horne '26 said the setting made the academic work tangible: "So much of our academic learning was hands-on from being there. Sure, we had class and homework, but it never got in the way of being present where we were, and we never sacrificed in-person opportunities for class time or homework." 

The course also deepened students' appreciation for human creativity as a reflection of God's image. Christina English '27 said, "It's made me realize again and again how God has made us in His image and how awesomely unique and creative we are. He made us to be creative in different ways, and I've come to see it more in films now. I feel that I can now look at different careers and things that we all do for work or for fun and see how each and every one of us is creative and unique."