The Year 10 GCSE French students went to the British Film Institute IMAX for a Study Day on identity and culture in French cinema. It was a great opportunity to be able to watch French films on the BFI IMAX, the biggest screen in the UK.

We spent the morning analysing a series of short French films, exploring themes such as stereotyping, gender identity and mental health. Guided by the French presenter, we worked on activities such as identifying the location and main characters of each film, and translating sentences between French and English. As microphones were passed around the audience, we were given chances to openly contribute to the discussion after watching each film. The analysis of the films allowed us to improve our understanding of key ideas and opened our minds to the world of French cinema.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed watching a longer film ‘Tomboy’. The film followed a child who was struggling with their gender identity, and the ways in which they tried to express themselves whilst growing up. Watching the film in French, we were able to broaden our knowledge on a concept that isn’t regularly explored in the GCSE syllabus. As the study of film is an integral part of A level French studies, the trip to the BFI IMAX meant we gained an insight into what it may be like to study languages at a higher level.

Daisy A, Year 10