France | Little Black Blog

Bastille Day at the French Embassy

Published on 07/08/2010 in Affairs and Home. 0 Comments Tags: bastille day, DC, embassy parties, events, france, holidays, la maison francaise.

Don’t get down and out with post-July 4th blues. Come celebrate France’s independence day of sorts at La Maison Francaise.

SATURDAY, JULY 10 FROM 7PM – 12AM
at La Maison Française
Admission:
- General: $85 ($45 tax deductible)
- Benefactor: $150 ($110 tax deductible)*
* Benefactor ticket will include a listing of your name in the evening’s program and on the official Bastille Day 2010 website.
Dress code: Cocktail or 20′s era themed attire
Tickets: www.InstantSeats.com

“J’ai deux amours : mon pays et Paris” – Joséphine Baker

Celebrate Bastille Day with us… and support a worthy cause!

7 short films on July 7 at 7pm

Published on 07/06/2010 in Affairs and Home. 0 Comments Tags: events, france, la maison francaise, movies.

On Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m., La Cinémathèque @ La Maison Française is proud to screen seven wonderful French short films.

Eccentric, funny, moving, and… short, some of these “little” gems have been selected by the most prestigious film competitions in the world!
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WHAT: Short films (details below) — Screened in French with English subtitles.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: La Maison Française, Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd, NW
ADMISSION: $8; seniors/students: $5 – reservations REQUIRED
Email philippe.berthier@diplomatie.gouv.fr and provide your surname, first name and include the total number of persons attending, with the email subject ‘Short films’ screening.
PLEASE NOTE: A confirmed reservation is needed to attend.

A limited amount of free parking within the Embassy of France will be available on a first come, first served basis. Additional parking is available on Reservoir Road and across the street at Georgetown University Hospital’s pay lot.
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About the films…

1) Paul Rondin est… Paul Rondin (Paul Rondin is… Paul Rondin)
France — 2008 — 10 min. — DVD
Directed by Frédérick Vin
Cast: François Berland, Silvie Laguna, Alexandre Steiger, Christian Castillon, Mylène Guériot

Synopsis: Paul Rondin looks for love, but he suffers from a professional bias…
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2) Skhizein – Animation
France — 2008 — 13 min. — DVD
Directed by Jérémy Clapin
Animated film

Synopsis: What would happen if a 150 ton meteorite landed on you? This is unfortunately what has just happened to Henri. Even so, he’s still there. Well, not exactly entirely there, just a few inches further away, precisely 35.83 inches out of sync with the rest of the world. If he wants to open a door, sit down, or pick up the phone, he must do so, performing the action 35.83 inches further away.
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3) Brainstorming
France — 2009 — 12 min. — DVD
Directed by David Freymond
Cast: Solène Bouton, Benjamin Bourgois

Synopsis: Alexandre and Lea are facing their first fateful meeting. During this time, in the headquarters of their respective brains, two teams stir between strategy and hysteria for the good progress of things.
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4) Jeanine
France — 2009 — 17 min. — DVD
Directed by Sophie Reine
Cast: Clara Peyrebère, Léa Drucker, Denis Menochet, Lily Peyrebère

Synopsis: Ten-year-old Jeanine can’t stand her parents anymore. Former
hippies, all they think about is having fun. To achieve the orderly and organized life she is dreaming of, Jeannine subscribes — behind their back — to a gymnastics competition, in hopes of winning the first prize, a spot in a sports academy boarding school…
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5) La femme squelette (The Skeleton Woman) – Animation
France — 2009 — 9 min. — DVD
Directed by Sarah Van Den Boom

Synopsis: An unfortunate young lady identifies herself with the character of an Inuit tale, The Skeleton Woman, who is rescued by a fisherman. She escapes her daily grind with the longing of her lost lover; hoping against all hope to be rescued herself…
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6) Ya Basta!
France — 2010 — 11 min. — DVD
Directed by Gustave Kervern, Sébastien Rost
Cast: Augustin Legrand, Stéphanie Pillonca, Anthony Defrance, Alexandre Brunet, Yolande Moreau, Philippe Duquesne, Gustave Kervern, Victor Kervern, Jean-Pierre Darroussin

Synopsis: Two mentally handicapped persons, helped by their educators, realize the holdup of the century. With their respective talents, and in the style of Ocean Eleven, they are going to manage to steal, in broad daylight, during an exhibition, jewels of priceless value. With the money, they will go on a holiday in the sun. Well, almost.
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7) L’homme à la Gordini (The Man in the Blue Gordini) – Animation
France — 2009 — 10 min. — DVD
Directed by Jean-Christophe Lie

Synopsis: The end of the 70’s, an imaginary suburb, the custom is to wear neither underwear nor trousers, only orange tops. With the help of a masked rebel driving a blue R8 Gordini, Mister R and his wife plot a radical clothing revolution and the assault on monochromic orange totalitarianism.

French vs. American

Published on 05/11/2010 in Home and Politics. 0 Comments Tags: books, carla bruni sarkozy, france, michelle obama, sex.

So this is racy. Apparently Carla Bruni-Sarkozy asked Michelle Obama if, like she, had ever kept diplomats waiting on her and her husband while they were busy having sex.

The FLOTUS apparently laughed nervously, before saying no, reports ABC News.

This story will apparently be fleshed out in a new book by Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter, to be released next week.

What the Sarkozy?

Published on 03/18/2010 in FashionWire and Home. 0 Comments Tags: carla bruni sarkozy, france, plastic surgery.

Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the first lady of France, looked a littler, er, strange this week. I’m not saying she got Botox, but I am 90% sure her face would melt if she stood too close to a candle. That, or maybe she was auditioning as an extra for the “Twilight” series?

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni Sarkozy arrive at the Elysee palace after the annual Bastille Day military parade in Paris July 14, 2008.

Carla Bruni a grandmother!

Published on 01/13/2010 in Home and Politics. 0 Comments Tags: birthdays, carla bruni sarkozy, france, holidays, mazel tov!, nicolas sarkozy.

The glamorous granny: Carla Bruni, 42, shown here with husband Nicolas Sarkozy, has become a grandmother

Former supermodel and current First Lady of France Carla Bruni can now add a new job to her CV: grandmother. The statuesque beauty earned that title proudly today after her step-son, Jean Sarkozy, and his wife welcomed a baby boy.

Nicolas Sarkozy and Bruni have both worked hard to maintain a youthful lifestyle and image. Bruni is over a decade junior to the President, who has since embarked upon a grueling fitness regiment to keep up with his hottie wife.

Beaujolais Nouveau!

Published on 11/18/2009 in Affairs and Home. 0 Comments Tags: DC, events, france, holidays, la maison francaise, parties.

Beaujolais_tmb

The 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau celebration will take place Thursday, November 19th, in accordance with the popular wine growers’ tradition of this region of France. The annual celebration at La Maison Française is a must for admirers of French “savoir-vivre!”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 6:30 – 9:30 PM
at La Maison Française
Admission: $60
Tickets: InstantSeats.com
Dress code: Business attire

Designed as a fête populaire, the Beaujolais Nouveau celebration is a party where lovers of French wine, food and culture are joined together. This year’s event will again welcome several hundred guests to La Maison Française, which is co-presenting the event with the French-American Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the evening, enjoy free-flowing Beaujolais Nouveau as well as other wines, a buffet campagnard, delicious French pastries and live music!

Church of Scientology convicted of fraud

Published on 10/27/2009 in Home and Politics. 0 Comments Tags: france, fraud, religion, scientology.

As if Tom Cruise didn’t have it bad enough as it is. A Parisian court has just convicted the “Church” of Scientology of fraud, and has fined it more than 600,000 euro, or about $900,000. The court did not, however, ban Scientology, as was the wish of prosecutors.

French Scientologists immediately said they would appeal the verdict.

The Church of Scientology was convicted of organized fraud, after investigators found the organization pressured its members into paying large amounts of money as part of a dubious investment scheme, and utilized “commercial harassment” against dissidents.

Teeny weeny…burkini?

Published on 08/16/2009 in FashionWire and Home. 1 Comment Tags: burkini, carla bruni sarkozy, england, fashion, france, queen of england, religion, swimwear, UK.

In the latest clash of religious practices across the pond, conservative Muslims have sparked concern over their modest bathing suit designs. Dubbed the burkini, a portmanteau of bikini and burqa, this swimming garment keeps swimmers covered in ways not familiar to most Europeans.

France, in its continued stance to stamp out all symbols of religion, has banned burkinis in public pools. Adding to the religious facet, health administrators say that the excessive fabrics are a harbor for bacteria, making them unsanitary and a health risk for other swimmers.

On the other hand, the Brits have taken a different approach, and are forcing all swimmers to conform to the burkini standard, whether they are Muslim or not. UK Municipal pools have even gone so far to create “swimming sessions” specifically for those wearing the burkini.

Could this have anything to do with the female figureheads of each respective country? In her modeling days, President Sarkozy’s wife Carla Bruni wore even less in still photos. Meanwhile, the Queen continues to wow the UK in a never-ending train of body-concealing skirt and pant suits, not to mention at least some kind of head covering.

The first ammendment begins, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Of course we cannot use this as a standard for France or the UK, as it is the Bill of Rights and brilliance of the founding fathers that so divided the US and mother England. On the other hand, is it only a matter of time until this issue becomes one of American concern? How will our government handle such a clash of interests?