We asked our lecturers what they would recommend for modern languages students to get stuck into over Christmas, and here’s what they came up with:
David Hornsby, Senior Lecturer in French, says:
How about Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (Welcome to the sticks) France’s biggest box-office film of all time (I think!)? It’s funny, life-affirming and warm and it gives a great insight into regional variation – including language variation in France. Because, you never know, there might be a really good module on regional and social varieties of French you might want to take one day…
Tobias Heinrich, Lecturer in German, says:
What about Adalbert Stifter’s novella Bergkristall (Rock Crystal, available in numerous English editions)? Set in the Austrian mountains, it is about two missing children and their rescue on Christmas Eve.
Lucy O’Meara, Senior Lecturer in French, says:
If you want a laugh you can’t go wrong with Call My Agent (Netflix), a series about an actors’ agency involving all sorts of shenanigans as the agents try to keep their star clients (famous French actors playing themselves) happy.
Rebecca Ogden, Lecturer in Latin American Studies, says:
Since the ‘Christmas movie’ doesn’t really exist in Latin American cinema, I would say that this is as good a time as any to watch the brilliant dark comedy Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes). It’s a Spanish-Argentine collaboration, and just one example of some of the many excellent films produced in the Spanish-speaking world.
Alexander Marlow-Mann, Lecturer in Italian, recommends:
As we head into the dark, wintry months in a year marked by political turmoil, I am reminded of Nanni Moretti’s affirmation that ‘è sempre il momento di fare una commedia’. However, in Italy, the comedies that dominate cinema screens at Christmas tend to be rather crass and vulgar – the so so-called cinepanettoni, which I do not recommend. So here’s a suggestion that, even if not set during the festive period, is nonetheless suffused with the human warmth and good spirits typically associated with the season: Silvio Soldini’s Pane e tulipani (Bread and Tulips, 2000). It is an incredibly charming and beautifully judged comedy centring on a middle-aged mother’s search for personal growth and affirmation after her family accidentally forget her at a motorway service station during a family holiday. Buone feste!
Mathilde Poizat-Amar, Lecturer in French, recommends:
Two classic French comedies, both starring actors from the Splendid Company:
Les Bronzés font du ski (French Fried Vacations 2), Patrice Leconte, 1979.
Le Père Noël est une ordure (Santa Claus is a Stinker), Jean-Marie Poiré, 1982.
They make me laugh every single time I watch them – they’ll never get old!
And, Un conte de Noël (A Christmas tale), Arnaud Desplechin, 2008, was the recipient of three Cesar prizes and explores the complexity of family relationships.
Wissia Fiorucci, Lecturer in Italian, is actually hooked on French at the moment…
I’m watching The Bureau/Le Bureau des Légendes on Amazon Prime (French with English subtitles only). It’s a great TV show and very well made. I’d also strongly recommend 10 pourcent (Call my agent) which can be found on Netflix in French with French or English subtitles. They’re both set in Paris. As a learner of French myself I think these films are really cool!
Ben Hutchinson, Professor of European Literature, has a simple recommendation:
How about Nicholas Boyle’s Very Short Introduction to German literature (OUP)? It’s cheap, brief, and highly instructive.
William Rowlandson, Senior Lecturer in Hispanic Studies, recommends:
The film, ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto? (What have I done to deserve this) by Pedro Almodóvar (1984). It has everything: the isolation of urban living in early 1980s Madrid, machista culture, gay teenage boys, paedophilia, prostitution, corrupt police, a lizard called dinero, amphetamines, heroin, punks, Hitler’s forged diaries, murder with a jamón bone, and a telekinetic child…
Alvise Sforza Tarabochia, Lecturer in Italian, says:
I have just finished reading ‘M. Il figlio del Secolo’ by Antonio Scurati, a dark but urgent novel on Mussolini’s ascent to power. A long and dark read perhaps, but highly recommended!