My assignment today_27 Sept 2011

I am back again!

Well, today assignment made me get up so early at 7:30am (maybe early for me only lolz!). I set my phone alarm at 7am, but my fingers faster than my eyes that they reached the phone first and turned it off right away. As soon as I got up, I had to rush because I hadn’t prepared anything from last night since I was so tired and sleepy. First, I put some packs of snack and a full bottle of fresh water into my bag because it’s the lesson I learn from my last year intern place at Agence-France Presse (AFP) that a photographer told me to be ready before going out if we have to go somewhere far away that we never know. “The two important things you have to take with you are ‘food’ and ‘water’,” he told me while handing me two packages of instant noodles.

Besides food and drink, I had to search on my messy table for a camera, a recorder, an earphone, a notebook, 2 pen, and reserved batteries for my recorder. Then, I had to surf on the internet for some information of the place before I left.

Sungai Buloh train station / by: Dara Saoyuth

At 8:30am, I arrived the KL Sentral, where I have to take a train to the Sungai Buloh station. At 9:45am, I arrived the Sungai Buloh station, and had to wait for a Cambodian to pick me up. His name is Tar Sovan, and he is a nice, friendly, and helpful guy. He brought me to the Cambodian village and introduced me to some other Cambodian people. Over there, I first sat on a table order Banh Chhev (a kind of Khmer food), and coffee ice with milk. I was so surprised to see everyone around me is Cambodian even the seller of the food I was eating. While I was eating, I also chit-chatted with some Cambodians to know some backgrounds of the village and to listen to their experiences before leaving for Malaysia. They all have very different but interesting stories to tell.

Lok Pu Savan (‘Lok Pu’ means ‘uncle’ in  Khmer because in Cambodian culture, we always call people who are a bit older than us as ‘uncle’) brought me to a Cambodian market and left me there staying with her wife because he wanted to take some rests at home. I went around the market talking to other Cambodian sellers to know more information, and then back to Lok Pu Savan’s wife because she also sells some staffs in the market.

At Cambodian market in Malaysia / By: Dara Saoyuth

I stayed at her store from 11am until around 2pm before going to her house. We just spent time chit-chatting about this and that. She asked me a lot of questions, especially about my experiences working as a journalist and about my life here in Malaysia. I was happy to tell what I know, but I was stuck when came to a question “Do you already have a girlfriend?”. I think for a moment before replying that ‘I don’t have at the moment’. I was also surprised when she joked that she want me to be her son-in-law. 🙂 I supposed that my face turned red at that time, so I used my flexibility to change the topic and move to talk about life in Cambodia.

I left the market for Lok Pu Sovan’s house at around 2pm. His wife asked a girl to give me a lift from the market to her house, but I became a rider after not trusting her to be able to ride motorbike with me at the back. This is my first time to ride a motorbike in Malaysia, and someone shouted from behind that “Please ride on the left hand side! This is not Cambodia!)”. His house just around 5 minutes riding from the market.

Cambodian market in Malaysia / By: Dara Saoyuth

I have spent the rest of my times at their house, but just to talk with their uncles and aunts and watch TV. I could not interview at that time  because Lok Pu Sovan wanted to take a nap. His wife also arrived the house later, and I just continued chit-chatting with her.

At around 6:15pm, Lok Pu Sovan said I could stay at his house for tonight or I better go now if I want to come back because it’s almost dark already. His wife also asked me to stay there for a night and back in the morning, but I felt so tired and I had many more tasks to finish that I decided to come back.

I arrived the KL Sentral at 8pm and I had to take a taxi back. This is the first time that I have to bargain the taxi fee. He said the taxi from KL Sentral not uses meter, and he demanded RM20 from KL Sentral to my living place while I spend only RM11 this morning to get there. He said how much will I give him. I decided to give him RM15, so he asked me to go inside the car. 🙂

He’s not a Malaysian. He’s a nice guy and he speak English very fluently. I’ve talked a lot with him, and when I asked him a question about “What do you think about life in Malaysia?”, I seemed to get a satisfied answer. He told me that “Life here is not bad. And I think one thing that is the same for all country, Nothing is free. You have to work for it.” He also asked about Cambodia “IS Cambodia going up now?”, and also ask about Vietname “How about Saigon?”. I think he knows a lot of histories about countries in South East Asia.

Now, I am at my condo again feeling so comfortable but also tired and sleepy. I might sleep early tonight and get up early tomorrow to try finishing works as much as I can.

There are a lot of interesting things happened to me today, but I could not write it all into a post. I hope I could review my post again when I am a bit more free.

27/09/11

By: Dara Saoyuth 

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My assignment today_26 Sept 2011

It’s 10:30pm already here, but I just come back from the assignment. Not many cars on the road while the rain were dropping. I know I would be more afraid if I went out for this assignment alone, but luckily, my friend from the same country followed me tonight.

Residents enjoy having dinner / by: Dara Saoyuth

At first, I didn’t have any assignment because I was supposed to finish my feature writing. Then, in the afternoon, my boss reached me and asked if I could go for tonight assignment. Without hesitation, I agree immediately. The assignment is about the Hari Raya Opening House which many people can join and have dinner for free. The assignment started at 8pm, but I have to stay there until the organizer, a parliamentary member YB Wee Choo Keong, free to give me an interview.

YB Wee Choo Keong giving an interview with TV reporters / by: Dara Saoyuth

I was worried at first because everyone talked in Malay that I could not understand at all. I asked my photographer to tell me what they said, but still I could not get the interesting information for my writing. With the help from my photographer (because he could speak Malay), at last, I have chance to interview YB Wee Choo Keong. He’s a nice person and he speaks a very good English. Now, I think I get enough information for the story.

A concert during the event / by: Dara Saoyuth

Meet a fresh reporter

Because of tonight event, I also met a female reporter from a Chinese newspaper. She’s so nice and helpful, and just started working for four months. She translate for me when people use Bahasa Malaysia language. I’m sure we will be able to maintain this networking.

What for today

Well, I’ve finished my feature writing about Cambodian maids coming to live in Malaysia, and tonight, I will try to finish writing about this event tonight.

I’ve also contacted with a Cambodian student who got scholarship to study in Malaysia. She’s also a nice girl and she’s very helpful. She introduced me to her friends who also studying and working in Malaysia. I’m sure that we will meet each other soon to listen to their experiences and combine that information with what I got from an interview with Cambodian students studying at Limkokwing Malaysia.

What for tomorrow

I have to travel a long distant alone again tomorrow, but as always, I love this kind of travel. I will go to visit Cambodian village in Sungai Buluh, one part of Malaysia. I got a contact from the Cambodian Embassy in Malaysia of a Cambodian who came to live in Malaysia since 1990. He is a nice guy and he said that tomorrow, he will come to pick me up from the train station at 8:30am.

I have to get up early again tomorrow and catch a train at 8am from Kualalumpur to Sungai Buluh station which take around 30 minutes traveling. Then, I will travel with him to the village. He told me that there are around 400 Cambodian families living in that area. I should not say much right now because I want to wait and see the real situation when I arrive that place.

I better end my post here for tonight because there are a lot of things I have to finish.

Thanks you all for reading my posts and come back for more. Without all of your supports and encouragements, I would not have feeling to write these posts.

Good luck and Good night!

26/09/2011

By: Dara Saoyuth 

My Facebook is ACTIVATED again

Image via CrunchBase

At last my previous account on Facebook (Dara Saoyuth) is activated again. It’s almost a year already that I cannot access to this account since it was temporary suspended because I confused to use this account on another website that is similar to Facebook (I was cheated!).

Today is a birthday of a person I know and like, but since we have some misunderstanding, my new Facebook account (Saoyuth Dara) that created after the previous one was suspended was removed from her friend list.

I want to send her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY message, but I cannot do via Facebook. The only way I can think of is to try to access my previous account in the hope that she is in the list and that I will be able to post on her wall.

My attempt was failed though I was succeed in restoring my previous account because this account was blocked since before we know each other. Even though I am having a little frustration, I’m happy that I can get my account back and start to connect with people in the friend list again.

As soon as I log into the account, I can see 92 friend requests, 29 messages, and 22 notifications. I think they all might not know that my account was suspended. Now, I can get to them again.

26/09/2011

By: Dara Saoyuth

To be able to restore this account, I was required to enter my “PASSWORD” and then named 5 people from my friend lists so that Facebook can make sure that this is really my account.

14 Movies Every Journalism Major Must See

Journalists end up as common protagonists in fiction and nonfiction alike for thoroughly understandable reasons. Their education and careers often (but not always!) revolve around dredging up or reporting on conflict, which, of course, makes for great story starters. While the field’s reality won’t usually prove as interesting or farfetched as the movies listed here, that doesn’t make them any less valuable viewing.

1. Citizen Kane

   All movie buffs need to watch Orson Welles’ legendary classic, not just those majoring or working in journalism. The auteur himself produced, wrote, directed and starred in this fictionalization of media magnate William Randolph Hearst — famously piquing his ire to the point his newspapers never even ran stories about Citizen Kane!

2. Network

   Journalism students, anyone with a particular affinity for satire and, of course, any crossovers will likely enjoy Network‘s scathing portrayal of news teams. Things grow progressively more absurd and cynical once the Union Broadcasting System decides to exploit one of its ranting journalists for better ratings.

3. Almost Famous

   Based on director Cameron Crowe’s extraordinary real-life experiences, this contemporary classic chronicles the story of a talented teen music journalist who lands an enviable Rolling Stone gig after lying about his age. Behind the glitz and glamour, however, the free-flowing sex and drugs end up instigating more problems than the band at the center — Stillwater — can handle.

4. All the President’s Men

   Though All the President’s Men takes liberties with reality (like pretty much every movie), it still provides a thrilling, shocking and frequently freaky look at the volatile Watergate scandal. The book of the same name, which inspired the acclaimed film adaptation, relays the narrative of two journalists tasked with uncovering President Richard Nixon’s horrifying little secret.

5. Good Night, and Good Luck

   In one of the most arresting and memorable performances of his career, David Strathairn stars as the very real Edward R. Murrow, one of the first and most historically significant American broadcast journalists. His interviews with Senator Joseph McCarthy — presented here via archived footage — perfectly summarize the wide-eyed paranoia characterizing those early Cold War years.

6. Ace in the Hole

   This tense film noir follows a shady reporter trying to rebuild his career far away from the New York journalism scene that rightfully kicked him out. In Albuquerque, new opportunities eventually arise, which he ends up exploiting and manipulating to his advantage until such wanton deception finally catches up to him.

7. Ringu

   One of the quintessential examples of J-horror, the intense, deeply psychological Ringu contains some of cinema’s most visually disturbing imagery this side of David Lynch. Here, a reporter investigating some mysterious deaths and a popular urban legend encounters a cursed video tape that spreads like a virus and eventually kills off (almost!) everyone who pops it into the VCR.

8. Zodiac

   Step inside the San Francisco Chronicle offices and watch as the Zodiac killer continues to elude reporters and law enforcement officials through a series of painstakingly encoded letters. Inspired by a real life unsolved mystery, it takes viewers on a white-knuckled exploration of a deeply twisted mind and the experts finding it baffling.

9. The Paper

   In the span of one day, newspaper editors and reporters alike deal with zany and not-so-zany antics from coworkers, family and nemeses. All the major and minor anxieties of life in the newsroom eventually culminate in a violent, alcohol-soaked showdown with a local politician.

10. Broadcast News :

    Personal and professional drama pockmark the lives of a producer, reporter and news anchor, whose emotions begin intertwining until they eventually boil over. Journalism students will appreciate how it humanizes oft-caricatured media archetypes, revealing some of the complexities that may lurk beneath their frustrated (and occasionally frustrating!) demeanors.

11. His Girl Friday

    His Girl Friday exists as one of the best American screwball comedies ever committed to celluloid, merging comedy and romance in a manner far more compelling than today’s ho-hum fare. An ex-husband and wife wind up working together on one last case — thanks to the former’s machinations — and find themselves embroiled in some wacky misadventures.

12. La Dolce Vita

    Director Frederico Fellini’s heavily influential masterpiece follows a reporter around Rome as he longs for a life more meaningful than the fluff his superiors assign. Whether or not he ultimately succeeds amidst the swarms of love, lust and hedonism, however, is open to debate.

13. It Happened One Night :

    When a runaway socialite and unemployed reporter meet by happenstance, a classic, heavily decorated screwball romance eventually emerges. Directed by Frank Capra and starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, this memorable story of finding love in strange, unexpected scenarios became the first film to ever win all five of the most sought-after Academy Awards (Best Picture, Screenplay, Director, Actor and Actress) in one go.

14. Reds

    Warren Beatty brought the true tale of Ten Days that Shook the World author and journalist John Reed, a communist revolutionary who went deep inside the Russian Revolution. His unwavering idealism drives serious wedges between him, his wife and his native America, but nevertheless reflects a particularly significant, bloody and wholly influential historical era.

    12/09/2011
    From: Student Blog reader
    Original site: 14 Movies Every Journalism Major Must See

Nokia appoints Henry Tirri Chief Technology Officer and member of Nokia Leadership Team

Image via Wikipedia

Espoo, Finland – Nokia announced today that Henry Tirri has been appointed executive vice president, Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Nokia Leadership Team, effective September 22, 2011. He reports directly to President and CEO Stephen Elop.

As Chief Technology Officer, Tirri assumes responsibility for the CTO organization, charged with setting Nokia’s technology agenda both now and in the future, and driving core innovation to enable business development opportunities.

Previously, Tirri was Head of Nokia Research Centre (NRC), Nokia’s forward looking research facility. He joined Nokia in 2004 as a Research Fellow before leading NRC Systems Research laboratory in 2007. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Helsinki, Finland. Tirri will be based in Sunnyvale, California.

Richard Green, who was appointed Chief Technology Officer in May 2010, and was a member of the Nokia Leadership Team since February 11, 2011, has elected to depart Nokia. Effective September 22, 2011, he is no longer a member of the Nokia Leadership Team. Green will be returning full time to the U.S. to pursue new opportunities.

“During his time at Nokia, Henry has provided Nokia technical leadership and challenged us to explore forward-looking technologies. In his new role, Henry will have the opportunity to make a greater impact and set the course for Nokia and our role in the mobile industry,” said Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop. “The company would also like to thank Rich Green for the key role he played in assisting Nokia through a major transition. We wish him all the best success in his future ventures.”

Original Text by NOKIA Company

Released on 22 September 2011

 

My assignment today_23 Sept 2011

Today, I don’t have to go out for an assignment because my boss said that I can stay in the office trying to finish my story as much as I can.

Besides that, it’s my turn today to present in front of my bosses and colleagues. I’ve chosen a topic about Khmer manuscript to present since it’s one of Cambodian heritage.

My presentation today / Photo by: Noy Kimhong

I’m so happy after I’ve tried my best for this public speaking:)

23/09/2011

By: Dara Saoyuth 

Related articles

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My assignment today_22 Sept 2011

Dear Student Blog visitors,

Since I’ve been here in Malaysia, today marked the second time for me to have a meeting with Cambodians. Yesterday, I met the Cambodian ambassador in Malaysia, princess Norodom Arunrasmy, and some of the embassy staffs. Today, I went to meet some Cambodian students who come to study at Limkokwing University here.

This meeting is for my article which is about the lives of Cambodian students who come to study abroad. From the article, you can expect to know what challenges they have to face, and how they can adapt to the new environment without any relatives around except their friends from the same countries.

Today also marked the 1st time for me to travel for a far distance alone for an assignment. It took around 45 minutes from my office, the Star publication, to the Limkokwing university in Malaysia which located in Cyberjaya. I’m so exhausted, but at the same time excited to meet people from the same country using our national language in our conversation.

Group photo with Cambodian students who come to study at Limkokwing university in Malaysia / photo by: photographer from the Star pubication

I’ve chit-chatted with them for around 3 hours before I came back to the office. I prefer not to call it an interview because I don’t think that I can get the real feeling inside my interviewees if I make this conversation into something too formal.

So, it’s just about friends sharing what they have learned and experienced, and I just bring what they told me for other people who will read my article.

I will try to finish the article as soon as possible because I have only 12 days more in Malaysia. Please stay tune for the article!

Tonight, I have so many works to do, so I’ve decided not to have a look at my Facebook page. I have three more feature stories to be finished – Cambodian maids working in Malaysia, Lives of Cambodian students coming to study in Malaysia, and Dog breeding sharing experience. I might be able to finish only 1 of them by tonight because I also need to prepare some slides for tomorrow I have to do public speaking in front of the Star metro staffs and bosses. I’m so excited and hope i can do it well tomorrow.

Have to say good-bye from my blog now; otherwise I cannot finish my plan for tonight.

Thanks for coming back to read my personal stories as well as some other information on this blogs.

Hope to see you all again soon.

Yours,

Saoyuth, Student Blog author

22/09/2011

By: Dara Saoyuth 

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Guess who is behind Nokia N9?

Recently this week in the local media there has been an ads depicting Nokia N9 held by a pretty fashionable girl in her trendy dress.

Nokia N9 ads

The ads reads: “Guess who? Get a chance to win VIP tickets plus a Nokia N9 and other prizes during the Nokia N9 party. Send your answers through SMS to 090 786 688 or 077 786 688 or email it to IamN9@ovi.com or post it at facebook.com/IamN9”.

According to Mr Prum Rattanak, Marketing Manger for Nokia Cambodia-Laos, Nokia open this opportunity to the public from now until end of next week. Those who guess it right will be selected to attend Nokia N9 launching event scheduled for 07 October 2011 in an unprecedented scale. Mr Prum decline to reveal further details of the event, but he mentioned that it would be one of the biggest events and participated by a number of VIPs and local stars.

When asked what is special about Nokia N9, Mr Prum outlined Nokia N9’s key points as follows:

Swipe: The Nokia N9 introduces an innovative new design where the home key is replaced by a simple gesture: a swipe. Whenever you’re in an application, swiping from the edge of the display takes you home.

One home, three simple views: The three home views of the user interface are designed to give fast access to the most important things people do with a phone: using apps, staying up to date with notifications and social networks, and switching between activities. 1^st view is where you launch or organize apps, 2^nd is where you view running application and the last one is where you see notification.

Innovative all-screen design: With no need for a home key, the all-screen Nokia N9 makes more room for apps to shine. The 3.9-inch AMOLED screen is made from scratch–resistant curved glass. The polycarbonate body enables superior antenna performance. This means better reception, better voice quality and fewer dropped calls.

Camera: The 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss autofocus sensor, wide-angle lens, HD-quality video capture and large lens aperture enable great camera performance even in low lighting conditions. This makes the Nokia N9 one of the best camera-phones ever produced.

NFC: Fitted with the latest in wireless technology, Near Field Communication (NFC), the Nokia N9 allows you to easily share images and videos between devices by touching them together.  Pair it with Bluetooth accessories like the new NFC-enabled Nokia Play 360° wireless music speaker only once, and you get a great surround sound music experience with just a tap.

Let’s guess and see who the girl holding Nokia N9 is. Let’s see who will win VIP tickets and who will first hand try out the new experience.

Original Text by NOKIA Company

Released on 15 September 2011

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Vietnamese film festival in Cambodia

Original message from Metahouse,

Dear Cambodian Film Makers!

Dear Expat Filmmakers!

We like to invite you to meet the festival organizers of the YZINE FILM FESTIVAL VIETNAM

THIS SATURDAY, 17/09, 7PM

Vietnam’s YZINE Film Festival is an annual online short film festival (www.yxineff.com). It introduces new films from Vietnam to an international audience. The 2011 edition of the festival is themed “Belief”.

At Meta House the YZINE team presents a selection of short films and animated features from last year’s edition, including THINKING OF YOU  by Vu Quang Huy, UP IN THE TREE by Bui Quoc Thang and THE JOURNEY UNKNOWN by Do Dang Thuon. All films are screened with English subtitles.

The 2011 edition of this successful festival also includes Cambodian films.

We hope that you all take advantage of this opportunity to meet the YZINE programmers and introduce yourself to them. This festival provides an unique opportunity for you to exchange and to network in the region.

Please be our guests,

All best, your Meta House Team

#37, Sothearos Blvd.

Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia

Fixed +855- (0)23 – 224 140

Mobil +855- (0)10 – 312 333

Homepage: www.meta-house.com

email: mesterharm@gmx.net

14 Movies Every French Major Must See

Tim Handorf, one of Student Blog readers, has just sent me an article which I hope all of you also like to read it. I’ve posted the full article here, and if you’d like to read from the original site, feel free to click the link at the end of the post. Cheers,

Paris is the “City of Lights” in more than one way! While the Eiffel Tower’s sparkling lights are charming to be sure, the city also houses more movie theaters per capita than any other in the world. The flickering lights of the film projector have illuminated French citizens since the first movies were played at the turn of the century, helping cement film as an important part of French culture over the past century. Its cinema isn’t just a big deal within the country itself, however, and many French films, directors and actors are legends around the world.

Any student of the French language, whether a beginner or nearing fluency, should make these movies part of their education. They will benefit from the films not only as a primer on conversational French language, but also as a crash course in the surrounding culture, history and geography. While it is nearly impossible to create a list of just fourteen definitive French films, we’ve tried to choose a variety that will provide a good entry point for college studentsjust dipping their toes in its output. With everything from art house staples to horror films, there’s bound to be something on this list that will strike your interest no matter your personal tastes.

Please keep in mind that this article uses French capitalization rules when writing titles. Thanks for not freaking out and correcting us!

1. Le fabuleux destin d’Amelie Poulain (2001)

   A major hit in America as well, this film (known Stateside as, simply, Amelie) follows a charming French waitress who decides she must intervene in the lives of those around her and help them find happiness. Nominated for five Oscars and winning four Cesar Awards, it is not only a great cinematic work, but a just plain pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

2. Germinal (1993)

   Based on the 1885 Emile Zola novel of the same name, this film takes a harsh but realistic look at French life in the 1860s. It centers on a group of coal miners who, unhappy with their brutal working conditions, decide to strike. The violent and disastrous results of that decision make for gripping cinema, and no French student should miss out on a chance to learn more about the country’s film, history and literature in one fell swoop.

3. Les quatre cents coups (1959)

   Francois Truffaut is one of France’s most renowned filmmakers, playing a major role in spawning the French New Wave film movement. This film, The 400 Blows (though it should more accurately translate to To Raise Hell), is a cornerstone of that movement and holds a place of honor in any film geek’s collection. Both a character study and an expose of the injustices doled out to French juvenile offenders during the 1950s, it is undoubtedly among the greatest works of the nation’s cinema. Those who like the film may want to check out itssequel, Baisers voles.

4. Les visiteurs (1993)

   A departure from the more serious films listed here, this classic sends a 12th century knight and his squire through time to the modern day. As you would expect, the knights have a tough time adjusting to the brand new world, and hilarity ensues. American viewers might be familiar with the English-language remake called Just Visiting, but the original French version is far funnier – even though both films star the same actor.

5. Le placard (2001)

   Politically correct this film is not, but — despite being a comedy — it offers up a pretty direct and insightful take on French society. Actor Daniel Auteuil stars as a man who pretends to be gay in order to keep his condom factory job, resulting in some unexpected reactions from his boss, his homophobic coworker, played by the iconic Gerard Depardieu, and his family.

6. La Femme Nikita (1990)

   Made into multiple popular television shows, the Nikita character introduced by this Luc Besson film has become a cultural icon. In the original movie, the eponymous character is a young junkie and petty criminal who murders a cop. Locked away, the government recruits her for an elite French intelligence agency and turns her from a drug-addled mess into a dangerous assassin. Filled with action and adventure, it’s a must-watch for any student who wants to learn more about French pop culture.

7. Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)

   The real-life Cyrano (a French dramatist and duelist) may not have had a comically large nose, but his name became synonymous with them after Edmond Rostand fictionalized his life in an 1897 play (let us stress the fiction part — the play bears little resemblance to the real Cyrano in any way). Many movie adaptations have been made in the years since, including the ’80s American classic Roxanne, but this version is perhaps one of the best ever. A lavish production, it stays true to the original play and often ends up ranked among the top films in world cinema.

8. Les roseaux sauvages (1994)

   Directed by Andre Techine, this touching film details the coming of age of four teens in southwest France. All are just beginning to understand their sexuality and the long-reaching effects of the French battle in Algeria. A rare cinematic look at the often taboo subject of the Algerian War (and French culpability in it), the it is thought provoking on a number of levels, and won numerous awards in its native land and abroad when it was released.

9. 8 femmes (2002)

   This musical/comedy/murder mystery is based on a play by Robert Thomas called Huit femmes. Set in the French countryside during the 1950s, the story follows a family and their servants as they prepare for Christmas dinner. When the master of the house turns up dead, the heat is on to discover which of the eight women in the house did the deed. With an amazing cast and a lot of twists and turns, it’s an entertaining way to improve your French.

10. L’histoire d’Adele H (1975)

    Based on the tragic real-life story of Victor Hugo’s daughter, this film by Francois Truffaut is in both French and English — great for students just mastering the linguistic basics. Viewers will see the beautiful and tragic Adele destroy her life and her sanity pining away over an unrequited love – events even more heartbreaking because they really happened.

11. Les diaboliques (1955)

    If you love a good scary movie, then you’ll appreciate this French thriller. The film follows a woman and her husband’s mistress (both of whom he cruelly mistreats) who conspire to murder him. The women succeed — with one catch. The body disappears, and scares and suspense ensue as they try and figure out what has become of their murdered lover.

12. Taxi (1998)

    The first in a series of action/comedy films (the most successful franchise in French cinematic history) by director Gerard Pires and written by Luc Besson, this film is perfect for viewers who love a good car chase. Head and shoulders above the abysmal American remake, it isn’t a masterpiece by any stretch, but is a solid action-packed adventure that lets viewers hear the characteristic Marseilles accent. And, of course, see the city’s beauty as it races past the window of a speeding cab.

13. Les triplettes de Belleville (2003)

    In the mood for some cartoons? While there is little dialogue in this film for French speakers to follow, the amazing animation, ridiculously catchy song and take on the country’s obsession with bicycles and cycling make it well worth a watch.

14. La grande illusion (1937)

    We would be remiss not to include one of the greatest French films ever made. La grand illusionis not only a cinematic masterpiece, but an engaging look into France’s history and society in the WWI years. Focusing on a group of officers taken prisoner during the war, the movie reveals their class relationships and struggles as they plot an escape.

    12/09/2011
    From: Student Blog reader
    Original site: 14 Movies Every French Major Must See