Des clichés

January 17, 2016

Today, an affectionate look at some clichés about the French, not to be taken seriously. This was created by Cedric Villain. In his words:

I might be French, but I have never eaten frogs, I don’t like wine, I drink champagne less that three times per year, I don’t live in Paris… Difficult in this situation to relate to the stereotypes that foreign films display about France and the French. In fact, I have I have no memory of having ever seen anyone with beret, blue striped shirt, mustache… My objective with this film is not to explain the origins of these stereotypes but simply to enunciate them in a humorous way. I chose to list them like old dog-eared post-cards, a visual reminder of the French word which has passed into the Anglo-Saxon language.

More information about the short film can be found at Cedric Villain’s website. A version with English sub-titles is available here.

Photo by Maurice-Louis Branger, circa 1925