Le culture vulture

It doesn't matter if 'je ne parle pas francais' is the only French line you know. You are still welcome to the French Speaking Day, an annual event celebrating the language.

Organised by the Alliance Francaise, the French Speaking Day on March 20 features a series of cultural events ranging from film to literature and music. According to Alice Chiappero of the cultural section of Alliance Francaise, attending cultural events is the best way to learn French.

'Usually the arts are a good way to get interested in a country's culture, the country itself, and then the language spoken in this country,' she tells SYP. 'Cinema, music or painting can be used as complementary methods to learn French or can help a teacher to illustrate French lessons in an attractive way.'

Chiappero says that Hong Kong people's interest in French has soared. 'They are interested in French culture and arts. Some learn French for professional reasons or because they want to study at a French-speaking university,' she says. 'In 2003 there were 5,000 students learning French in Hong Kong.'

In fact, France is not the only country that speaks French. A lot of other countries such as Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, as well as some countries in Africa, adopt French as their official or a second language. Thus, this year's French Speaking Day features not only cultural exports from France, but also from a variety of other countries.

Included in the programme is a film called Destiny by veteran Egyptian director Youssef Chahine. Destiny tells the tale of Averroes, one of the greatest Islamic philosophers from the 12th century, and is a joint production between France and Egypt. Youssef Chahine won the 50th anniversary prize at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1997 for his life's work.