Canapé is a television show produced by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and City University of New York (CUNY) TV. The show has been on the air since 1996. Archives of these cultural programs are available in QuickTime and Real Player formats on the site. According to the site: "Stylish and modern, Canapé is the only program entirely devoted to French cultural events in New York and the United States. This monthly half-hour show includes film releases, book translations, exhibitions, festivals, ballets, concerts and theater productions."
Type of Material:
Video
Recommended Uses:
In class for discussion purposes or outside for independent study.
Technical Requirements:
Real Player or Quicktime Video
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The user will enhance awareness of the culture of the French speaking world.
Target Student Population:
Learners of French and French culture. All those interested in French music, art, cinema, literature, and contemporary civilization.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Canapé provides a significant service to educators by archiving programs of interest to Francophiles and French students around the world. Through its audio video online archive, users have instant access to authors, directors, filmakers, artists, and other famous Francophone figures. In recent months, there have been features on Agnes Varda, director of the French cinema New Wave, reflections on Michel Butor and the status of the French "nouveau roman" fifty years after its appearance, a video interview with the very popular Paris Combo, a multicultural swing band in Paris, and even an interview with the Quebec City "Bonhomme de Neige", who talks about the importance of Carnaval in that city.
Every program since 1997 is archived and available for use. There is even a "Best of Canapé" feature for 2004.
Concerns:
It would be an enhancement to be able to sort the archived programs by artist and topic.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
These short clips lend themselves well to the development of discussion questions. The interviews provide supplementary material when approaching a particular novel, film, or culture topic. Videos can be shown in the classroom as a springboard for discussion, or they can be viewed anytime outside of class time. Canapé also piques learner interest in French cultural events. Many of the events featured, such as film openings and art exhibitions, will be available to Francophiles in other cities beyond NYC.
Since the French dialogues have English subtitles, even beginning students of French can use them. The interspersing of film clips, paintings and scenes of local color provide a cultural immediacy that will appeal to learners at all levels.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Canapé is very easy to use once one has the proper plug-in media player. The interface is simple and straightforward, rightly putting the emphasis on content over elaborate design.
Creative Commons:
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