Foreign Languages Lab

Contacts 8th Edition – Student Learning Center
Espaces
Face-à-face

Videos available streaming online:

French in Action – This series uses active participation to increase fluency in French, while introducing French culture. Pierre Capretz’s proven language-immersion method is presented within a humorous teleplay with native speakers of all ages and backgrounds. The storyline of an American student and a young Frenchwoman's adventures in Paris and the French countryside is reinforced by Dr. Capretz’s on-camera instruction.
(Students will need to register before accessing the material online)

www.learner.org/

Videos available in the lab:

Movies:

8 Women – Academy Award nominee Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert and Fanny Ardant star in this outrageous mystery about a wealthy industrialist who has been found murdered in his home while his family gathers for the holiday season. The house is isolated in a snowstorm and the phone lines have been cut. Eight women are his potential murderers: his calculating wife, his two mischievous daughters, his meddling mother-in-law, his neurotic sister-in-law, his sexy sister, the faithful family cook and the sultry new maid. Each woman is a suspect. Each has a motive. Beautiful, tempestuous, intelligent, sensual and dangerous…One of them is guilty. Which one is it?
In French Audio with English Subtitles / 1 Hr. 51 Min. / Rated R

Aladdin – In the heart of an enchanted city, a commoner named Aladdin and his mischievous monkey Abu battle to save the free-spirited Princess Jasmine from the schemes of the evil sorcerer Jafar. Aladdin’s whole life changes with one rub of a magic lamp as a fun-loving, shape shifting Genie appears and grants him three wishes, setting him on an incredible journey of discovery.
In French and Spanish Language Tracks / 90 Min. / Rated G

Amélie – Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, this magical comedy met overwhelming acclaim nationwide! A painfully shy waitress working at a tiny Paris café, Amélie makes a surprising discovery and sees her life drastically changed for the better! From then on, Amélie dedicates herself to helping others find happiness…in the most delightfully unexpected ways! But will she have the courage to do for herself what she has done for others?
In French with English Subtitles / 122 Min. / Rated R

Avenue Montaigne – Avenue Montaigne centers around Jessica (Cécile de France) a beautiful young woman from the provinces who comes to Paris and lands a job waiting tales at a chic bistro on fabled Avenue Montaigne, the city’s nexus for art, music, theater and fashion. Jessica’s customers include a popular TV actress (Valérie Lemercier) who is courting a major Hollywood director (Sydney Pollack) for her first serious film role; a wealthy art collector (Claude Brasseur) who is about to liquidate a lifetime’s worth of treasures at auction; and an illustrious classical pianist (Albert Dupontel) who is at odds with his manager/wife (Laura Morante) as to where his career is headed. Precisely because Jessica doesn’t know how celebrated these people are, her guileless and completely unintimidated engagement in their lives has a transforming effect on them – and ultimately her.
In French with English Subtitles / 101 Min. / Rated PG-13

The Chorus – An inspirational story in the rich tradition of Music Of The Heart and Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Chorus has moved critics everywhere to declare it one of the year’s very best films!  When he takes a job teaching music at a school fro troubled boys, Clément Mathieu is unprepared for its harsh discipline and depressing atmosphere. But with passion and unconventional teaching methods, he’s able to spark his students’ interest in music and bring them a newfound joy! It also puts him at odds with the school’s overbearing headmaster, however, locking Mathieu in a battle between politics and the determination to change his pupils’ lives!
In French with English Subtitles / 97 Min. / Rated PG-13

A Christmas Tale – A new holiday classic and one of the standout hits of the Cannes, Toronto, and New York Film Festivals, A Christmas Tale is Arnaud Desplechin’s (Kings and Queen) dazzling, big-hearted and brilliantly black comedy. In the role that garnered her the Special Prize at Cannes, Catherine Deneuve is Junon, the family matriarch, who greets the news of her life-threatening illness with calm equanimity. Desplechin regular Mathieu Amalric gives one of the best performances of the year as the black sheep of the family who returns home after being banished for 6 years with his bemused Jewish girlfriend (Emmanuelle Devos) in tow. Crowded under the same roof again, this family quickly and hilariously devolves into feuding, drunkenness and bed-hopping, as everyone struggles to make sense of the mysteries of family, life and what lies ahead.
In French with English and Spanish Subtitles / 151 Min. / Not Rated

The Count of Monte Cristo – Gérard Depardieu leads an all-star international cast in the epic adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale of love, intrigue and revenge. The Count of Monte Cristo tells the dramatic story of Edmond Dantès, a young French sailor who is falsely denounced as a traitor and unjustly imprisoned for eighteen years without a trial. After a daring escape, Dantès uncovers a hidden treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. Using these riches, he assumes a new identity and devises a plan to seek vengeance on all who betrayed him.
In French with English Subtitles / 414 Min. / Not Rated

Dead Tired – This uproariously upbeat comedy stars actor/writer/director Michel Blanc (Monsieur Hire) as both a mischievously celebrity impersonator…and a French movie star who’s being impersonated! Blanc’s the star whose life takes a hilarious turn when he’s hauled in by the police for a series of crazy incidents he can’t seem to recall. But when he learns that an imposter is out to ruin him, he enlists a sexy starlet friend (Carole Bouquet – For Your Eyes Only) to help him find his double and save his reputation! Also featuring Philippe Noiret (Il Postino – The Postman) and Roman Polanski (Academy Award-winning director of The Pianist), 2002, this brilliantly original comic delight was named Best Screenplay at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
In French with English Subtitles / 85 Min. / Rated R

The Dinner Game – When Pierre decided to play a game to see who could bring the biggest idiot to a dinner party; he never imagined he’d be the one playing the fool. But when Pierre’s selfish ways come to light before the main course, he gets his just dessert.
In French with English Subtitles / 72 Min. / Rated PG-13

Indochine – Catherine Deneuve stars in this Oscar-winning tale of passion and revolution in colonial Vietnam. Deneuve stars as Eliane Devries, the seemingly repressed owner of a prosperous rubber plantation in French Indochina. Her steely exterior, however, is only a mask intended to hide her torrid love affairs from upper-class society. But when her adopted Indochinese daughter innocently falls in love with Eliane’s secret lover, the scandalous lovers’ triangle threatens to destroy their entire family. A sensual story of unbridled passion set against the violence of the bloody Communist uprising, Indochine is a historically accurate, emotionally wrenching epic of love and war.
In French with English, French, & Spanish Subtitles / 156 Min. / Not Rated

Jean de Florette – Yves Montand (The Wages of Fear) and Gerard Depardieu (The Man in the Iron Mask) star in this timeless tale of greed, survival and fate which won four British Academy Awards including Best Film! Set amidst the rugged hills of Provence, this epic saga follows the heroic efforts of Jean Cadoret (Depardieu), who inherits a farm from his mother, Florette, and leaves his city job behind, hoping to create a “new Eden” with his wife and daughter. But, unbeknownst to Jean, his greedy neighbor, César Soubeyran (Montand), is plotting to steal the land out from under him with a wicked scheme that drives Jean to the brink of madness!
In French with English and Spanish Subtitles / 121 Min. / Rated PG

L’auberge Espagnole – Xavier is a straight-laced French college senior who moves to Barcelona as a part of a student exchange program, much to the dismay of his beautiful girlfriend Martine. But sharing cramped quarters with students from all over Europe quickly leads to multi-cultural chaos as Xavier gets a hilarious, eye-opening lesson on how to live, love, laugh… and party!
In French with English and Spanish Subtitles / 122 Min. / Rated R

Manon of the Spring – Starring Daniel Auteuil (Queen Margot), Yves Montand (The Wages of Fear) and Emmanuelle Beart (Mission: Impossible) who, like a “a young Bardot or Deneuve, gives a startling performance” (The Hollywood Reporter), this lush sequel to Jean de Florette is “a brilliantly realized achievement” (Boxoffice)! Ten years after her father’s death, Manon (Beart) has no idea that her neighbor César Soubeyran (Montand) cheated her out of her father’s land. But when Manon discovers that Soubeyran was directly responsible for her father’s death, she goes after him with a vengeance in this “epic [and] rousing tale of retribution” (Newsweek)!
In French with English and Spanish Subtitles / 114 Min. / Rated PG

Ma Vie en Rose – Ludovic is waiting for a miracle. With six-year-old certainty, he believes he was meant to be a little girl – and that the mistake will soon be corrected. But where he expects the miraculous, Ludo finds only rejection, isolation and guilt – as the intense reactions of family, friends, and neighbors strip away every innocent lace and bauble. As suburban prejudices close around them, family loves and loyalties are tested in the ever-escalating dramatic turns of Alain Berliner’s critically acclaimed first feature. Winner of the Golden Glove for Best Foreign Language Film and a favorite at festivals around the world, this unique film experience delivers magic of the rarest sort through a story of difference, rejection, and childlike faith in miracles.
In French with English Subtitles / 89 Min. / Rated R

Monsieur Ibrahim – Screen legend Omar Sharif is Monsieur Ibrahim, an elderly widower who owns a grocery store in a shabby, working-class section of Paris. His life takes on new meaning when he befriends Momo, a lonely teenage boy. In Ibrahim, Momo finds the father he never had, a patient man infused with kindness and a wisdom that he freely shares. And Momo awakens within Ibrahim a taste for grand adventure, which takes them on a journey that will change their lives forever.
In French with English, Portuguese & Spanish Subtitles / 95 Min. / Rated R

My Father’s Glory – Based on the best-selling memoirs of French novelist/filmmaker Marcel Pagnol, this captivating recollection of a young boy’s life in turn-of-the-century South of France is an intelligent, emotionally realistic account of a more idyllic time. A glorious celebration of family, this is one of the “most beguiling films since charm went out of fashion” (Time)! Among the intoxicating hills of rustic Bastide Neuve, young Marcel and his family experience an unforgettable summer holiday. Marcel, mystified by nature, eagerly turns to his father, Joseph, for an education on the ways of the wild. But Joseph comes up short in Marcel’s eyes when cantankerous Uncle Jules – an experienced woodsman – proves to be far more knowledgeable. To redeem himself, Joseph challenges Jules to a hunting match to prove once and for all that he is not only the patriarch, but a father who deserves respect.
In French with English, French and Spanish Subtitles / 110 Min. / Rated G

My Mother’s Castle – This “seductively scenic” (The New York Times) film based on the memoirs of renowned French author/filmmaker Marcel Pagnol highlights the alluring, magical country life of turn-of-the-century Provence. A vibrant, rhapsodic story of a family’s great efforts to preserve its closeness, My Mother’s Castle is “a cinematic full house, bursting with warmth” (The Hollywood Reporter)! Young Marcel’s mother has fallen in love with the tranquil radiance of Bastide Neuve after spending a blissful summer holiday there. Desperate to return to her beloved hills, she encourages her family to make the exhausting nine-mile trek on foot. But when they find an illegal shortcut through a private estate, their decision to choose the easy way over the long haul could permanently compromise Marcel’s father’s position as a schoolmaster.
In French with English, Spanish and French Subtitles / 99 Min. / Rated PG

Travelogues:

France – Synonymous with food, fashion, and romance, France has always captivated the world. Few nations of its size can offer visitors the variety of spectacular sights, amazing scenery, and gastronomic delights. Traveler Justine Shapiro begins the journey in Northern France on the beaches of Normandy. Traveling south she visits Mont St Michel and explores the province of Brittany before heading north to the Somme Valley and finally ending her trip in the Champagne region. Christina Chang takes over in Southern France, beginning in the wine region of Bordeux. She travels through the Basque region to Lourdes and on to Provence where her journey ends on the shores of the French Riviera.
In English / 120 Min. / Not Rated

Paris – The romantic capital of France, Paris, is one of Europe’s most stimulating cities. Its remarkable history has left a legacy of architectural landmarks and historic sites. From the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe it’s a city that demands to be seen. Traveler Justine Shapiro begins her stay in one of the world’s gastronomic centers learning the secrets of French haute cuisine. The following day she takes in the sites on foot before enjoying a traditional Parisian cabaret. After an expensive shopping trip she spends her final day taking in the famous galleries and museums ending at the Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa.
In English / 60 Min. / Not Rated

Movies and Travelogues available in the lab:

Movies:

Das Boot – Widely imitated yet never equaled, claustrophobic thriller Das Boot resurfaces in the definitive original uncut version! At the height of WWII, a young submarine crew heads out to sea on a top-secret mission that all but ensures most will never make it home alive. Ordered to patrol the Atlantic and destroy an Allied armada bringing supplies to Britain, these raw recruits must band together, bracing themselves against a depth-charge assault from an unseen enemy- can the Captain and his crew summon the strength to escape their watery grave? Oscar-nominated director Wolfgang Petersen’s five-hour epic adventure deftly explores tensions as pressure builds to an explosive climax, packing a visceral punch few movies can match. As we hurtle through the sub’s cramped quarters, telegraphing not only the controlled chaos of combat but the fearful faces of the U-boat’s heroic crew, this adrenaline-rush of a war film still haunts audiences with one final heart-breaking dilemma: would you let others perish so you could survive?
In German with English & French Subtitles/ 293 Min. / Not Rated

Europa Europa – This “incredible, true story” (Los Angeles Times) is at once “eye-opening, harrowing and humorous” (Leonard Maltin) as it recounts the severe actions a young boy must take in order to survive the Holocaust. Based on the autobiography of Solomon Perel, a young German Jew, the film “bounds from one jaw-dropping episode to the next” (The New Yorker) and puts you in the middle of war-torn Europe where ingenuity, timing and luck are the key to survival. Separated from his family at the age of thirteen, Solly takes on various identities to hide his Jewish heritage. First passing himself off as an orphan and later as one of the “Hitler Youth,” Solly carries on his charade, hoping desperately to keep his identity hidden…and make it through the war alive. (Based on the autobiography of Solomon Perel, a young German Jew.)
In German with English, French, & Spanish Subtitles / 1 Hr. 54 Min. / Rated R

Good Bye Lenin! –Winner of six prestigious European Film Awards, including Best Picture and 2004 Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this coming-of-age adventure blends the fall of Communism with the salient emotions of a family’s love. “Destined to become one of Germany’s biggest international hits,” (BBC Films), GOOD BYE, LENIN! Is a beautiful introduction to a whole new, free world. In 1989, Christiane Kerner has lost her husband and is completely devoted to the Socialist East German state. A heart attack leaves her in a coma, and when she awakens eight months later, the Berlin Wall has fallen and it’s a whole new world. To protect her from the shock, her son Alex hatches a plan to keep her in the dark. It’s easy…all he has to do is turn back the hands of time.
In German with English Subtitles / 121 Min. / Rated R

The Lives of Others – This critically-acclaimed, Oscar-winning film (Best Foreign Language Film, 2006) is the erotic, emotionally-charged experience Lisa Schwarzbaum (Entertainment Weekly) calls “a nail-biter of a thriller!” Before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, East Germany’s population was closely monitored by the State Secret Police or Stasi. Only a few citizens above suspicion, like renowned pro-Socialist playwright Georg Dreyman, were permitted to lead private lives. But when a corrupt government official falls for Georg’s stunning actress-girlfriend, Christa, an ambitious Stasi policeman is ordered to bug the writer’s apartment to gain incriminating evidence against the rival. Now, what the officer discovers is about to dramatically change their lives – as well as his – in this seductive political thriller Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) proclaims is “the best kind of movie: one you can’t get out of your head.”
In German with English, French & Spanish Subtitles / 138 Min. / Rated R

Mostly Martha (Bella Martha) – In the tradition of Big Night and Chocolat comes this “delicious romantic comedy!” that won over 10 international film awards and captured the hearts of moviegoers around the world. Martha is a single woman who lives for one passion: cooking. The head chef at a chic restaurant, Martha has no time for anything – or anyone – else. But Martha’s solitary life is shaken when a fateful accident brings her sister’s eight-year-old daughter, Lina, to her doorstep. As Martha struggles to care for her headstrong niece, the restaurant hires a charming and carefree Italian chef named Mario. Suspicious of Mario’s intentions, Martha slowly discovers that he has a special recipe for living – one that will touch her home and her heart. With its tantalizing blend of comedy, romance and food, Mostly Martha is a movie to savor.
In German with English Subtitles / 106 Min. / Rated PG

Rosenstrasse –- In the cold Berlin winter of 1943, hundreds of women stood, and waited, in defiance of the Nazis. While countless Jews were being sent to concentration camps for execution, Jewish husbands of Aryan wives suffered a different fate; they were separated from their families and imprisoned in a factory on a street named Rosenstrasse. On that street these women stood in protest, in the name of love until they were reunited with their men. This is the striking story of ROSENSTRASSE: where the power of the human will stands inconquerable – for hope, dignity and love.
In German with English Subtitles / 136 Min. / Rated PG-13

Run Lola Run – A thrilling post-MTV, roller-coaster ride, Run Lola Run is the internationally acclaimed sensation about two star-crossed lovers who have only minutes to change the course of their lives. Time is running out for Lola. She’s just received a frantic phone call from her boyfriend Manni, who’s lost a small fortune belonging to his mobster boss. If Lola doesn’t replace the money in twenty minutes, Manni with surely suffer severe consequences. Set to a throbbing techno score, “Lola’s like a human stun gun!” –Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
In German with English & French Subtitles / 81 Min. / Rated R

Travelogues:

Germany – Situated in the heart of Europe, Germany has had a huge impact on the face of Europe. A country of rich history and culture it offers a wealth of vibrant, bustling cities. Outdoor activity is an integral part of German life and its landscape provides wonderful opportunities for cycling, skiing, hiking and mountaineering. Traveler Justine Shapiro’s journey starts in Berlin where she learns about Germany’s experience during World War II. From there she hitches a ride to Niebull before continuing onto the incredible beaches of Sylt. After a stop in Hamburg, she moves to the grand city of Nuremburg before completing her trip climbing Mount Yenna.
In English / 60 Min. / Not Rated

Vienna – Vienna is the capital of Austria, a country in the heart of central Europe. Known as the city of music, it is the birthplace of the Waltz and the resting place of Beethoven. This grandiose city once controlled most of Europe but is now better known for its enviable collection of historic and artistic treasures. Traveler Ian Wright begins his trip at the Hofburg Palace, once home to the famous Hapsburg dynasty. He then heads for the city’s cemetery where over two and a half million people have been laid to rest. After a look around the Freud museum he heads out of town to learn about Mauthausen’s gruesome past. Returning to Vienna he ends his journey at one of the city’s famous balls.
In English / 60 Min. / Not Rated

Italian Newspapers:

Aosta oggi
Corriere della Sera 
La Gazzetta dello Sport 
Il Manifesto
Il Mattino di Padova 
La Nuova Venezia
The Paperboy
Il Piccolo 
La Repubblica 
Verona oggi 

Miscellanous:

la grammatica italiana (An Italian grammar site from the University of Vermont)
Videoclip italiani

Disclaimer: External links to web sites are provided for informational purposes only. Neither the Foreign Language Department nor Sierra College takes responsibility for the content of those sites.

Mediaset 
RAI TV 
RAI Radio

Italian Television Stations:

World Wide Internet TV

Miscellaneous:
Kanji Practice

Japanese Newspapers:
The Paperboy

Japanese Television & Radio Stations:
World Wide Internet TV
Nihon Hoso Kyokai (NHK)
TBS

The Japan Times
Asahi Shimbun
Mainichi Daily News
Nihon Keizai Shimbun
Sankei Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun

Disclaimer: External links to web sites are provided for informational purposes only. Neither the Foreign Language Department nor Sierra College takes responsibility for the content of those sites. 

Movies:

Yojimbo – The incomparable Toshiro Mifune stars in Akira Kurosawa’s visually stunning and darkly comic Yojimbo. To rid a terror-stricken village of corruption, the wily masterless samurai Sanjuro turns a range war between two evil clans to his own advantage. Remade twice, by Sergio Leone (A Fistful of Dollars) and Walter Hill (Last Man Standing) this exhilarating genre-twister remains on of the most influential and entertaining films ever produced. Criterian is proud to present this Kurosawa favorite in a new high-definition transfer.In Japanese with English Subtitles / 110 Min. / Not Rated

Travelogues:

Tokyo – Tokyo is a fascinating city of extremities, blending the old traditions with visions of the future and an extraordinary pace of life. A shock of skyscrapers and neon, it’s a gleaming example of Japan’s post World War II success. Traveler Ian Wright begins his stay by experiencing the spiritual side of Tokyo at the peace loving Senso-Ji temple. After a gentle introduction he throws himself into the pace of the city and discovers some incredible technology and fashion! He then heads to Mount Fuji for a crowded climb to the summit, before ending his trip experiencing the infamous Tokyo nightlife.In English / 60 Min. / Not Rated 

Miscellanous:

Finanzas & Desarrollo
Instituto Cervantes

Spanish Newspapers:

The Paperboy

Spanish Language Television:

World Wide Internet TV

Periódicos de España

• El Mundo
• El Mundo Deportivo
• El País
• La Razón digit@l
• Marca
• ABC.es
• AS
• El Correo Gallego
• El Diario Vasco

Periódicos de Latino América

Argentina:

• ARG  La Nación
• ARG  La Razón
• ARG El Día

Bolivia:

• BOL  Los tiempos

Chile:

• CHI  El Mercurio
• CHI  La tercera

Colombia:

• CO  El Espectador
• CO  El País
• CO  El Tiempo
• CO  El Universal

Coast Rica:

• CR  El Heraldo
• CR  La Nación

Cuba:

• CUB  Gramma

Ecuador:

• ECU  El Telégrafo
• ECU  Hoy
• ECU El Universo

Guatemala:

• GUA  Prensa Libre

Honduras:

• HON  La Prensa

Nicaragua:

• NIC  El Nuevo Diario
• NIC  La Prensa

Panamá:

• PAN  La Prensa

Paraguay:

• PAR Noticias

Perú:

• PER   La Republica

Uruguay:

• URU  El País

Venezuela:

• VEN  El Nacional
• VEN  El Universal

Periódicos de México

• La Reforma México
• Diario de México
• El Heraldo de Chihuahua
• El Heraldo de México en Pantalla
• El Imparcial Oaxaca
• El Independiente Edición Internet Hermosillo
• El Informador Guadalajara
• El Norte Monterrey
• El Siglo de Torreón
• El Sur Acapulco
• El Sur de Campeche
• El Sureste de Tabasco
• El Universal México
• Excélsior México
• Imagen Zacatecas
• La Crónica (Mx).
• La jornada
• La Jornada México
• La Prensa México
• La República en Chiapas
• La Unión de Morelos
• La Voz de La Frontera Tijuana
• Noroeste Culiacán
• Novedades
• Novedades Acapulco
• Novedades Quintana Roo
• Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación.Mx
• Tribuna del Yaqui México
• Vanguardia Mx

Radio Española:

• Andalucía Televisión Producciones
• Onda Cero España
• Radio Exterior de España
• Radio y televisión en España
• Televisión gallega

Radio Latino Americana:

• Radio Argentina http--www.clarin.com-fm100.ram
• Radio Cultura - Argentina

Radio de Mexico:

• Alfa 91.3 MX
• Grupo Radiocentro.Mx
• Radioactivo. Mx
• WFM. transmite en tiempo real Mx

Televisión de México:

• Once TV.Mx
• Televisa.Mx
• TV Azteca.Mx

Disclaimer: External links to web sites are provided for informational purposes only. Neither the Foreign Language Department nor Sierra College takes responsibility for the content of those sites.