Coyau /  [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Films

NLSC Meet & Greet and Chapter Events

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Life is a "Wild Ride"

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Films as an Effective Tool for Learning Language

Memorable Films from Bollywood (2000-present)

Marius et JeannetteThe Power of Place

Two Friends and a Movie

The Movies and I

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Transitioning from Student to Teacher through Amélie

Cinema in Culture is Undeniable

The Importance of Film in life and in Language Acquisition.

The Movie that Always AwakensMy Inner Child

On the Road... Again!

My View of the World Through Films

Who Needs Subtitles?

Films and Knowledge

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The UnvanquishedE1

20 Films and Me

The Importance of Cinema in Culture

NLSC Membership Facts andMember Benefit: Working Advantage

Nollywood: The Cultural Importance of Nigerian Cinema

Cinema - A Window to the World

National Language Service Corps 2017. VHS Tapes. [Graphic].By Evan-Amos (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I totally agree that cinema is one of the most relevant mass media communication resources that promotes cultural evolution and change. I recently watched the movie Hidden Figures. It tells the impressive true story of three African American women in the early sixties who were able to overcome racism and demonstrate that intelligent people can come from any race, color, faith or social status.

The main characters; Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), were based on real figures who played an important role in pioneering NASA’s operations in the early 1960s. These resilient women broke all kinds of obstacles related to sex and race, in spite of prejudicial barriers, to inspire new generations to dream and fight for greater ideals. At that time,

black people were labeled as inferior human beings. It is for that reason these three ladies are noted as hidden figures. They held decisive roles as cornerstones in the Space Race that allowed Alan Shepard and John Glenn to become the first Americans to fly into space and orbit the Earth, respectively. These strong women helped break racial barriers, such as the requirement for black people to occupy separate physical spaces. This segregation and physical separation of amenities and facilities inside NASA is shown clearly throughout the movie. This film is a powerful tool. I loved the fact that it revealed three women of color to the world as notable and important figures in NASA’s early projects.

They overcame their differences, built outstanding careers, and were an important element in America’s Space Race success, at the same time fighting for equal rights. The world is still populated by all kinds of prejudice. It is always necessary to find strong people like Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson who are willing to influence a more tolerant and comprehensive society where everyone can find equality and justice without discrimination.

Geraldo Salgado has 35 years’ experience working in the technology field. He has worked for the past twenty years as a telecommunication network manager. Geraldo also teaches technology classes for adults, at Atlantic Community High School. He has been a Member of the NLSC since 2016.

NLSC Member Geraldo Salgado

I teach a course on French Conversation through cinema, which I find particularly rewarding because French film has been intimately woven into my own French learning experience. I remember the first film I ever watched in a high school French class; Jean de Florette, and the first French film I saw without subtitles in the cinema in Paris, Les Poupées Rousses. One film in particular has woven itself through many stages of my learning and teaching experience: Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain, known simply as Amélie to American audiences. This film came out in American theaters my senior year of high school, in the spring of 2002. During a French club trip to the movies, our teacher gave us the choice between this film and another, Le Pacte des Loups. We opted for the latter.

It wasn’t until a few years later, while enrolled in a French culture and conversation class at Tulane University that I finally saw Amélie. And I loved it from that moment. The film is whimsical and fantastic, blending the real and the imaginary to tell a not-so-traditional love story that is quite touching at the end. It is just odd enough to be completely believable. I have watched Amélie several times since, but recently I had the pleasure of teaching the film in my own French class. It’s as if my life has come full circle. There is something inherently rewarding in being able to teach a film that was an essential part of your own learning experience. Amélie manages to capture the deep draw I feel to France and French culture, which I wish to share with my own students.

Fifteen years later, the film still has a strong appeal and is considered a modern classic. Often my students have seen it before even coming to class and are always willing to watch it again. It has a solid place in American culture, popular on Netflix and other streaming platforms; a difficult feat considering the American aversion to subtitles. Cinema is a valuable teaching tool as it can reach those students who find traditional language study tedious. It allows students to engage with the culture in ways not possible through text. Amélie introduces students to the unique artistic style of French cinema and entertains them as well. It’s a perfect match! No study of French would be complete without it.

Alisha Reaves is an Assistant Teaching Professor of French at the University of Notre Dame du Lac and a PhD Candidate in French Linguistics, with a minor in Second Language Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. She is interested in interactions between language and culture, language policy and second language acquisition. She has been a Member of the NLSC since 2017.

NLSC Member Alisha Reaves

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Geraldo Salgado

How do you begin to pick a personal favorite film? Do you choose it based on the interest factor or the plot? The genre? A favorite actor or actress? Or a time period, location or emotional connection? Does it somehow pull on your “heartstrings?” Maybe you saw a greater purpose in the film than pure entertainment value.

In this issue of the Language Compass, we asked our National Language Service Corps (NLSC) Members to choose their favorite film, or in some cases TV show, and tell us what their connection was to that film.

“Certain things leave you in your life and certain things stay with you. And that's why we're all interested in movies- those ones that make you feel, you still think about. Because it gave you such an emotional response, it's actually part of your emotional make-up, in a way.” ― Tim Burton, Burton on Burton

When I began to consider what my favorite film was, there were a number that came to mind – many of them connected to events in history that have intrigued me. Most recently – the film Hidden Figures has topped my “list.” Nominated for an Academy Award, this film was truly noteworthy, portraying the many issues that arose in the 1960s related to the Space Race (between the US and then Soviet Union), and the conflicts of that era regarding racism, sexism, and segregation, as well. It was both educational and inspiring, and presented a story that was not only interesting in its history, but in its poignancy to today’s culture.

Another film also made my list of must-see films--The Terminal (2004) with Tom Hanks. This film is

a bit older, but the message is equally inspiring and puts to mind the difficulties and struggles that many of our Members may have faced when relocating or traveling to new countries. The lead character comes to the United States on a personal mission, only to be detained in the airport terminal for several months, due to political strife in his own country. While in the airport terminal, he begins to learn a new language and overcome the struggles of basic survival (food and shelter). What makes the film interesting is that it shows the process of language acquisition, first through necessity and survival, and then through overcoming emotional and physical barriers, and finally, language finesse in developing relationships. This message of survival both physically and relationally is timeless.

The NLSC has a unique membership of over 7800 members, who represent a language base of over 380 languages and counting. Many of our Members come to us with 2 or more languages. Our Members also come to the NLSC as volunteers with an open spirit, willing to serve their country, having learned a new language, and a new culture.

To all of you who continue along your life journey to pursue excellence in language acquisition, and opportunities to serve – we thank you! For the past 10 years, you have continued to consistently serve and provide support to US Government departments and agencies who call on the services of the NLSC. In times of needed support or even in times of emergency, the NLSC has been able to count on your spirit of service and volunteerism. And for that– we are humbled and grateful, as we all, together, continue to provide Language for the Good of All!

Bill Castan, Staff Program Director, National Language Service Corps

NLSC Staff Program Director

Bill Castan

By Die fabelhafte Welt der Amélie/Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As a child in Morocco I started watching Hollywood movies and TV shows and knew all the actors from Dallas, The A Team, Miami Vice and other American shows by heart. But one show about truckers changed my life. A dream was born and my new world started to appear.

The show was about driving big eighteen wheelers across the US, showing route 66 and other highways in North America. I was fascinated by the power of the big machines, the highways, and the country itself. I learned a lot about the US from this show; how to do business, how to behave in difficult situations, and how to be a good citizen. To me, it was more than a show about trucks, it was about a cultural experience and how it changed my life. I promised myself that one day I would drive a big truck in America. And, yes, my dream came true and I kept that promise!

Years later I moved to San Francisco, and after settling down I started driving trucks and purchased my first big rig! I now own 19 big trucks and a trucking company, serving California, Nevada, and Arizona. The influence of the TV and movie industry really changed my life.

By Mohamed AitaliOn the Road... Again!

Growing up in Lebanon and Iraq, I learned different Arabic dialects from relatives, friends, and films from Egypt, Kuwait, and Syria, and even old western movies. Films opened up the world for me. Watching movies like Gone with the Wind made me want to know more about America and enabled me to begin to learn the language, albeit with a southern accent. Clashes of culture in any country, even one like America, are varied and became apparent to me through movies. The good versus bad in films like High Noon and the Italians versus Puerto Ricans in West Side Story are examples of how films entertain and portray different lifestyles, cultures, politics, and the wonders of places like California, Washington, and even Manhattan. I enjoy listening to the soundtrack from The Sound of Music because it takes me back to my home town where mountains covered with snow reach down to the green valley of my village, Anjar. I like this film

because it shows not only the beauty of the country but carries a strong message of making good choices, and raising your family in a free world.

Films not only teach language but values and ideologies, not taught in classrooms. Problems related to poverty, illiteracy, crimes of honor, and the use and abuse of power are shown in films that come from real stories and raise cultural awareness and understanding.

Films document human conditions such as the horrors of refugees from the Nazi regime and the desperation of Syrian refugees I’ve seen in my own country, where more than two million people have been treated inhumanely. Global conflicts caused by clashes of values, greed, and/or the desire to acquire more land or power, teach us the various realities of the diverse cultures and values in all parts of the world.

Helen Kourdian was born in Lebanon, and grew up in Iraq where she got her BA in Mass Communication, specializing in Radio and TV Broadcasting from Baghdad Art University. In 1998, she moved to Prague to work with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty when they launched a new radio station for Iraq. She later became a producer and joined Alhurra Iraq TV, which is a part of Middle East Broadcasting Network. She has been a Member of the NLSC since 2017.

NLSC Member Helen Kourdian

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By Lawren/Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

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I've never been to Marseille. I spent a semester studying in Paris, but somehow never made it to the south of France. Even though I have not set foot in this port city, I know (at least in the sense that I'd be heartbroken if I were wrong) that it is a whimsical, magical, Mediterranean refuge, just waiting for me. It is full of sun, sparkling sea, warm, relaxed, gorgeous cheerfulness—grounded, and perhaps even a little gritty, but cheerful nonetheless. How did I come by this extremely vivid and quite probably romanticized vision of Marseille? This is the power of film, the tug toward Marseille, and the power of Marius et Jeannette. The crazy thing is, I haven't seen this charming film since college. I watched it once, for a class. Certainly there must have been something very powerful for the film to stay with me. I absolutely loved it. I honestly couldn't say what it was about, beyond...being a romantic comedy...? What forged this connection for me? The setting, the city… Marseille! There was such a feeling of sun and safety in its little streets, and the flowers on the walls (yes, these I remember!), and everywhere the blue, white, and airy brightness of Mediterranean life. I have to go there. I must go there!

That's how I feel about Marseille, and have long felt about it. I can tell you the exact moment this calling began it was, of course, the moment I saw Marius et Jeannette, this very French film about a very French town—not a very Parisian town, no, but a very French town, and, for me, one of smiling skies and endless opportunities for happiness.

By Jordi RozenmanMarius et Jeannette: The Power of Place

I saw the filming of a “Nollywood,” or Nigeria’s film industry movie for the first time a week after moving to eastern Nigeria. I was passing through a neighbor’s grassy yard on my way to a party one evening, and I heard heated yelling that alarmed me. I was surprised to peer around a corner and find a camera crew flooding lights on two young actors, filming a dramatic fight scene. As I watched, I was impressed with the innovative electrical set up of the camera crew, attention to detail of the makeup artists, and vibrant energy of the actors. I was in Nigeria to learn the local language and was pleased to overhear that the characters’ names were of that tongue, Igbo.

I gained a great appreciation for Nollywood during my time in Nigeria. I think it makes the cinematic representation of Nigerian life feel accessible to the audience. Unlike

Hollywood, Nollywood movies are made on small budgets, often in people’s homes, and without any visual or special effects. It was exciting having friends point out different film “sets” to me as we explored Lagos. Due to their modest funds, scripts often focus simply on the dynamics of human relationships--marriage, parenting, siblinghood, etc. Although these relationships are highly dramatized in sometimes silly ways, they are like ones that we all have.

I saw that Nollywood gave Nigerians a way to tell their stories in their own way. Historically, so much of what the rest of the world has understood about them was narrated by Europeans, and outsiders. That was the basis of my academic research before I arrived. These films are a way for Nigerians to be their own storytellers, narrating what West African culture is like, at the same time helping to create it. Often, the clothes that I saw friends wearing there were in style because of a certain Nollywood star. I heard idiosyncratic phrases in daily conversation that I knew had been popularized by a local movie.

Years later, I still try to watch Nollywood cinema to practice Igbo, also, because it reminds me of the moment I realized that I was no longer watching Nigerian films from the U.S. as a way to understand a foreign culture, but to actually live that culture. Laine Strutton completed her PhD in Law and Society at New York University. She served as a federal Boren Fellow while studying Igbo and conducting field research in Nigeria. Laine has also worked in Ecuador, Italy, and Kyrgyzstan while completing her MA in Human Rights at Columbia University. She is currently a writer, researcher, and traveler living in South Korea. She has been a Member of the NLSC since 2012.

NLSC Member Laine Strutton

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The cinema is a marvelous creation. It can serve as a source of entertainment, but also acts as an instrument of learning. This is especially true when it comes to the acquisition of a foreign language. I am a real cinema buff and use foreign films to enhance my language learning. While films are great for reinforcing your language skills, there are a number of caveats. The most annoying is that modern films pay less attention to diction and articulation, making it difficult to understand the dialog at times. You know it is bad when you need subtitles in your native language! If you have trouble with understanding a foreign language, that issue is accentuated when the actors mumble or use slang, uncommon jargon, and street language. That being said, films are important for deeper learning since they activate two senses simultaneously; the acoustic and the visual.

Subtitles can alleviate much of this difficulty, so I always recommend using subtitles. The reason is perfectly simple - you are matching the written words with the spoken dialog, which aids in reinforcing your language acquisition. Ideally, I prefer to watch the film and then read the book (if there is one), in both languages if possible. I like to read the book in the foreign language first because that “primes me” for the language of the film.

I’d recommend watching a movie casually the first time through, then watching more carefully a second time, to pick up on the words or phrases you were unfamiliar with during the first time around. Choose a movie in a genre you like, since something you enjoy is always far easier to retain than something you don’t. Don’t think of it as a task, but as an enjoyable distraction. Remember, in order to learn well it must be enjoyable, and, better yet, relevant to you. Using the target language to discuss a film you have seen can help make it yet more relevant and aid with long term retention. Musicals are not ideal for language learning since you have to focus on the movement, the music and the lyrics at the same time.

My personal favorite film is One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, starring Jack Nicholson. I watch this at least once a year and never tire of it. Watching a good film over and over again is like visiting an old friend. James Welch is originally from the United States, but currently lives in Belgium. He is a senior lecturer and trainer for police, intelligence, and security units in the Middle East. James is preparing to defend his Doctoral dissertation on international criminal law this spring at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He has been a Member of the NLSC since 2015.

NLSC Member James Welch

Once in a while there comes a film whose influence transcends borders and language, and that influence comes in unexpected ways.

There were two outstanding men in Brazil mid-last century. A writer and political activist Jorge Amado, and musician Dorival Caymmi, his close friend. When American director Hal Bartlett put to screen one of Amado's novels “The Wild Pack,” an already well known song by Caymmi, “Marcha dos Pescadores” was used in it. Caymmi was also cast in a supporting role.

Translations into Russian followed, and Russian poet Yury Tseitlin wrote an original poem, dealing with a homeless child's struggles on dry land - based on the film.

The film wasn't a success in the US, but became a huge hit in the USSR. While the film itself is a piece to admire, the song became one of most beloved in the Russian speaking world, believed to be purely Russian, as more heard the song than saw the movie. This spiked the interest in Brazilian and Portuguese culture and with it came appreciation of beauty and depth of Portuguese language and of its people’s struggles.

In this seemingly complex tangling of fate's twists, languages, cultures, and life stories we find the unifying truths of art and the eternal struggle for justice through film, powerful words and exquisite music - - such is the story of a once overlooked masterpiece.

By Aleks YakubsonTwo Friends and a Movie

By jdxyw/Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then film is priceless. Films are expressions of popular culture and social interactions, and the language embodies both. This is why watching films can help learn a language. Knowing words does not constitute knowing a language. How often does the language instructor remind learners that “word for word” translations can be awkward, if not incorrect outright? How often does the language instructor impress upon learners to translate “the idea, not the words?”

In film, these elements are cultural manifestations of social engagement that further develop the meaning of the words that actors say to one another. The viewer becomes an active language learner, when in the comfort their own home, pause and rewind the film over and over again, in order to repeat the dialogue out loud, and mimic the actors’ gestures and facial expressions.

Language is much more than words. It is culture - art, music, literature, cuisine, gender relations, power struggles and history. It is an integral part of the cultural fabric of society. It can teach the viewer how people of that culture or nation communicate. When the viewer watches a film, they experience various ways of communicating. Films are a fundamental tool for learning a new language.

By Maria GiustiFilms as an Effective Tool for Learning a Language

Cinema reflects the life of various communities and addresses issues in every corner of the world. From this we learn about the lives of other societies, gain understanding of each other, and light is shed on major social, political, and economic issues that concern and affect many.

When I lived in Morocco (a fascinating country), I saw lots of movies. One of the best Moroccan series I still remember is Weja’a Al Turab, meaning “The Pain of Sand.” It covers the dramatic, daily issues between members of a simple Moroccan family, their land, their legacy, and the father, who was swayed by greed.

I am not only fascinated by Moroccan and Arabic movies, but by foreign movies, particularly, American and British movies, as well. The Last of Mohicans is one of my favorite movies. It is a dramatic story set in 1757, during the French and Indian War. It is well written, with excellent performances by all actors and actresses. One of the things that I enjoyed was the mixed scenes with both English and French language, which were very simple to follow.

Some of my favorite movies are western movies, portraying the lives of cowboys. I still watch many movies with my favorite actor, Clint Eastwood, such as; Hang ‘em High, A Fistful of Dollars, and Unforgiven, among others.

Britain has given us movie heroes like James Bond, and actors like Laurence Olivier and Tilda Swinton, and fantastic directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick. Watching British films is always a pleasure – but as an English language learner, it can also be a valuable way to learn the British way of pronouncing certain words. With that said, I find the best way to enrich my English language is reading, though not easy in the beginning, as my first well-spoken languages were Arabic and French. Films are also one of many tools that have provided me with a unique and entertaining way to speed up English language learning.

Mustapha Naamani was born and raised in Morocco and moved to California in 2009. He has worked in numerous jobs using his French language skills. He constantly studies to improve his English skills. Mustapha has studied criminal justice, and his hobbies include swimming and tennis. He has been a Member of the NLSC since 2015.

NLSC Member Mustapha Naamani

Mustapha Naamani

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Growing up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, movies were a large part of keeping me entertained. Although, unfortunately, I was not accurately informed about the society and people of the country that was depicted. That country, which is now my country, is the USA, also commonly known as “America.”

In my early years of watching Hollywood movies I did not understand or speak English. America was a country where cowboys constantly fought with other cowboys, or Indians, or Mexicans, and sometimes even the army. Most of the time, the lead actor(s) were the good, courageous, and righteous guys with whom we identified and for whom we rooted. Then, Hollywood started producing movies pertaining to themes and topics about the two World Wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Watching these movies, I remember thinking that America was not only a country where cowboys, army men, Indians and Mexicans were waging wars against each other, but that they also had tanks and airplanes and other modern weapons to fight wars against their enemies such as the Nazis, fascists, and communists. My peers and I did not have any notion, nor did we care, what the causes for the domestic and international wars were. Just as the intent of the movie makers was to entertain rather than educate, our sole intent was to be entertained. We were after ACTION!

It was only later in my life, after entering university, and reading a wide variety of books on history and politics that my perceptions about the US started changing. Until then, all through high school and half way through my university education, I imagined the US as I saw it through those movies. How wrong I was! Of course, throughout the years Hollywood movie genres have also diversified and movie scripts have become more sophisticated, moving from simple black and white themes to more grey and subtle themes. As I see it, the intent has never changed, however, it is now, as it has always been, entertaining rather than educating. Kifle Lemma has work since 2011 as an Amharic Language interpreter and translator. He has been a Member of the NLSC since 2016.

NLSC Member Kifle Lemma

In 1888, Thomas A. Edison used Etienne Marey’s invention to build a cylinder machine to play films. Fast-forward to 2017 and this invention still has impact on cultures, communities, and lives all around the world. One of the beneficial aspects of cinematography is the ability to communicate and to teach new languages.

In my homeland of Haiti, most films are in French with English subtitles. I favor subtitles over dubbed versions because I am able to better see, read, and learn new words. Personally, I have become more fluent in the English language from watching American films. It has given me great cultural insight about the United States. Capitalizing on the fact that kids are visual learners and love to watch movies, my kids now have a better grasp of the English language, as well.

One of my favorite childhood films growing up, and one of the most popular in Haitian culture, is I Love You, Anne, by Richard Senecal. It is a romantic comedy starring my favorite Haitian comedian Tonton Bicha. It taught me at an early age that love drives people to do anything. My current favorite movie is Lakay (2014). This movie gets me to hit that replay button over and over again because it’s a documentary of two brothers who return to Haiti after that terrible earthquake in 2010 hoping to find their loved ones still alive. This film certainly hits home because I, too, lost loved ones in that tragedy. Even though it’s quite sad, I still enjoy watching it because it is very relatable.

By Abdias AltidorThe Importance of Cinema in Culture

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By Drawn by User:SKopp/Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

I grew up in India speaking Hindi. It is said that "films are the mirror of society," but in my family, we were not allowed to watch films. However, when my father was out of town, my Mom always found ways to watch movies. I had to go with my mother whether I was interested or not. Slowly, I began to like films, especially detective and suspense films. When I came to the United States of America, English was the language that everyone around me spoke but I was unable to communicate.

Whether it's learning English, the history of US Presidents, or using the films to teach Hindi for my classes, both Bollywood and Hollywood films have, and still do, play an important part of my life in learning culture and language.

The first Hollywood film I saw was The Usual Suspects. I watched this film many times just to understand each and every word as well as the “punch” and feel of the dialogue from the different accents of the actors. It is difficult to choose only one favorite film, so two other films I could watch all day, every day, are Titanic (an English film) and Lamhe (a Hindi film), whose title translates to Moments in English. Titanic takes me to a world of imagination and love and reminds me to "live in this moment.” Lamhe is also about an unconventional love story that provided a new platform for Indian audiences at the time of its release in 1991.

There are many films in other countries such as the US, which depict Indian culture, values, traditions, and society. My perception and approach towards these films is very different now. I watch movies to find out if they will be suitable course material for my foreign language class. Visuals add a whole new spectrum of learning. Films are great, if not one of the best, ways to learn a new language. Not only do the films teach you the language, but the culture and various regional and linguistic dialect, as well. Discussions in class can vary from a character's dialogue to a particular social issue, sharing views on the use of language and its idioms, talking about cultural differences and clashes, and so on. Without films, we would be missing a very important part of learning and teaching.

Premlata Vaishnava is from a very small town in Rajasthan and came to the US in 2001 barely speaking any English. She learned English in the US. Premlata works in academia and is a certified ILR/OPI tester. She has been a Member of the NLSC since 2015.

NLSC Member Premlata Vaishnava

By Pooja ChakravartiThe Unvanquished

When I first watched Satyajit Ray’s Aparajito or The Unvanquished, I must have been around 8. I have since watched it again at 12, 15, and 25. Each time I found my belief in life refreshed and renewed.

Aparajito is about unbearable tragedy, but it is also about regeneration and hope. In the film, Apu loses both his parents, but finds strength to move on. The title comes from his undying faith in the concept of hope. The film opens with his father’s death, his mother’s hopelessness and depression, the return to his ancestral village surrounded by abject poverty, and a career as a budding priest. He rejects this vocation, attends school, does well and is awarded a scholarship to attend university in the city. His mother disagrees with his choice, although, Apu tries to persuade her.

The second part of the film – Apu is in the city, working nights and attending classes by day. His mother having “lost” her only son, slowly slips into severe depression and sickness. Unaware of her condition, Apu stops writing to her and stops visiting on holidays. He receives a letter from a neighbor stating that his mother is ill. Apu rushes to his mother’s side but arrives too late. He performs her last rites and then packs up and leaves the village for good. In spite of losing his family, he never wallows in self-pity.

His story mirrors my story. By the time I was 8, I had experienced the loss of both sets of grandparents and my aunt. At 18, I too, would leave the “ancestral village” to come to a new city where I would stop writing letters home and embark on a different career path; one not chosen for me by my parents.

Every time I watch this film I leave with a lingering sense of Apu’s renewal and an intense desirej to succeed.

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By movie studio/Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Films and books often have special meanings for me. They put me in touch with my feelings, help me process emotions. Films and books, always seem to teach me something new, broaden my perspectives and remind me of special moments. Films and books also have a special way of depicting various forms of communication cross-culturally, providing cultural insight to communities outside of my own. I generally watch movies in their original French or English. Sometimes, and play the subtitles in the opposite language to practice translating them.

I recently watched the movie Wild. It is an inspirational true story based on the book by Cheryl Strayed. Her story brought me to tears frequently. After a lifetime of hard experiences she was brought to the point of self-reflection and chose to go on a 90-day hike across the Pacific Trail Highway from California to Oregon. Four years later, she was married and 8 years later had two beautiful children. On the trail she came to terms with many of her life issues and how she overcame them. The movie ends with her not accepting and not regretting her past, This story brought to my mind: "God requires the past." - Ecclesiasts 3:15, "Satisfaction with Divine Providence, is having faith that all things work together for good to them that love him."

By Diane GoullardLife is a "Wild Ride"

I have always used subtitled films and movies to learn languages and cultures. Films are a great way to experience a culture and learn more about languages. They offer a good environment for understanding history and society. I find it easy and relaxing to use films to learn about gestures and customs of countries like Egypt and India.

Films can take me far away to a source of knowledge and make me “a cultural traveler!” Watching films has helped me hear and see so much, and have exposed me to various accents. Learning cultures more deeply has helped me communicate better with others.

The movie The Battle of Algiers is a model of counterterrorism tactics that taught me a good lesson about conflict and war. It is the story of the Algerian struggle for

independence from French occupation. The film is a case study on insurgency and terrorism. The war was very ugly as insurgents planted bombs in bars and cafes killing civilians without mercy. The French army also used brutal techniques to combat the insurgents. A great number of civilians died in the city of Algiers and other parts of Algeria. Torture and brutal tactics were considered a key issue in the crackdown on insurgency and may have slowed down the Algerian guerrillas, but in the end, the French failed to keep Algeria as a colony.

The message of the film is that torture is not the key to fighting terrorism. The film is useful in understanding war in the streets, guerrilla warfare, and insurgency. It’s a valuable teaching tool in the fight against terrorism. It’s also valuable in the discussion of wars of liberation and the American intervention in Iraq. Armies around the world are prepared for traditional wars, not guerrilla wars.

A lesson from the film is that successful military tactics are not a lasting solution for peace, unless accompanied with an effective political strategy. Public support is very critical in wars. Professionally, this film has helped our military and homeland security community counter and defeat terrorism and insurgencies.

Films are a real life laboratory that allow us to experience reactions and understand other cultures more deeply.

Abdelhali Bachir-Belmehdi, originally from Algeria, lives in Aurora, Colorado. He earned his BS in Engineering in Algeria and earned a degree in Homeland Security from Aurora Community College. He is fluent in French and Arabic, and is a regular volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. He has been a Member of the NSLC since 2016

NLSC Member Abdelhali Belmehdi

Abdelhali Bachir Belmehdi

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By Viollet/Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

India’s Hindi cinema, widely known as Bollywood, is one of world’s biggest and most prolific film industries. Akin to other film industries, most of the Hindi films are meant to entertain. However, in the last two decades, there have been three films that have stood out for the gravity and substance of the message they communicate and the lyrical manner in which they were able to serenade the hearts of the audience.

The word lagaan means tax or tariff in Hindi. In 2001, there was a film called Lagaan (लगान). Based on a true story, it is a historical period piece that essentially depicts how an Indian farmer in a small village challenged the officers of the British East India Company during their colonization of India. The plot centers around an unjust tax or lagaan that is imposed on the poor village farmers. The village farmers, having never played before,

are challenged to a game of cricket. If they win the match, the tax will be repealed. In one of the climactic moments of the film, the whole village comes together, blurring all divisions of caste, class, and profession, to make bats and other cricket gear for their team, by hand. They learn not only how to play the game of cricket but also how to win. When they win, the unjust tax gets repealed and the local British East India Company outpost is forced to shut down and move. As gut-wrenching as the plot is, with the audience experiencing the highs and lows of the characters, the cast, cinematography, dances, and songs are equally enchanting, and powerful, even inspiring. When one hears the song “chale chalo” (चले चलो) in the movie, there is a rare opportunity to interface with not only the historical underpinnings of the Indian heritage, but the raw, sheer energy of this particular group of the Indian culture, who were able to overcome tremendous personal, financial and political odds.

While Lagaan is based entirely in history, in 2004, the film Swades (स्वदेश), meaning “one’s own country” in Hindi, grapples with the current diasporic, hyphenated, bifurcated, identity of Indians who have moved abroad. Swades is loosely based on a true story of a non-resident Indian (NRI) couple who make that return to the homeland that many Indians adults who have moved abroad crave, whether wishfully or practically. Swades is filmed beautifully and considerately, with tremendous care given both to the spoken word and to the arguments and counter-arguments that are expected in the culture. However, what is alluring about the film is the silent in-between space or stillness communicated with different melodies and empty spaces that are different from the typical Bollywood dance-like songs. In those moments, the film seems to capture that uncomfortable, nostalgic yet remarkable time-space continuum in which the Indian diasporic identity resides.

Lastly, in 2009’s film Three Idiots, brings the audience face-to-face with the identity of youth living in India today. It encourages the audience, through the journey of three young men studying at an Ivy League equivalent in India, to examine the process of higher education in India. The film depicts the rote memorization, examinations and deadlines that mark the college years, while concurrently exposing the undue fears, pressures and challenges that surround the college students. It invites the audience to ponder the role of a teacher or professor or the purported focus of its educational system and the types of citizens it produces. It successfully posits many essential questions regarding the Indian education system. Is education to be gained only formally or can it be gained informally? Should education connect to one’s life and passion? The film’s message seems to be that education and career should be guided by one’s passion in life and that success will inevitably follow.

These three films make for good film viewing in college language classes, as they not only aid in foreign language learning, but also examine and enhance the understanding of the current culture within which the language is embedded. They provide cultural and personal insight and have become memorable for Indians living both in India and around the world. Sonia Taneja has taught Hindi as an Assistant Professor at the DLIFLC and as a lecturer at UC Berkeley and Columbia University. She has designed city, state, and federal Hindi exams and published Practice Makes Perfect: Basic Hindi (McGraw Hill, 2012). She currently teaches as a Hindi lecturer at Stanford University. She has been an NLSC Member since 2012.

NLSC Member Sonia Taneja

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By Tim Green Bollywood Carmen/Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

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PLANNING DESIGN

Hamm: Hey, why did the toys cross the road?Buzz Lightyear: Not now Hamm.Rex: Oooh, I love riddles! Why?Hamm: To get to the chicken, on the other side!

English native speakers generally know the “Why did the chicken cross the road?” riddle with the expected punch line, “To get to the other side.” But I (and I’m sure non-English speakers) found the joke total nonsense. It took years before I finally got it. And it now makes sense to me.

That joke is from one of my all-time favorite movies, Toy Story. I initially watched it before my two children were born. Today, I still enjoy watching the secret life of Buzz and Woody even though one of my kids is about to go off to college.

There are so many reasons to like Toy Story. The plot and dialogue are easy to follow. The computer-generated animation is fun to watch. The soundtrack, particularly “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” is memorable. The takeaways about friendship, teamwork, and perseverance is timeless. The core message is about integrity and character building. See what happens after Woody pushes Buzz out of a window and how Woody owns up to his mistake and rescues Buzz. The film’s vocabulary is so rich that it has been adapted into lessons, crossword puzzles and fun games for ESL (English as a Second Language) students.

By Rabhebhun Bhidej The Movie that Always Awakens My Inner Child

By 20th Century Fox / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

I was introduced to Chinese through Hong Kong Wuxia films. The bizarre intonations and abrupt nature of the Chinese language became a source of endless curiosity for me. I pursued Chinese language and culture as the primary focus of my studies, all while continuing to absorb the cinematic culture. Artists like Zhang Yimou and Wu Yusen have shaped much of my perception of modern China. But it was always the linguistic aspect that gave me an appreciation for the inseparable nature of language and culture. We aren’t just learning words and grammar, but the social background as well.

Movies are an indispensable tool in language acquisition and maintenance (where else can you learn the proper Cantonese to express consternation after being gravely wounded in the middle of a gunfight?), and at the same time instilling intuitive comprehension. Lingering close-ups provide facial cues to dialogue, and an irate reaction to being called “bad egg” (a pejorative term in Mandarin) is more memorable seen on screen than on a word list. Film engages us to learn language in the same way we learned our native tongue, through context. Movies can teach that effective language study cannot be distilled down to formula of rote memorization and repetitious grammar patterns, although those aspects are still sadly unavoidable. It isn’t until words have been injected with a certain pathos that language ceases to be a mere academic pursuit and becomes an actual dialogue.

By Aaron Whitchurch Who Needs Subtitles?

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NLSC Membership Facts

We have Members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, as well as 54 countries, and five territories.

We have over 7,800 Members, representing 384 languages in our membership.

NOLLYWOODNational Language Service Corps, 2017. Nollywood sign and Nigerian Flag.

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Membership with the NLSC has many advantages and benefits! One of these perks is accessto Working Advantage, a rewards program that offers discounts on dining, entertainment, online shopping, travel, and more! Please contact your Member Support Liaison for more

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InThisIssue

By movie studio (eBay)/Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons