On Saturday 9 November, 20 AFTV members and friends gathered to celebrate the region of Provence and one of its most illustrious children,
Marcel Pagnol.
We were hoping for the Provençal heat and sin, the cicadas' sound and the eucalypt scent to be au rendez-vous, not an unreasonable
expectation for a Victorian November day. Melbourne, however, was intent on giving us a typical 'four-seasons-on-one-day' experience. Fine!
We had our own sun, warmth, scent and sounds, through our program. Everyone enjoyed:
This is the first novel of Pagnol's childhood memories trilogy (la gloire de mon père, Le chateau de ma mère and Le temps des secrets). Do yourself a favour and re-read these classics.
Antoine Séguin (L'Accompagnie) adapted the trilogy for the stage, and has been touring France (including the renowned Festival d'Avignon)
with his three solo performances. He was kind enough to treat us with his amazing performance of 'La gloire de mon père'. Everyone in the
audience found the performance extraordinary, fell in love with le petit Marcel, and could have stayed for the follow-up stories.
Maybe Antoine will come back next year, for an organised tour this time?
Thanks to all participants, who helped bring to ife this workshop day; and in particular to Gretchen Bennet, without whom none of this could have happened.
And of course warm thanks to Pagnol, whose words said it all so well : ...ce qu'il disaient ne m'intéressait pas. Ce que je guettais, c'était les mots: car j'avais la passion des mots; en secret, sur un petit carnet, j'en faisais une collection comme d'autres font pour les timbres. J'adorais grenade, fumée, bourru, vermoulu et surtout manivelle : et je me les répétais souvent, quand j'étais seul, pour le plaisir de les entendre : "damasquiné, florilège, filigrane, archiépiscopal, plénipotentiaire, anticonstituonnellement". Le mot le plus long de la langue française. (La gloire de mon père)
Isabelle Mangeot-Hewison
Participants' feedback:
Croissants Plus | AFTV and Gourmet Kitchen
Right here in Melbourne you can learn to make your own essentials of French gastronomy and culture and even pass on these skills to your
students.
The AFTV takes pleasure in offering AFTV Members the opportunity to attend one of 3 classes at a date of your choice
throughout 2024.
We are pleased to announce the AFTV 2025 Junior Video Competition, centered around the theme La Gastronomie.
This competition invites students from Year 5 to Year 8 to look into the rich culinary traditions of Francophone countries.
To be be launched in 2025 at the beginning of Term 1, with video submissions due by the end of Term 2.
We have pleasure to invite AFTV members to the AFTV 2024 AGM. The AGM will include an introduction and viewing of the Notre
Dame de Paris: the Augmented Exhibition
which will be showing at the Immigration Museum.
Venue The Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, Melbourne
VIC 3000
Date Friday 7 February 2025
Time 6.00pm - 8.30pm
Want to join the 2025 AFTV Committee?
AFTV members are welcome to join the AFTV 2025 Committee, which will be voted in at the AGM.
We are pleased to continue to offer online French conversation classes in Term 1 2025.
The online classes are delivered by Marilyne Lopez of Almaje Language School.
Dates 12 February to 19 March
Time 6.15pm to 7.45pm
The AFTV invites new teachers of VCE (Units 1,2,3,4) and those needing a refresher, to attend this all day professional development
workshop.
Participants will be looking at the PROGRESSION expected in students’ work in the 3 VCAA-prescribed outcomes, from Unit 1 to Unit 4 and, ultimately, the examination.
Venue Catholic Leadership Centre
Date Friday 28 February 2025
