French Embassy Honors Fullerton College’s French Film Festival
The Cultural Services of the French Embassy awarded Fullerton College French Club second place in the “France on Campus Awards” for the 2023 Fullerton College French Film Festival, which is set to take place March 27-29, 2023.
The award celebrates American student organizations that produce creative projects that introduce new audiences to French culture. The award comes with a unique combination of funding and mentorship from the French Embassy’s consulate. A grant of $1,500 will support the French Club in planning three one-hour cultural events that will take place prior to each film screening during the festival in March.
“The students are really excited to start planning the cultural piece of the event, and have so many great ideas,” said Foreign Languages Professor and French Club Advisor Catherine Reinhardt-Zacair. Some ideas include creating cultural scenes from villages in different regions of France and the Francophone world, creating a carnival-style parade, and collaborating with Fullerton College’s Fine Arts Division to plan set designs, costuming, music, and dance.
“We’re also looking forward to the mentorship component from the French consulate to see if any of these ideas could be further developed,” Reinhardt-Zacair said.
The French Club at Fullerton College has an active membership. Most students are in their first and second year of French studies, and participate in regular club meetings and activities, Reinhardt-Zacair added. This can often lead to connections and opportunities provided by the French consulate, such as the “France on Campus” awards.
“It’s nice for the French Film Festival to be recognized,” Reinhardt-Zacair said, adding that the festival will be in its 12th year at Fullerton College.
Reinhardt-Zacair joined Fullerton College in 2015 and has co-chaired the event ever since. She celebrates this recognition with the festival’s founders, Carol Rehfield and Violette Vornicel for establishing such an important cultural event within the Foreign Languages Department.
“Working alongside my colleagues in Humanities, our goal is to bring more exposure of French language studies to other students and get them excited to learn more about where the study of French can take them in the real world, outside of their comfort zone in Orange County,” Reinhardt-Zacair said.
“That the French Embassy has honored the French Film Festival with this important award speaks to the impact and success not only of the film festival, but also of the French Program and the Foreign Languages Department at Fullerton College as a whole,” said Humanities Dean Kim Orlijan. “Doors to the world open to students who study foreign languages, and this award highlights the excellent work done in the Foreign Languages Department to help students broaden their scope of knowledge and connect to global cultures—and to each other.”
Several of Reinhardt-Zacair’s former French students have gone on to study French at the university level while others have taken advantage of TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France) to teach English in France’s public school system or at “Community College in France summer bootcamps” thanks to opportunities and connections with the French Embassy.
“It’s been wonderful working with Reinhardt-Zacair and the French students in the planning process,” said Administrative Assistant II Carol Rehfield. “Their creativeness and enthusiasm remind me daily of why I work so hard for Fullerton College and love my job.”
The French Film Festival is a three-night festival that begins March 27-29, 2023. Each night will begin with a cultural event on the Campus Theatre patio at 6:30 p.m. followed by a French film screening. The cultural event also features food, art, and music.
To learn more visit the French Festival website.
