On this page you can find a list of suggested films for teaching MFL to KS3+. Many of these suggestions also include sample lesson plans and/or schemes of work which have been developed by teachers taking part in the Screening Languages programme over the last two years. Click on the films for the an embedded video and to see the resources available.
You are welcome to use these plans as they are, as a reference, or merely as inspiration for developing your own film-based teaching.
To support them, we have also included a guide to some of the free technical tools available to teachers, created by Caroline Thomas at Robert Clack School in Dagenham, and information on where to find guides on free editing software.
Caroline Thomas’ guide to free technical tools
A guide to getting videos and free editing software resources
French
Les Crayons
The Pencils
All is not as it seems in this comedic short. This film received mixed audience reviews - what do you think?
Topics:
French, Relationships, Comedy
Paris Je T'aime - Quais de Seine
A brief encounter by the river leads François to learn something - and perhaps meet someone - new.
Topics:French, Identity, Relationships, Culture
Paris Je T'aime - Place des Fêtes
A fleeting moment triggers a series of unfortunate events in our mysterious main character's story.
Topics:French, Identity, Relationships, Drama
J'attendrai le suivant
I'll Wait for the Next One
Tired of looking for love, a too-good-to-be-true offer suddenly crops up out of nowhere. Will she take the chance?
Topics:
French, Relationships, Comedy
Le Poisson Rouge
The Goldfish
A matter of life and death in this fast-paced short with a lasting message.
Topics:
French, Health, Comedy, Education
Le Baiser
The Kiss
As a young couple are about to kiss on the beach, something goes terribly wrong with the film reel, and the projectionist does their best to get it fixed.
Topics:
French, Identity, Relationships, Culture
Le Bon Numero
The Right Number
A young woman is sat on a bench in a park hoping that her Prince Charming will whisk her away. As usual, this is looking unlikely until her phone rings, and a mysterious agency offers to make all her dreams come true!
Topics:
French, Descriptions, Comedy
Bouts en Train
Train Tips
When a train takes an unscheduled stop between stations, the passengers break into song about where they're from, where they're going, and their fears for the impacts of the delay
Topics:
French, Journeys, Locations, Personal Descriptions
L'Or Bleu
Blue Gold
A short film about the responsible use of water resources, made through a partnership between a school in France and communities in Burkina Faso.
Topics:
French, Society, Classroom
Maman Regarde
Look Mum
When a young boy sees a black woman in the supermarket, he begs his mother to look and see.
Topics:
French, Racism, Identity
Madagascar
Madagascar
This film uses rotoscoping – an animation technique that draws directly frame by frame on live action film, producing a beautiful, sensuous effect especially suited to this travelogue set in Madagascar. The narrator is invited into the interior of the island to witness Famadihana, or the ‘turning of the dead’. The film is a riot of colour, sound, and Malagasy and French language and music, and all produced as if for a moving picture book ‘journey diary’, or ‘carnet de voyage’.
Topics:
Ritual culture song Francophone nations wildlife and nature geography
La Huida
The Escape
Why is there a 50 Euro note on the pavement, and how did it get here? A fast-paced whodunnit forms this unusual chain of events.
Topics:
Spanish, Comedy
Diez Minutos
Ten Minutes
A customer service call can only last 10 minutes - but will Enrique obtain the information he really needs to solve his problem?
Topics:
Spanish, Relationships, Comedy, Drama
Tránsito
Crossing
A docu-mockumentary exploring the lengths people will go to in order to emigrate in the hopes of finding a better future.
Topics:
Spanish, Documentary, Comedy, Identity
Spanish
7:35 de la Mañana
7:35 in the Morning
A daily trip to the café for breakfast turns into a bizarre - and possibly dangerous - scenario.
Topics:
Spanish, Drama, Dark Comedy
El Encargado
The Boss
When Martin is given lead responsibility by the the teacher, will he use this to finally get his revenge on the class bully?
Topics:
Spanish, Drama, Relationships
Murciegalo
The Bat
What shapes us into the adults we inevitably become? How strong impact do our parents have on us as children?
Topics:
Spanish, Identity, Relationships, Emotions
La Ruta Natural
The Natural Route
Ever since the accident, things have been different... A man looks back at the key events in his life which led him to this moment of reflection. A reminder for the audience to seize the day and live life to the full.
Topics:
Spanish, Identity, Relationships, Emotions
La Leyenda del Espantapajaros
The Legend of the Scarecrow
A friendly scarecrow nurtures his only friend, a blind crow, back to health - but with devastating consequences.
Topics:
Spanish, Animated, Drama
Abuela Grillo
Grandmother Cricket
Abuela Grillo sings as she walks the lowlands and mountains in the borders of Paraguay and Bolivia. She settles in a village where she is initially welcomed. Overjoyed, she sings and sings until the valleys are flooded. The villagers get angry and chase her away. While traveling, she is lured by the black-suited, white-collared corporate giants who promise her fame and applause.
Topics: Spanish, Animation, Bolivian Culture, Landscapes
Alma
Alma
Alma
Alma
A young girl stumbles across a wall of names, and after adding her own, notices a mysterious toy store filled with dolls, one of which looks exactly like her. She finds her way into the shop for a closer look, but as soon as she touches it, she finds herself frozen on the shelf, looking down from the doll's perspective.
Topics:
Spanish, Animation, Toys, Names, Shops,
A young girl stumbles across a wall of names, and after adding her own, notices a mysterious toy store filled with dolls, one of which looks exactly like her. She finds her way into the shop for a closer look, but as soon as she touches it, she finds herself frozen on the shelf, looking down from the doll's perspective.
Topics:
Spanish, Animation, Toys, Names, Shops,
Justino
Justino
The Christmas advert for the Spanish Lottery
Topics:
Spanish
German
Dufte
Scent
Dufte means ‘scent’; the film is set in post-war Germany, before the Berlin Wall, when semi luxury goods like coffee, cigarettes, and perfume could be smuggled out of West Berlin under the noses of the Customs Police. A train compartment of passengers each has their own relation to contraband. But who is the real smuggler?
Topics:
history, food, transport,
Schwartzfarher
Schwartzfarher
Schwartzfahrer is set on a tram ride in late 1990s Berlin, bringing together a cross-section of Berliners – including the literal ‘black rider’ of the title. However, ‘schwartzfahrer’ also means ‘fare dodger’, and someone hasn’t paid their fare.. NB, the film features an unpleasant racist monologue, even though the character does receive their comeuppance..
Topics:
racism, German history, transport, generations,
Bienenstich ist aus
Bienenstich ist aus
Bienenstich ist aus: Paul is a young boy whose fear of speaking isolates him from his peers and neighbours. He is only comfortable with his Umma (Grandma), eating the bienenstich (bee-sting cake) of the title, and listening to her sing..
Topics:
generations, food, childhood, song,
Marie
Mandarin
Ye-Ye
In Grandfather (Ye-Ye), a little girl spends some time with her aged and quite infirm grandfather in the country, while her mother is working. There are initially clear cultural differences between them – especially in the girl’s taste in chicken. A tender portrayal of both gaps in between the generations, and between the city and the country.
Topics:
Generation, families, food, migration homes and houses city and rural
Butterfly lovers
Butterfly Lovers is an animated episode in the life of a young aristocratic woman who has recently lost her husband. His gift to her of a scarf, embroidered with butterflies, causes her to reminisce..
Topics:
relationships historical period costume colours