After a frustrating week of exams and papers, the expression "c'est la vie" may come to mind. But the popular phrase is also the title of a French film that will be showing on campus next month.

"C'est La Vie," sponsored by the Graduate Student Association, is one of a series of on-campus international films extending cultural diversity outside the classroom.

Curtis Bayer, the coordinator of film programming for GSA, said that between 200 and 300 people attend international films each weekend.

"We try to break even. The films don't make a lot of money," said Bayer, who noted that a regular audience of people including students and faculty members usually attends the series.

Because of requests to offer more international films on campus, GSA will show two per week, beginning in August. One will be shown in English and the other will have English subtitles, Bayer said.

"If support is strong enough, we will continue this during the fall semester," Bayer said.

Students can request any international film they wish to view by stopping in the GSA office, 111 Kern. However, Bayer said the opportunity to bring the films to the University depends on their availabilty from film distributors.

"Many good films don't make it to campus," Bayer said.

The movies that are selected to play in Kern or Chambers must first meet criteria. The films must have received critical acclaim from American critics, have won awards in international festivals, and have attracted public interest, Bayer said. An international film does not have to be foreign, but it has achieved worldwide recognition.

Some international films that will show on campus in the near future come from Western Europe. For example, Italy's highly acclaimed "Icicle Thief" and the Dutch film "Vincent and Theo" will play on campus in the next few weeks. Also included this semester are Louis Malle's "May Fools," Clint Eastwood's "White Hunter, Black Heart," Franco Zeffirelli's "Hamlet," Finland's "Leningrad Cowboys Go America," and Michael Verhoeven's "The Nasty Girl."

International films are also offered in some classes at the university. Mary Ann Lyman-Hager, professor of French, said she likes to show films that offer different perspectives in her classes. They have been received with "good success," she said.

Once a year, GSA offers the International Film Festival, which is a weekend of free movies. This April, the series will focus on children and growing up.