The Penn State community has the opportunity to experience the richness and dynamic art of French filmmakers through a three-part French film series, "Recent Films from France and the France and the Francophone World," offered by Penn State's department of French.

Becky Bressler, administrative assistant in the French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese departments, who organized the event with department head Thomas Hale and professor of French Allan Stoekl, said this is the seventh semester the film series has been offered.

The films include Claude Chabrol's 2003 film La Fleur du mal (The Flower of Evil), Denys Arcand's 2003 film Les Invasions barbares (The Barbarian Invasions) and Jacques Sarasin's 2001 film Je Chanterai pour toi (I'll Sing for You) and will be shown over the next three months.

Hale said each film is chosen carefully based on reviews. He said that each film has a distinct plot line and has won multiple awards throughout France and Europe.

Characteristically vibrant and original, French films are different from American blockbusters, Hale said.

"There's an imagination and originality to French films," Hale said.

The French have a different system of filmmaking that provides the director with more flexibility to experiment with their films. Consequently, the French audience has a higher standard than American audiences.

"There's an intelligence and a different sensibility of work in the minds of directors in French film, a more sophisticated sensibility," Hale said.

Bressler said that because of the nature of the films, there is a great community response to the series.

"The films are well attended by all members of the community, not just French-speaking students or faculty," Bressler said. "We also have a number of supporters both inside and outside of the university who make this event possible."

All films are shown in 35 mm format with English subtitles on Thursday evenings at 6:30 and 9 p.m. in 113 Carnegie.

"In France the movie-going audience expects greater variety and originality in their films," Hale said. "This is something that the American audience should be conditioned to expect."