EF - Live the Language - Paris
Directed by Gustav Johansson, 2011
This video is actually an advertisement for EF International Language Centers, but to me it plays out like a short film. All of the EF videos play out in the same way, as they all follow a student who is immersing themselves in an EF language program somewhere in the world. In this video, we follow a young girl as she navigates through Paris, on the subway, through the market, tries traditional French cuisine, gets lost, and all the while learning the French language. The fact that we see a character from the beginning of her journey, a little unsure of her surroundings, to the point where she's become comfortable in this new setting makes the video a short film to me. I think for anything to be considered a film it has to have a narrative arc, and this little film does.
What makes this film different from other "fish out of water"-type films is the quality of the images and the titles and fonts the director used. The titles are clearly there to advertise the language-learning aspect of the program, but I think they add a quirky element to the film, as if the audience is learning the language with the girl.
I highly recommend that everyone check out the Vimeo page for EF - Live the Language; they have several beautiful videos shot in Barcelona, London, Los Angeles, Sydney and Vancouver.
2 comments:
I agree this has a useful, relatable narrative arc. The girl, her journey, the imagery, the tone, setting, it all gives the piece a voice. Additionally, it's beautifully shot. The author did a great job with making the girl someone that viewers can empathize with.
I love that this film speaks through unconnected words, and not dialogue. Not only are we experiencing this girl's journey abroad, we are trying to figure out her surroundings with her. We learn the words and pronunciation for foods and direction. It is truly an adventure through language.
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