Today, the dissertation on classical works is a new exercise in the spotlight in the French baccalaureate. To pass this decisive exam, it is then necessary to be well prepared. What could be better than watching some classics adapted to the cinema to update? If you want to be one of the winners of the French baccalaureate, here are three films that you must absolutely see.
Manon Lescaut by Gabriel Aghion
If you are preparing your French baccalaureate in 2023, a tip: watch the film Manon Lescaut by Gabriel Aghion. Indeed, this TV movie is an adaptation of the work of the same name by Abbé Prévost, which entered the French baccalaureate program this year, and which could therefore be the subject of a dissertation on work as early as 2023. Gabriel Aghion's film is a must to better understand the love passion that devours the Chevalier Des Grieux and will lead to his downfall. However, do not forget that a director allows himself liberties with respect to the original work. To ensure your success, remember to first read Father Prévost's novel and consult educational resources, such as this reading sheet by Manon Lescaut that will provide you with solid keys to analyze the work. For example, the deportation of Manon to Louisiana does not appear in Gabriel Aghion's television adaptation, although it is a key episode at the end of Abbé Prévost's novel. On the other hand, you will find in the film the sets, the period costumes and the staging of the devouring passion that pushes the young Des Grieux to theft, cheating and murder for the libertine Manon, in love with luxury and pleasures
Since Abbé Prévost's book is newly included in the program, the availability of this film is a boon to better assimilate the themes developed in the work. So, whether you are a high school student or a college student, watching Gabriel Aghion's film is a good way to prepare for your dissertation test for the French baccalaureate.
Just the End of the World by Xavier Dolan
Apart from Manon Lescaut d'Aghion, you can also watch Just the End of the World by Xavier Dolan . You will have the opportunity to better understand the play of the playwright Jean-Luc Lagarce, also on the French baccalaureate program.
The film (and the play) tell the story of the return to the family home of Louis, 34, who came to announce to his family his imminent death. But tensions and conflicts take over. Family resentments resurface and make dialogue impossible. Louis will eventually leave, without having revealed his secret.
Xavier Dolan's film adaptation restores the heaviness of these tense family relationships, but also the tragic irony that emerges in the work. Gaspard Ulliel, in the role of Louis, is touching in truth and suffering. Vincent Cassel, in the role of Brother Antoine, also restores the brutality, jealousy and misunderstanding that poisons these siblings. This Canadian film is an essential educational tool if you are considering the dissertation on the work of Jean-Luc Lagarce because it will allow you to acquire a new approach to the study of literary work. Using cinema to complete your general knowledge will help you to treat the essay test well and avoid an off-topic.
The Lost Illusions by Xavier Giannolo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umiWu_sjRhg
To pass your baccalaureate exam brilliantly, in addition to the two films mentioned above, you can watch Xavier Giannolo's The Lost Illusions, adapted from Honoré de Balzac's masterpiece. It is a dazzling adaptation of the second part of Balzac's novel starring Benjamin Voisin as Lucien de Rubempré, a young provincial poet who goes to Paris hoping to satisfy his dreams of literary glory. This learning novel is adapted into a fast-paced film that offers a sharp critique of the world of the press. Vincent Lacoste, awarded at the 2022 Césars for best supporting role, plays Etienne Lousteau, an unscrupulous journalist and writer who introduces young Lucien to a Parisian life full of artifice.
With regard to the new evaluation provision for the baccalaureate exam, the dissertation now focuses on an integral work but must be enriched with references to related works. Xavier Giannoli's Lost Illusions allows you to dive into the work of the famous writer Balzac, and to enrich your essays with references that will be noticed.
Ultimately, to succeed in the dissertation at the baccalaureate, adaptations of classic literary works are of great help. These allow you to enrich your examples, and to compare several works, in accordance with the new exam requirements. Thanks to the film screenings presented above, you will combine pleasure and study, to enrich your literary culture.
