French Seminar on ‘Intouchables’

On Thursday 7th October, French students from Year 10 – Upper Sixth had the opportunity to attend an online seminar led by Professor Ginette Vincendeau at Kings College London. In this lecture, Vincendeau discussed the film ‘Intouchables’ which follows the story of a wealthy quadriplegic man and his unlikely friendship with his carer Driss, a young man from the suburbs. The lecture was divided into three parts: ‘Intouchables’ as a comedy, the representation of class and race, and Omar Sy as a star. Ginette Vincendeau’s examination of traditional French comedies and how ‘Intouchables’ both conformed and differed from them gave me more insight into French cinema and what makes it so successful. However, I found her analysis of race and class within the film the most fascinating. In the seminar, Vincendeau analysed whether race or class disparities were more evident in the film and it was interesting to examine the stereotypes presented and whether they were purposeful or hindered the message of the film. I also enjoyed the discussion surrounding the minimal representation of women in the film and whether the film would be different if it were made in 2021 instead of 2011. Overall, the seminar was an insightful look into French cinema and the role of race and class in modern French society, a very relevant topic for my French A-Level studies.

Katie S, Upper Sixth