Pupils focus on film in magnifique effort
Top French award
Doune Primary pupils declared ‘Vive la France’ after winning a prestigious national competition which celebrates the French language.
The school took top spot in the Primary 5-7 category of Le concours de la francophonie, a student-led competition designed to value creativity in French.
Learners are invited to film a short piece, dialogue, song, play, report or any other production in French.
The pupils’ decision to transpose the original film Le Ballon Rouge, about the adventures of a young boy who finds a red balloon, from its original setting in Paris to their local environment of Doune helped wow the judges and land them the top prize.
Using screen shots as a stimulus, the pupils created an alternative version of some of their favourite scenes, and used their knowledge of French to devise a script made up of their own dialogue.
The competition was launched by the Institut français d’Écosse, the official agency of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, which is dedicated to the promotion of French language and culture in Scotland.
As a prize, the pupils will receive a French immersion day at their school which will take place on Friday March 23.
Doune Primary Headteacher Lyndsay Macnair said: “The pupils deserve immense credit for the creativity they showed in devising their film. This was a fantastic learning experience for them. .”
Stirling Council education convenor Councillor Susan McGill praised the youngsters on their “fantastic achievement” and added: “Learning a second language has many positive benefits”
Tory councillor Jeremy McDonald added: “C’est vraiment magnifique! Well done to all the pupils at staff at Doune.”