Keep Trying Y'all

when the sun comes streaming in, you’ll reach up and you’ll rise again

the Triplets of Belleville is about an elderly woman searching for her son who was kidnapped in the middle of a Tour de France race. It’s largely free of dialogue, but the sound effects and such are wonderful. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature—it lost to Finding Nemo.

A Cat in Paris is about a young girl and her cat who discover mysteries in the course of one night. It was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, but it lost to Rango.

Persepolis is based on an autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi about her early life in Iran. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but it lost to Ratatouille.

the Illusionist is about an aging magician and an imaginative young girl who form a father/daughter relationship. It was also nominated for a Best Animation Oscar, but lost to Toy Story 3.

The Rabbi’s Cat is a story about a cat who swallows a parrot and gains the ability to speak like a human. It is set in 1920’s Algeria.

Ernest & Celestine is the adorable story about a big bear and a little mouse who forge an unlikely friendship. It was also nominated for an Oscar in Best Animated Picture, but lost to Frozen.

Kirikou and the Sorceress is a story inspired by West African folklore that tells the story of Kirikou, a boy who was born with the ability to walk and talk, who saves his people from an evil witch. The film was popular enough to spawn sequels and a stage adaptation.

A Monster in Paris is a 3D animated musical film that is reaaaaalllly loosely based on the Phantom of the Opera. It’s set in 1910 and is about, surprisingly, a monster that lives in Paris, and his love for a young singer.

The King and the Mockingbird is an 80’s film about a cruel king titled Charles V + III = VIII + VIII = XVI, who is obsessed with a young shepherdess, and whose attempts to capture the young girl are thwarted by a mockingbird whose wife the King had previously killed.  

Those are probably the most famous of the feature length animated films.

But the animated short films are just as glorious. Here’s a compilation of a bunch of short films and I can link you to others as well. 

“A château, flowering gardens, a threatening forest, here is what, for mysterious reasons, a Painter has left incomplete. Three kinds of characters live in this painting: the Toupins, who are entirely painted, the Pafinis, who lack a few colors, and the Reufs, who are only sketches. Considering themselves superior, the Toupins take over power, chase the Pafinis from the château, and enslave the Reufs. Convinced that only the Painter can restore harmony by finishing the painting, Ramo, Lola, and Plume decided to go looking for him. Throughout the adventure, questions will follow one after the other: What has become of the Painter? Why did he abandon them? Why did he begin destroying some of his paintings? Will they one day know the Painter’s secret?”

I would highly recommend Ernest & Celestine as the animation is beautiful, the characters are really moving and the story conveys a great message about love, friendship and oppression.

May I suggest Dragon Hunters for myself? This 2008 feature-length film is based on the 2004-2005 cartoon Chasseurs de dragons, by the same makers (available fully online, by the way). The music, by Klaus Badelt, is hypnotic. The world is beautiful and strange, the characters lovable… and the dragons, really good.

Princes et Princesses, by Michel Ocelot (who also created Kirikou et la Sorcière) which is one of my favorites; several fairy tales and futuristic short stories all in silhouettes

🌻 Describing People:

1. Physical appearance

aguichant- enticing, alluring avachi- limp, sloppy, baggy baraqué- well-built bizarre- strange boursouflé- bloated bronzé- tanned chétif,-ive- weak, sickly débraillé- untidy, sloppy dépenaillé- unkempt douteux, -euse- doubtful, dubious, questionable élancé- slim frêle- frail, fragile grand- tall grassouillet, ette- plump gros, grosse- fat hâlé- tanned insolite- unusual, quirky maigre- skinny mignon- nice, sweet mince- slender musclé - brawny, muscular nerveux- nervous, upset pâle- pale potelé- plump (like a baby) rabougri- wizened, shrivelled séduisant - attractive, charming, seductive

2. Character

abruti- idiotic acariâtre- sour, bad-tempered antipathique- unfriendly anodin- harmless astucieux, euse- clever, astute, shrewd atone- lifeless, expressionless avisé- sensible, wise borné- narrow-minded (“bornez-vous!” limit yourself) braillard- describes someone who complains a lot brave- good, honest, brave candide- naive, ingenuous, innocent, trusting casanier,-iere- homebody, home lover compassé- starchy, stiff compliqué- complicated; fussy (e.g. about food) compréhensif,-ive-  understanding dépravé- perverted dévoyé- perverted difficile- difficult distrait- absent-minded, distracted drôle- funny ennuyeux,-euse- boring évolué- broad-minded, independent, progressive exigeant- demanding extraverti- extrovert faiblard- weak, feeble fainéant- lazy, idle falot- dreary, bland farfelu- eccentric, bizarre franc- candid futé- cunning, smart guindé- stiff, awkward imprévisible- unforeseeable juste- fair lunatique- temperamental maladroit- clumsy mal commode- bad-tempered malicieux,-euse- mischievous, naughty malin- cunning malveillant- malicious, malevolent, spiteful maniaque- finicky, fussy marrant- funny; odd maussade- gloomy, sullen méchant- malicious, nasty méfiant- distrustful, suspicious méprisant- contemptuous, disdainful névrosé- neurotic perspicace- perceptive, insightful primesautier-iere- impulsive rébarbatif -ive- hostile, off-putting renfrogné- sullen replié sur soi-meme- introverted, withdrawn rusé- cunning sage - well-behaved, good saugrenu - absurd sensé- sensible sensible- sensitive sérieux,-euse- serious, responsible susceptible- touchy, sensitive, delicate sympathique- nice, friendly terre-á-terre- down-to-earth tordu- warped, twisted travailleur-euse- hard-working

3. Mood

accablé- distressed admiratif, -ive- admiring affolé- in a panic amer, -ere -bitter assoupi- drowsy béat- blissfully happy; smug, complacent cafardeux,-euse- in the dumps débordé (de travail)- snowed under (with work) décontracté- relaxed détendu- relaxed découragé- disheartened, discouraged dépité- vexed désemparé- distraught, at a loss effaré (de)- alarmed (at) énergique- energetic enthousiaste- enthusiastic gai- cheerful bien ententionné- well-intentioned lointain- distant mélancolique- gloomy navré- sorry, apologetic, upset paumé- lost, at sea ravi -delighted surpris- surprised tendu- tense vanné- exhausted vexé- annoyed

🌿 Describing ideas or events

1. Positive alléchant - tempting, mouth-watering attendrissant- touching bénéfique- beneficial commode- convenient cocasse- funny, comical conforme (á)- conforming (with) convenable- fitting, acceptable, respectable déroutant - disconcerting détaillé - comprehensive, detailed distinct - separate, distinct équitable - fair excellent - excellent, first-rate formidable - fantastic fulgurant - dazzling, thundery grave - serious honnête - decent hors pair - exceptional impeccable - great, without flaws important - important marrant - funny merveilleux - marvellous parfait - perfect passionnant - exciting percutant - powerful, striking, forceful primordial - of prime importance propice - favorable, suitable raisonnable - reasonable rarissime - extremely rare recherché - much sought-after, studied réconfortant - comforting réjouissant - delightful rentable - profitable, financially viable réussi - successful, well-done sagace - sagacious sage - wise sensationnel - sensational spontané - spontaneous subtil - subtle surprenant - surprising véridique - truthful

Shelter, you better keep the wolf back from the door He wanders ever closer every night And how he waits, baying for blood I promised you everything would be fine

Ie. Jack of all trades master of none->better than a master of one

Great minds think alike->but fools rarely differ

Over time the second half gets lost because it’s been passed down orally so some idioms meanings have been warped but that’s a different conversation (ie. “Blood is thicker than water” is actually “the blood of the convent is thicker than the water of the womb”)

Hi everyone, I’m back with another writing challenge for you! I tried my best, but please let me know if I had any repeats from last month. 

If you don’t know about this challenge: Want to maintain or improve your writing skills in your target language this summer? Try this 30-day writing challenge for June: Every day, answer the following prompts in your target language (in a personal journal or in a tumblr post). Good luck!

Translate the first few sentences of your favorite book into your language (make sure to include the author and title!!).

If you could live in any era (i.e. the roaring ‘20s), what would it be and why?

Write a summary of your favorite TV show or movie.

List 3-5 facts about your country (or your family’s country of origin).

What are 5-8 songs that would be on your summer playlist? Translate their titles into your target language.

Look up and list 3-5 slang terms in your language.

Describe your favorite summer outfit.

Name 3 things that have made you smile this week.

Write today’s to-do list in your target language.

How will you improve as a student next year?

What is one goal you hope to achieve by the end of this month?

Name a funny childhood memory.

Where is your favorite study space? Why?

Translate a few lines from a favorite song.

Give a basic physical description of yourself (if you are posting online, protect your own privacy - don’t list anything super specific!!).

Briefly describe some of your personality traits.

What’s one nice thing that you’ve done for someone else recently?

Why do you want to learn the language you are studying?

List 3 useful phrases in your language (such as “Where is the bathroom?” or “There is an emergency.” I feel like we never learn these things in class lol)

Name some terms and phrases that are specific to the career you are pursuing.

Describe your favorite scene from a book, show, or movie.

What would you do with $100? Why?

What’s one good thing about the world in this day and age? What’s one bad thing?

What are some things on your bucket list and why?

What is one thing (food, a scent, a stuffed animal, etc.) that is nostalgic/brings back memories? Why?

What is one thing that stresses you out, and what do you do to de-stress/avoid stress when you have to deal with that thing?

Write a short letter to your past self (maybe 5 years ago?).

What is your Myers-Briggs personality type? Describe it? Is it accurate?

What is one worry/problem you have right now, and what are you doing/going to do to fix it?

What is the nicest thing someone has said to you/about you?

Favorite memory from this month?