French teachers plan to use de Gaulle and Odyssey films in classrooms

As the school year approaches in France, educators are preparing to integrate two popular films, "The Battle of de Gaulle" and "The Odyssey," into their history and literature curricula. Teachers believe the films offer a fresh perspective on historical figures and events, making them more engaging for students.

Joelle Alazard, president of the Association of History and Geography Teachers, anticipates widespread use of the films. She highlights "The Battle of de Gaulle" as a tool to "give flesh to the monument of de Gaulle," a figure studied in middle school and beyond. The film helps explain the context of June 1940 and the courage of early Resistance fighters, she noted.

Other educators plan to use targeted excerpts from the films. Ludovic Chevassus, a history and geography teacher, intends to study specific scenes from "The Battle of de Gaulle" to encourage critical analysis, particularly regarding its heroic portrayal. He plans to discuss the reality that active Resistance members represented only 2-3% of the population, emphasizing the difference between historical events and their cinematic representation.

Teachers also appreciate that "The Battle of de Gaulle" covers lesser-taught events like the Mers-el-Kébir attack and the rallying of African colonies. Complementing these films, educational kits developed in collaboration with the film's producer, Pathé, are available. These kits, designed by history teacher Natacha Zeiger, offer a thematic approach to complement the films' chronological narrative, which is considered very understandable for students.