On Tuesday, March 10, the Consulate General of Canada in Miami and the Consulate General of France joined forces with the Quebec Delegation in Miami and more than thirty guests at O’Cinema in Miami Beach to celebrate Mois de la Francophonie as part of the Miami Francophone Shorts 2026. For the occasion, three French-language short films, subtitled in English, were screened. As a French-language media outlet, Le Soleil de la Floride had the privilege of being invited to this event, themed You don’t need to speak French to enjoy French-language films!
Messages from Diplomats
Before the screening of the three films began, diplomats from France, Quebec, and Canada addressed the audience. While, to quote Yves Duteuil regarding La langue de chez nous, “it is a beautiful language with superb words / that carries its history through its accents,” the Francophonie goes far beyond that. “The Francophonie is not just a language,” declared Raphaël Trapp, Consul General of France in Miami. “It is also the shared values we hold dear: values of solidarity, diversity, and the promotion of human rights,” the Consul explained. And it was precisely these ideas that the three films presented highlighted throughout the evening.
For Catherine Cano, Quebec’s Delegate in Miami, “it is truly a privilege to celebrate Francophone culture in all its diversity.” For someone who previously had the opportunity to work at the International Organization of La Francophonie, “when 80 Francophone countries come together (now 93), everyone speaks French using expressions and words with different meanings. It is an immeasurable richness.” Ms. Cano also noted that in Florida, in addition to the Quebec and French diaspora, there are also Haitians and Moroccans who contribute to this great solidarity and the sharing of Francophone values, which is expanding and also contributing to the economy.
It should also be noted that across Canada, there are also English-speaking Canadians who speak French. Linda Baltuonis Buaquina, Consul and Head of Political, Economic, and Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Canada in Miami, stated in French: “In Canada, we speak French, but also Franglais—that is, French and English mixed together,” hence the event’s theme You don’t need to speak French to enjoy French-language films! She then added in English: “We are delighted that you are here with us tonight to discover the French language and watch French-language films in our company.”
Films on the program
The three short films, all very different, were each deeply moving. If you haven’t seen them yet, we invite you to find them on your favorite streaming platforms. Here is a brief description of each one.
La vérité, directed by Malou Lévêque (2023, 22 min). Synopsis:
“Two teenagers walk toward the sea, their language laced with the mocking and aggressive tone of thwarted tenderness. But by sharing his secret with Dounia, Keny makes this afternoon different from all the others: it is the first meeting between two people who have known each other all their lives” (Unifrance).
In this short film, we quickly become attached to the characters as well as to the depth of the dialogue and the words. A film of sublime beauty.
Bonnarien, directed by Adèle Goliot (2023, 20 min). Synopsis: “Mauricette Bonnarien, twenty-seven years old, works as a dockworker at the port of Dégrad-des-Cannes, in French Guiana. The rest of the time, she devotes herself to slam poetry. Tormented by an inner conflict regarding her surname (“Bonne-à-rien”), imposed on her ancestor during the abolition of slavery, she fights to complete the process of changing her name. It is time to make her new surname heard by those around her.” (Unifrance)
A short film whose disarming poetry surprises us with every beat of its words, tones, and phrases.
Together in Harmony, directed by Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey (2009, 27 min). Synopsis: “This short documentary chronicles the participation of the Saint-Jean Choir of Edmonton in the festivities organized for the 400th anniversary of the city of Quebec. The film features interviews with conductor Laurier Fagnan, lyricist and composer France Levasseur-Ouimet, and others involved with this talented choir. Both moving and charming, it shows that French outside Quebec does not necessarily face a bleak future. Indeed, not only does Franco-Albertan culture survive, but it also enriches our country’s heritage.” (National Film Board of Canada)
A documentary that highlights Canada’s cultural richness thanks to the Francophone community that unites us from coast to coast.
