Clinton Community College The Pays du Nord Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French The Center for Diversity, Pluralism, and Inclusion of SUNY Plattsburgh The Northern New York Canadian American Genealogy Society and Saint Peter’s Church Proudly announce a screening and discussion of the film Réveil-Waking Up French With its author Ben Levine Réveil-Waking Up French: The Repression and Renaissance of the French in New England is a powerful documentary film that explores the struggle for cultural survival among the French- Canadian, Franco-American communities of New England. The film traces the French heritage beginning with immigration from the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Acadia through persecution by Ku Klux Klan and language loss, to cultural renaissance and heritage preservation. Through their determined loyalty to the French Catholic faith, language and cultural values, the French of New England continue to discover new ways of renewal and cultural diversity through heritage language reacquisition. Réveil-Waking Up French is relevant to everyone. As the melting pot attitude and globalization threatens diversity and the heritage of so many cultures, Réveil explores the struggle for cultural survival in the very heart of American monoculture. It reveals the importance of history and heritage understanding and demonstrates how languages can be reacquired for personal and community renewal that is truly inspiring.

“You’re telling the story of your language! It’s positive, powerful, and empowering; it incorporates a heritage and a huge amount of identity that is attached to the language” National Public Radio, “All things Considered”

“…reconnect with a very deep place within.” Boston Globe

Audience Response:

“Everyone needs to see this to become aware of the damage done by the sense of loss of giving up cultural heritage and not honoring all cultures and individuals. “

“I cried most of the way through the film. It’s not just a language that’s being lost, it’s a profoundly deeper way of being who we are.”

“An awesome emotional movie and I’m a Slovak from Cleveland, Ohio.”

“Give it the widest distribution possible. It will affect all races.”

“Awestruck. I never knew the story, the history, the depth of our culture and people.’

“I’m not French, I’m Irish. I found your wonderful film extremely motivational to track my own roots and share my heritage with my family.”

The film will be shown on Thursday, April 26, 2007 at 7: 30 P.M. in the Stafford Center for the Arts at Clinton Community College, 136 Clinton Point Drive Plattsburgh, NY

For further information contact: David Graham Phone: (518) 563-1779 President, Pays du Nord Chapter E-mail: [email protected] American Association of Teachers of French [email protected]