French at Leeds

04/03/2026

https://hpph.co.uk/films/my-night-with-maud?utm_campaign=2236282_HPPH%20-%20Weekly%20Listings%20-%20060326&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Hyde%20Park%20Picture%20House%20%28Leeds%20Grand%20Theatre%20%26%20Opera%20Hour%20Ltd%29&dm_i=6024,1BXIY,5FH5CC,686KX,1,0,0,0

The film that propelled legendary French New Wave director Éric Rohmer to international acclaim, his Oscar-nominated My Night with Maud returns to HPPH this spring, as part of our Philosophy & Film and reRUN strands.

07/11/2025

Congratulations to Nigel Saint on this latest publication:

Psychopathologies of the Living makes the work of the French psychoanalyst Pierre Fédida (1934–2002) available in English for the first time. Patrick ffrench and Nigel Saint present key essays selected from Fédida’s extensive oeuvre. The book directs attention to two salient dimensions of Féd...

22/10/2025

See information about this year's ASMCF essay prize winners below. Leeds graduate Sophie Starsmore wins first prize out of 13 high-quality submissions !

ASMCF Undergraduate Prize Winners 2025

15/10/2025

This award-winning French language film is showing now in Hyde Park Cinema in Headingley

Abou Sangaré is magnificent in a story that shines light on the enforced invisibility of economic migrants

04/09/2025

Congratulations to finalist Sophie Starsmore who is the winning entry for this year's ASMCF essay prize (Brian Darling Memorial Essay Prize Competition)!!

Her essay for the module FREN3865 (Paris in Revolt) was titled ‘Dans quelle mesure les feministes du MLF etaient-elles ‘les filles de mai ‘68’ (Lisa Greenwald)? Expliquez et commentez.’

The panel noted that:

"This essay was engaging, well researched and very enjoyable to read. It provides a helpful overview of the argument at the outset, before offering a well substantiated and, in places helpfully nuanced, discussion of the issues leading to the creation of the MLF. The movement is neatly situated in its historical context, with a detailed appreciation of the socio-cultural complexities surrounding it."

Brilliant news for Sophie and for French at Leeds!

30/05/2025

We said goodbye today to Arthur and F***y, our wonderful lecteur and lectrice. Thanks for everything you have done for the students and best wishes for the future. We look forward to seeing you back in Leeds again one day!

06/05/2025

Congratulations to John Sagar, who taught his final class today - FREN3010 - after more than 50 years of teaching, starting as a lecteur in Montpellier in 1972. We'll miss him very much (although he'll be back for final-year orals next week). Happy retirement, John!

22/01/2025

Congratulations to Dr Isla Paterson, who was awarded their PhD today. Isla's thesis was entitled 'Becoming a (trans)national celebrity writer? Negotiating proximity and distance/(dis)location in the nonfictional work of Leïla Slimani between 2017 and 2021'. It was supervised by Andy Stafford and Jim House. Chapeau!

03/01/2025

Congratulations, Matilda Lailey! I am very happy to share the news that a recent Leeds BA graduate - whom I happily supervised - has had her undergraduate Final-Year Project published in "L10N Journal", a double-blind peer-reviewed journal exploring the relationships between technology and translation. That is a stunning achievement. You can read her work, here:

13/12/2024

Congratulations to Dr Elizabeth Purdy, who graduated yesterday. Liz's PhD thesis was entitled 'Towards a Secular Theory
of the End: A structural study of the endings of novels in French and English from 1700 to the present.' Chapeau!

10/12/2024

French at Leeds team enjoy their Christmas meal at Santorini. Some also marked the occasion afterwards with some Fine Calvados. Hang on? Isn't this what happened last year?!! 🎄