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A guide to Boston’s Franco-filled July – Metro US

A guide to Boston’s Franco-filled July

A guide to Boston’s Franco-filled July
Provided

Whether it’s the language, food, or culture, there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about French culture that draws us. This month, experience the culture and traditions of a global French community right here in Boston!

Bastille Day Party

It’s not déjà-vu. There’s another Independence Day celebration this month: France’s Bastille Day! Celebrate the storming of the Bastille with the French Cultural Center, where the tastes and sounds of the nation take the lead at their annual Back Bay block party. Guests are invited to nosh on savory and sweet bites from Bar Boulud, Teranga and Mr. Crêpe, while Haitian artist Emeline Michel and American-Parisian duo GINKGOA get the party moving with live performances. Crafts, games and face painting for kids will also be offered from 6-8 p.m. According to the Cultural Center’s executive director Catheline van den Branden, the annual event is about having a good time and bringing together the “vibrant Francophone and Francophile community in Boston.”

Marlborough Street (between Berkeley and Clarendon), Friday, July 15, 2016 at 6pm – 11pm, tickets: $28-$35 (view website for VIP reception tickets)

Museum of Fine Arts Boston’s21st Annual Boston French Film Festival

You don’t have to be a film buff to appreciate the films of France. Carter Long, the Katharine Stone White Curator of Film and Video of the MFA, believes that French films “speak to a number of different cultures and experiences” around the world and in the US. Some major themes from the curated program look at the immigration, right wing politics, and the middle class issues we see in the news daily. The museum’s annualfilm festival runs through July 24, presenting a myriad of films, butLong recommends checking out “Measure of a Man,” a drama about the struggles of the middle class. He adds, “[The film is] beautiful, well-paced, really emotionally affecting, but also very funny.”

465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, ThroughJuly 24, tickets: $9-$11 per film or $80-$190 for multiple films

Dîner en Blanc

What started as one Frenchman having a classy picnic with his friends in 1988, Dîner en Blanc (“Dinner in White”) has expanded to pop-up events all over the world, featuring white attire and fine foods. While the many rules and traditions tie dîners around the world together, the secret location makes each one unique and exciting. “Not knowing whether you’re going to be in the water or on a park, under a terrace, on an airport hanger —I think that’s what keeps people intrigued and coming back for more,” says Bryer Davis, this year’s co-host. Last year, 1,500 Bostonians came together and dined in City Hall Plaza — still looking fabulous even in the rain. The wait list is already double what it was last year, but it only takes going once to be invited again! Bonne chance!

Location TBD, July 30, tickets: $37 + $8 membership if you’re not a member already