Classic French Novel Becomes New TV Mini-Series
Listen to the story
France Télévisions is turning the classic French novel "Le Rouge et le Noir" into a new mini-series. The story is one of the most famous books in French literature.
The adaptation stars two well-known actors, Victor Belmondo and Virginie Ledoyen, who will take the lead roles in the production.
Behind the scenes, filming took place in Bailleul, where a local man named David Verwaerde was involved in the production of the series.
There is good news for viewers who cannot wait to watch. The mini-series will be released before its official television broadcast, and it will be available for free on france.tv, a streaming platform run by France Télévisions.
This early, free release means fans of the novel will have a chance to watch the adaptation online before it appears on regular television.
Vocabulary10 words
- mini-series
- a short TV show made of a few episodes
- adaptation
- a new film or show based on a book
- broadcast
- to send a program out on TV
- streaming
- watching video content over the internet
- literature
- books that are seen as important art
- production
- the process of making a film or show
- lead roles
- the main characters played by actors
- behind the scenes
- work done that people do not usually see
- platform
- a website or service used for one purpose
- release
- to make something available to the public
Quiz
Answer key
1. A classic French novel 2. Victor Belmondo and Virginie Ledoyen 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
France Télévisions is turning the classic French novel "Le Rouge et le Noir" into a new _____. The story is one of the most famous books in French _____.
The _____ stars two well-known actors, Victor Belmondo and Virginie Ledoyen, who will take the _____ in the production.
Behind the scenes, filming took place in Bailleul, where a local man named David Verwaerde was involved in the _____ of the series.
There is good news for viewers who cannot wait to watch. The mini-series will be released before its official television _____, and it will be available for free on france.tv, a _____ platform run by France Télévisions.
This early, free _____ means fans of the novel will have a chance to watch the adaptation online before it appears on regular television.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever read "Le Rouge et le Noir" or heard of it before?
- Why do you think TV channels often turn famous novels into series or films?
- Would you rather watch a show online for free before its TV release, or wait and watch it on television?
- Do you think adaptations of classic books are usually as good as the original novels? Why or why not?