Pot Luck (L'Auberge Espagnole)

List of Characters

Xavier

Martine (his girlfriend)

Xavier's father

The father's friend

Xavier's mother

In Barcelona:

Anne-Sophie

Jean-Michel (her husband)

At the flat in Barcelona:
Wendy (British girl)

Soledad (Spanish girl)

Alessandro (Italian, wears glasses)

Tobias  (German, small and dark-haired)

Lars (Danish)

Isabelle  (Belgian girl, moves in later)

William (Wendy's brother, comes to visit his sister)

Before seeing the film:

Who was Erasmus? (Internet search)

What exactly is the Erasmus programme? (Internet search)

Look up the expression "pot luck". What does it mean?

Look up the expression "auberge espagnole". What does it mean?

Questions for discussion:

What are Xavier's reasons for going away to study in Barcelona?

Discuss the women in Xavier's life and the role they play in his development (his mother, Martine, Anne-Sophie, Isabelle…)

Why does his relationship with Martine break up?

What do you think Xavier had learnt from his stay in Barcelona? Has he developed personally?

Comment on the scene where he says goodbye to his friends in Barcelona.

Discuss Xavier's choice at the end of the film.

How do the young people in the flat get on with each other? What problems crop up because of their sharing a flat?

How do they communicate?

What language problems do we hear about?

What individual problems do they have? Are they able to help each other?

What is the function of William in the film?

Do you think these young people will always remain friends and stay in contact?

Discuss the English (and the French) title of the film.

What does the film say about European identity/identities?

Has studying abroad become an essential part of modern education? Discuss.

Creative task

Design the cover of the book Xavier ends up writing about his stay in Barcelona. (drawing, painting, collage, photoshop product etc.)