Que savez-vous de l'histoire du cinéma français?

Given that this is an oral question, there isn't time to prepare in the exam itself. However, these questions follow certain formats which, when learned, make it much more manageable. The first thing to observe is the beginning of the question, asking what you know. This means the response needs to contain real examples like: names, dates and techniques. It's like presenting your knowledge quantitatively. Equally, were this a question about immigration for example, having names, dates and numbers are vital to the response.It's worth learning a few examples which can then be manipulated to suit the question, whilst also remaining relevant to the answer. For example, knowing about the Nouvelle Vague. Whether it's a question on the history or influence of French cinema, it's useful. Additionally, it's important to have a few of examples of modern French films, like Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis, or Les Intouchables.When it comes to actually answering this question, it's perhaps to follow the rule of three with regards to the number of examples you use. With this question, an answer might mention the Lumière Brothers and the genesis of cinema, then onto the Nouvelle Vague and then one of the contemporary films. When actually talking about each point, keep it compact. Talk about the key idea, any technical vocabulary associated (if applicable) and then how that leads onto the next point. For example, aspects of Nouvelle Vague technique can be seen in Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis in it's depiction of "real" people and use of the streets as a set.It's also important to remember to ask the examiner questions in this part of the exam. Obviously this will change based on the question, but asking about their opinions or experiences of the topic is a reliable format. For example: 'Préférez-vous les films français contemporains ou anciens?'