• Boarding Gate (2007; 106 min.) Directed by Olivier Assayas; with Asia Argento, Michael Madsen, Kelly Lin. A sexy woman becomes entangled in an industrial conspiracy involving her former lover. In English. March 8 at 9:00 pm; March 12 at 8:00 pm.

• A Girl Cut In Two / La Fille coupée en deux (2007; 115 min.). Directed by Claude Chabrol; with Ludivine Sagnier and Benoît Magimel. A darkly comic and provocative thriller about a young woman being courted by two men. March 23 at 3:00 pm; March 25 at 6:00 pm.

• Lagerfield Confidential (2007; 89 min.). A flashy documentary by Rodolphe Marconi about the iconoclastic fashion designer. March 29 at 7:00 pm; April 1^st at 6:00 pm.

• Priceless / Hors de prix (2006; 104 min.). Directed by Pierre Salvadori; starring Audrey Tautout and Gad Elmaleh. A Riviera gold digger seduces a smitten hotel valet then teaches him the subtle art of high class male prostitution. March 9 at 3:00 pm.

• Crossed Tracks / Roman de gare (2007; 103 min.). Directed by Claude Lelouch; starring Fanny Ardant and Dominique Pinon. In this freewheeling romantic thriller, a best-selling novelist is questioned in the mysterious disappearance of her ghostwriter, while elsewhere a serial killer is on the loose. March 16 at 3:00 pm.

• Tell no one / Ne le dis à personne (2006; 125 min.). Directed by Guillaume Canet; starring François Cluzet, Kristin Scott Thomas, Nathalie Baye and Jean Rochefort. A high octane thriller with heart, winner of four césar awards, in which a doctor receives a cautionary phone call from his wife eight years after her brutal murder. March 15 at 9:00 pm; March 18 at 6:00 pm.

• Arabian Nights / Nuits d'Arabie (2007; Luxembourg / Belgium / Austria; 123 min.). Directed by Paul Kieffer; starring Jules Werner and Sabrina Puazani. A European train conductor pursues a young Arab woman in danger all the way from Luxembourg to Algeria, infatuated with both the woman and the newly found sense of adventure he experiences. March 30 at 5:00 pm; April 2 at 6:00 pm.

• Mr. Freedom (1969; 95 min.). Directed by William Klein; starring Delphine Seyrig and John Abbey, Serge Gainsbourg and Philippe Noiret. The most anti-American movie ever made, according to one film critic… March 26 at 6:00 pm.

• Black Girl (1966; Senegal; 65 min.). Directed by Ousmane Sembene; with Mbissine Thérèse Diop. A scathing treatment of the myth of decolonization, widely considered the founding work of African cinema. March 5 at 6:00 pm.

The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint Exupéry's beloved classic is presented by Open Door Repertory at Hatch Autitorium, 1000 N. Ridgeland, Oak Park. Tel: 708-802-1723. www.opendoorrep.org - March 7-16.

Carmen. The beloved opera by Georges Bizet is performed by Chamber Opera Chicago. This is a new condensed adaptation, sung in English, with orchestra, children's chorus and Spanish dancers. Conducted by Victoria Bond. March 28 at 7:30 pm; March 30 at 3:00 pm.
At the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. www.chamberoperachicago.org
Info: 312-951-7944. - Tickets: www.tickemaster.com or 312-902-1500.

• Fluokids DJ's (electronica). March 4 at the Funky Buddha Lounge, 728 W. Grand Ave. www.funkybuddha.com; Tel: 312-666-1695.

• Cheveu (rock). March 7 at Cobra's. www.cobralounge.com; March 11 at Ave-Aerie, 2000 W Fulton. Tel
  312.342.6280. http://av-aerie.org/

• Digitalism. March 18 at Subterranean. www.thedigitalism.com

• Adam Kesher (rock). March 18 at Funky Buddha Lounge, 728 W. Grand Ave. www.funkybuddha.com; Tel: 312-666-1695.

• Guns and Bombs (rock). March 18 at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave. Tel: 773-278-6600; www.subt.net

• Pink Martini (jazz). March 16 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State Street. www.pinkmartini.com www.thechicagotheatre.com

• Justice (electronica) (http://www.myspace.com/etjusticepourtous) and Fancy (electronica). March 20 at the Riviera. 4746 N. Racine Ave. www.jamusa.com/Venues/Riviera/

• Turzi (electronica). March 28 at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia. Tel: 773-227-4433. www.hideoutchicago.com http://www.myspace.com/turzi

Herbert Tilly. This young French photographer debuts his delicate minimalistic black and white work in Chicago as part of a group show at FlatFile Galleries. Through April 11. FlatFile Galleries, 217 North Carpenter. Tel: 312-491-1190. www.flatfilegalleries.com Artist info: http://herbert.tilly.neoimages.net

Looking and Listening in 19th Century France." Prints, paintings, drawings, sculptures and music from 19^th century France. Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood. Tel: 773-702-0200. www.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu - Through March 23.

"La France actuelle, Les racines de l’anti-américanisme en France." Lecture by Michael Loriaux, professor of political science at Northwestern University. Presented by the Alliance Française of the North Shore. March 17 at 1:00 pm at the Wilmette Public Library Auditorium. http://alliancefn.wlkcommunity.com ; alliancefn@yahoo.com.

Please see "Special Events" for a listing of lectures taking place as part of the Festival de la Francophonie at the Alliance Française of Chicago.

"Vwa Lakay: The Voice from Home." Frantz Rémy, Patrick Augustin and other Haitians present music, news, and culture from the diaspora as well as the motherland, in Creole and French. Fridays from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on WHPK 88.5 FM.

"The Old Songs" Traditional and folk music from North America, the British Isles and France. Mondays 4:00 – 5 :00 p.m. on WHPK 88.5 FM.

TV5, The International Channel: programs in French from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Africa and Canada. Around the clock throughout the United States. Now available on TV via satellite. Information: 1-888-902-5322 or 303-267-5801. http://www.tv5.org or http://www.internationalnetworks.com/

Le Journal de 20h de France 2 (in French with English Subtitles):

• Monday through Friday from 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on RCN, channel 65 on Chicago Cable.

• Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. on COMCAST channel 240 on Chicago Cable.

Radio France International: http://www.rfi.fr For information on Francophone music, visit RFI Musique at http://www.rfimusique.com

Alliance Française of Chicago: please visit the website for detailed information on the monthly discussion groups Café Conversation, Café Littérature, Café Poésie, Café Théâtre, French Blues Café and Café Philosophie: www.af-chicago.org

Wednesdays from 6:15 to 10:00 p.m. Informal gathering of Francophiles and Francophones at Portillo restaurant, 100 W. Ontario. Information at 312-255-0567.

Groupe Professionnel Francophone. Francophones from various professions meet for cocktails, French conversation and networking in French. Great Street Restaurant, Renaissance Hotel, 1 W. Wacker Drive. The last Thursday of every month, starting at 5:30 pm www.gpfchicago.org; Tel: 773.525.5776.

Alliance Française of the North Shore. Two café conversation groups monthly and occasional lectures. Visit their website for details: http://alliancefn.wlkcommunity.com

Alliance Française of DuPage County. Please visit www.afdupage.com for a listing of conversation groups, outings, lectures and other social activities in French.

 "Les Bavards," a monthly francophone dinner and converstation group in DesPlaines. Information: lesbavards@yahoo.com or http://lesbavardsfrancophones.blogspot.com/
Tel: 847-698-7436.

"Les Bavards du Nord,” a monthly francophone lunch and conversation group in Buffalo Grove. http://lesbavardsfrancophones.blogspot.com/ or lesbavardsdunord@yahoo.com Tel: 847-921-7864.

L'Institut Francophone. Weekly francophone gathering, every Monday at Latitude, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue, from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Contact groupe.de.lundi@gmail.com to be on the mailing list.

For a list of activities organized by l'UFEC, (l'Union des Français à l'Etranger de Chicago) please visit their website at www.ufec.org