6 series to learn French and Italian

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It may be that you don’t know yet, but one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to practice a new language is by watching films and series, but don’t worry, we’re not talking about your comfort series, to train in that language you need to seek out multimedia resources produced in the language you wish to become fluent in.

If you are learning French or Italian, we’ve selected our favorite series in those languages to watch and binge while studying.

In French

Ten Percent

In Dix Pour Cent, Andrea (Camille Cottin), Mathias (Thibault de Montalembert), Gabriel (Grégory Montel) and Arlette (Liliane Rovère), employees of the ASK talent agency, deal daily with complicated situations and defend their vision of the business.

They skillfully combine art and business, but their private and professional lives sometimes come into conflict. While struggling to save the office, shaken by the sudden death of its founder, the four agents must survive the wild world of celebrities, where laughter, emotions, transgressions and tears constantly collide.

Lupin

Based on Maurice Leblanc’s detective novels, Lupin follows Assane Diop (Omar Sy), a man who, 25 years ago, saw his life turn upside down with the death of his father, who had been unjustly accused of a crime.

Now, he is seeking revenge and, to do so, is inspired by Arsène Lupin, the famous “gentleman thief” of French literature. Known as the “Robin Hood of the Belle Époque”, Lupin became a criminal mastermind in early 20th-century Paris—and Diop will follow in his footsteps in the present day.

The Charity Bazaar

Paris, 1897. In the midst of the Belle Époque, Paris is a bustling city and all of high society is supporting the Charity Bazaar sale, the annual event held in a large venue constructed entirely of wood.

Suddenly, a fire spreads throughout the building and kills more than 130 people, most of them women. A naive young aristocrat, Alice de Jeansin (Camille Lou), discovers the harsh realities of her new social status.

In Italian

Lunch on Ferragosto

Giovanni (Gianni Di Gregorio) is a middle-aged man who lives with his widowed mother (Valeria de Franciscis) and faces financial difficulties.

Knowing of his difficult situation, Luigi (Alfonso Santagata), the landlord of the apartment they live in, makes a proposal: that Giovanni accommodate his mother and his aunt Maria (Maria Cali) during the August 15th holiday in exchange for a reduction in overdue rent.

With no alternative, he accepts. Soon, Giovanni is reluctantly forced to take on the role of babysitter for the women housed in his home.

Generation 56k

Geração 30 e Poucos follows Daniel (Angelo Spagnoletti), Luca (Gianluca Colucci) and Sandro (Fabio Balsamo), who spend their adolescence together in 1998 on a remote Italian island when, suddenly, the internet arrives and changes the world.

The lives of these young men also change abruptly: they discover they can make money by downloading and selling pornography. About 20 years later, the trio is still earning online by running a dating app to meet their clients’ sexual needs.

As a user of his own platform, Daniel meets a woman named Matilda (Cristina Cappelli), with whom he immediately feels a deep connection. It takes them a while to realize they already know each other. After all, Daniel and Matilda dated in their youth, but back then their paths drifted apart. Is there a second chance for their love now?

My Brilliant Friend

Based on Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, L’amica geniale is narrated by Elena Greco, an author who decides to write her childhood memoirs after receiving a phone call about the disappearance of her former best friend.

She was in first grade when she met Lila, a bright and astute child. The two quickly develop a friendship grounded in competition; however, Elena is fascinated by how easily Lila learns things beyond her ability.

Living in a poor and violent neighborhood, no one expects the girls to go much further than elementary school. They eventually follow different paths after Elena’s parents support her, albeit reluctantly, in continuing her education—unlike Lila. Lila must face a different reality, and over the years we follow the friendship and rivalry between the two into adulthood.