Department of Languages and Cultures

Event Time: Tuesday 10th November 18:30 - 20.00

This year’s Armistice lecture explores how soldiers from Britain, France, and the United States came to view each other amidst the ongoing fighting during the final year of the First World War.

Dr Chris Kempshall is the Historical Consultant for BlackMill Games, an Associate of the Imperial War Museum Institute, and a former President of the International Society for First World War Studies.

Timings of the event: Wednesday 4th November 2026 from 2:00pm

As part of the University of Reading’s Festival of Languages, we are delighted to offer the opportunity to join us for a walk exploring connections from Reading to Santiago by tracing St James’ Way and Spanish links in Reading.

20 available spaces, minimum age is 16.

Timings of the event: Thursday 5th November 19:00 - 21:00

The Department of Languages and Cultures at the University of Reading is delighted to present a free screening of ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (Spanish with English subtitles) as part of its inaugural Festival of Languages celebrating multilingualism in the community. 

The film is included in the A-level curriculum for Spanish.

The screening will include an introduction by Dr Marta Simo-Comas from the University of Reading's Department of Languages and Cultures and a Q&A session afterwards.

Description of the film:

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ is a multi award-winning fantasy film by director Guillermo del Toro.

In 1944 Falangist Spain, a girl, fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the centre of the labyrinth. He tells her she's a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again.

(Description from IMDb)

Timings of the event: Tuesday 3rd November 19:00 - 21:00

The Department of Languages and Cultures at the University of Reading is delighted to present a free screening of 'Run Lola Run’ (German with English Subtitles)  as part of its inaugural Festival of Languages celebrating multilingualism in the community. 

The film is included in the A-level curriculum for German. 

The screening will include an introduction by Dr Ute Wölfel from the University of Reading's Department of Languages and Cultures and a Q&A session afterwards.

Description of the film:

'Run Lola Run' delivers an electrifying, adrenaline-fuelled experience with groundbreaking originality that explores fate and choice across three distinct timelines. (Description from IMDb)

Timings of the event: Wednesday 4th November 19:00 - 21:00

The Department of Languages and Cultures at the University of Reading is delighted to present a free screening of ‘Untouchable’ (French with English Subtitles) as part of its inaugural Festival of Languages celebrating multilingualism in the community. 

The film is included in the A-level curriculum for French.

The screening will include an introduction by Dr John McKeane from the University of Reading's Department of Languages and Cultures and a Q&A session afterwards.

Description of the film:

‘Untouchable’ is a multi-award-winning comedy by directors Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano.

Philippe, a wealthy quadriplegic, hires Driss, an ex-convict, as his caregiver. Despite cultural and social differences, the two form a deep friendship that transforms their lives.

The film explores friendship, personal growth, and human dignity, blending comedy and drama to highlight the transformative power of connection and understanding across divides.

(Description from IMDb)

Timings of the event: Friday 6th November 19:00 -21:00

Join experts from the University of Reading for a panel discussion about the future of languages in the age of AI. 

We will discuss questions such as:

· To what extent is AI biased towards languages and cultures that are already dominant?

· In what ways might it influence the chances of survival for smaller languages?

· Will humans still need to undertake translation when machines can apparently do the job?