National Acadian Day
Each year on August 15, National Acadian Day celebrates the vibrant and resilient heritage of the Acadian people—descendants of 17th-century French settlers who established communities in Acadie, a historic region now encompassing Canada’s Maritime provinces.
During the Great Upheaval (1755–1763), thousands of Acadians were deported by British authorities and scattered across the Thirteen Colonies, France, the Caribbean, and even England. Despite this tragedy, many Acadians returned after the Treaty of Paris (1763), especially to New Brunswick, where they rebuilt their communities in rural and coastal areas—often far from their original lands, which had been occupied.
Others found refuge on Belle-Île-en-Mer, off the coast of Brittany, where Acadian families were resettled by the French government. Some settled in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory near Canada, while a large number migrated to Louisiana, where they helped shape Cajun culture, now emblematic of the southern United States.
Today, Acadians play a vital role in preserving the French language and cultural identity—especially in New Brunswick, Canada’s only officially bilingual province, as well as in Quebec, in regions like Gaspésie and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Their culture thrives through music, cuisine, festivals, and linguistic expressions like Chiac, a French-English dialect typical of southeastern New Brunswick.
To mark this occasion, we present a selection of films that explore themes of migration, Francophone identity, and cultural resilience across borders and generations.
National Acadian Day
Each year on August 15, National Acadian Day celebrates the vibrant and resilient heritage of the Acadian people—descendants of 17th-century French settlers who established communities in Acadie, a historic region now encompassing Canada’s Maritime provinces.
During the Great Upheaval (1755–1763), thousands of Acadians were deported by British authorities and scattered across the Thirteen Colonies, France, the Caribbean, and even England. Despite this tragedy, many Acadians returned after the Treaty of Paris (1763), especially to New Brunswick, where they rebuilt their communities in rural and coastal areas—often far from their original lands, which had been occupied.
Others found refuge on Belle-Île-en-Mer, off the coast of Brittany, where Acadian families were resettled by the French government. Some settled in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory near Canada, while a large number migrated to Louisiana, where they helped shape Cajun culture, now emblematic of the southern United States.
Today, Acadians play a vital role in preserving the French language and cultural identity—especially in New Brunswick, Canada’s only officially bilingual province, as well as in Quebec, in regions like Gaspésie and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Their culture thrives through music, cuisine, festivals, and linguistic expressions like Chiac, a French-English dialect typical of southeastern New Brunswick.
To mark this occasion, we present a selection of films that explore themes of migration, Francophone identity, and cultural resilience across borders and generations.