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MERCI! FIAF presents Bastille Day on 60th Street, Sunday, July 15
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) today announced details for Bastille Day on 60th Street, New York’s largest annual fête of Franco-American Culture. This year’s celebration will feature a free live screening of the World Cup final in Florence Gould Hall at 11am, activities for children and families, wine and champagne tastings, live performances including the popular can can, a special screening of the film Le Brio (2017), and more than 80 booths showcasing the best of French food and Francophile culture. Attracting more than 40,000 people per year, the street fair will take place Sunday, July 15, from noon to 5pm on East 60th Street between Fifth and Lexington Avenues.
This year’s highlights include:
FREE ENTERTAINMENT
A special free screening of the FIFA World Cup Final in FIAF Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street, at 11am. Whether or not Les Bleus advance to the championship match, FIAF will host a first-come first-served viewing party in its state-of-the-art 361-seat theater.
Live performances by Sense and La Jarry, electropop singer Marie-Line Grinda and DJ Lara Gerin, the Hungry March Band, hip-hop performers It’s Showtime NYC!, and the always popular can-can led by Karen Peled.
TASTINGS
Champagne & Jazz Party — 1:30-3pm and 3:30-5pm in the FIAF Skyroom — featuring vintages from Pol Roger, Ayala, Champagne Delamotte, and Besserat de Bellefon, as well as sparkling cocktails courtesy of Grand Marnier, served along with treats from Maman Bakery and Voilà Chocolat. Jazz singer Chloé Perrier will sing favorite French and American songs accompanied by a guitarist. Tickets to each session are $75, $65 for members.
Summer in the South of France — 12-1:30pm, 1:30-3pm, and 3-4:30pm in FIAF Tinker Auditorium — showcasing wines provided by Sud de France, Kronenbourg beer, Bayonne ham, cheese from Président, and artisanal breads from Maison Kayser. Tickets to each session are $25.
FILM SCREENING
A special screening of the film Le Brio (2017), starring Daniel Auteuil and Camélia Jordana and directed by Yvan Attal, follows the outdoor street fair in FIAF Florence Gould Hall at 5:30pm. A 2018 César nominee for Best Film, Le Brio follows the relationship between a young Arab student from the Paris suburbs and a racist professor, whose perspective changes when he becomes her mentor. Tickets are $14, $8 for members and students.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Dancing and interactive activities, including a zouk lesson with Franck Muhel, mime demonstrations by Catherine Gasta, and dancing and sing-alongs with Jacques & Marie’s Paris Swing Band.
Kids’ Corner & FIAF “Pop-Up” Library will invite all ages to participate in French-inspired games and arts-and-crafts organized by FIAF’s Language Center, as well as story time.
Bastille Day on 60th Street once again is the finishing point for the annual Citroën Bastille Day Rally & RendezVous, where car lovers will be able to get up close to classic models of the popular French automobile.
FRENCH-THEMED MARKET
More than 80 booths showcasing the best of French food (Café Macaron, Dominique Ansel Kitchen, Epicerie Boulud, Le Souk, Le Bec Fin Fine Foods, and many others), Francophile culture (La Martinique and TV5Monde/SlingTV), and retail (Miroslava Palavicini and Hanami Jewerly).
A new addition, The French Garden, will feature a premium shopping area with exclusive fashions and accessories from French boutiques Jérôme Dreyfus, Emma & Chloé, Tissage Moutet, 727 Sailbags, and many more.
PRIZE DRAWINGS
More than 30 lots donated by companies participating in Bastille Day on 60th Street will be raffled off, including a seven-day trip to Martinique and a three-night stay in Paris, both including airfare.
STREET & MAIN STAGE EVENT SCHEDULE
• 12:15pm: Zouk Dance Lesson with Franck Muhel (main stage)
• 12:45pm: French Mime Catharine Gasta (60th street)
• 12:55pm: Citroën Car Show (60th Street at Fifth Avenue)
• 1:00pm: Marie-Line Grinda and DJ Lara Gerin (main stage)
• 1:30pm: Can-Can Dancing with Karen Peled (main stage)
• 1:45pm: It’s Showtime NYC! (main stage)
• 2:30pm: Jacques & Marie’s Paris Swing Band (main stage)
• 3:00pm: Can-Can Dancing with Karen Peled (main stage)
• 3:00pm: Hungry March Band (street)
• 3:15pm: La Jarry (main stage)
• 4:00pm: SENSE (main stage)
• 4:45pm: Prize Drawings (main stage)More information is available at bastilledayny.org.
MERCI!
French Wines are provided by Sud de France.
Bastille Day on 60th Street is made possible with the generous support of key sponsors Credit Agricole, La Martinque, Perrier, and TV5Monde/SlingTV.
Additional support provided by Supporting Sponsors Président Specialty Cheeses; and St Michel.
Special thanks to our media partners France-Amérique and French Morning.
ABOUT FIAF
FIAF’s mission is to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures. FIAF seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross-cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression. fiaf.org.
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Martha Stewart presents Frédéric Fekkai with French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF)’s Art de Vivre Award
On Monday night, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) honored Frédéric Fekkai, renowned stylist and founder of Fekkai and more recently founder and CEO of the natural beauty line Bastide with the fifth annual Art de Vivre Award. Martha Stewart, a close friend and long-time client of the honoree, presented Fekkai with aLalique Mossi vase during a cocktail reception at FIAF’s Le Skyroom. An elegant dinner for 120 guests followed at the French restaurant Le Bilboquet.
Bringing with her a 1991 issue of Martha Stewart Living, featuring her new Fekkai haircut on the cover, Stewart recalled her several decades-long relationship with the honoree: “Frederic knows how to transform, and that was his talent. He took an ordinary woman, and he knew how to make her into something very special, and he still does. That’s his charm, that’s his talent, and his entrepreneurial spirit behind that is what really appealed to me and the legions of women who have let him cut his hair.”
FIAF President Marie-Monique Steckel remarked, “Frédéric has been the hair guru in New York for decades, he also has his acclaimed Frédéric Fekkai beauty salon, and he has really shaped the beauty landscape all over America. Recently he has embarked on a new adventure, Bastide, his latest luxurious natural beauty and lifestyle brand. And tonight we are really honored to have Martha Stewart, guru of American lifestyle, to present the Art de Vivre award to Frédéric.”
The Art de Vivre Award reception and dinner raises funds to support FIAF’s mission to teach French, promote Francophone culture, and strengthen the relationship between the French and American peoples.
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) would like to thank Lalique and James Mun, President & CEO of Lalique North America, for their very kind and generous donation of one Mossi vase to be presented to the evening’s honoree as his award. The kaleidoscopic effect of the Mossi Vase is both a stroke of creative genius and a feat of technical mastery. René Lalique designed this iconic piece in 1933. His original choice of material was plain glass, which the company has transformed into the vibrant intensity of crystal. A genuine interior design accessory of modernity, the Mossi plays on the contrast between the brilliance of its cabochons and the frosting of its base.
About Frédéric Fekkai
For more than three decades, Frédéric Fekkai has shaped the global beauty landscape. In 1989, Frédéric opened the luxury salon and day spa atop Bergdorf Goodman, which drew in celebrity clientele and led to the opening of seven salons. In 1994, Frédéric transformed hair care through the launch of his award-winning collection, Fekkai.
After 20 years at the helm of Fekkai, Frédéric has launched Bastide, a house of beauty and well-being, inspired by his hometown, Aix-en-Provence. In partnership with his wife and co-founder, Shirin von Wulffen, Frédéric celebrates Provence’s artisans and ingredients with locally made, non-toxic beauty products. Bastide opened its flagship boutique in Aix-en-Provence in June 2017 and now is available in wholesale and ecommerce throughout France, US, Canada, and Australia. In 2010, Frédéric was accorded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, the French National Order of Merit awarded by the president of France to recognize distinguished achievements.
About Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is an Emmy Award-winning television show host, entrepreneur, bestselling author of 90 books, and America’s most trusted lifestyle expert and teacher. Millions of people rely on Martha Stewart as a source of useful “how-to” information for all aspects of everyday living including cooking, entertaining, gardening, home renovating, collecting, organizing, crafting, healthy living, holidays, weddings, and pet care.
Martha’s business sense and creative vision provided the framework for her namesake company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., which launched in 1996. The expansive multimedia portfolio includes award-winning properties such as Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, marthastewart.com, and PBS shows Martha Stewart’s Cooking School and Martha Bakes. In 2016, Martha teamed up with longtime friend and collaborator Snoop Dogg for Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party on VH1.
Today, the Martha brand is comprised of Martha Stewart Collection created for Macy’s; Martha Stewart at Michaels; Martha Stewart at Staples; Martha Stewart Living at The Home Depot; a collaborative line of products with QVC in the skin care, fashion, food, and garden categories; Martha Stewart Wine Co.—a carefully curated online wine shop available only at MarthaStewartWine.com; Martha & Marley Spoon meal-kit delivery service, and more.
The Martha Stewart brand reaches over 100 million consumers each month across all media and merchandising platforms. Her products can be found in over 70 million households and have a growing presence online and in thousands of retail locations. Ms. Stewart currently serves as Chief Creative Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Sequential Brands Group.
About FIAF’s Art de Vivre Award
FIAF’s Art de Vivre Award, established in 2014, recognizes influential leaders from the food, wine, beauty, and fashion industries for their outstanding contributions to the promotion of the French art of living. Previous honorees include Elizabeth Holder Raberin and Pierre-Antoine Raberin of Ladurée USA; Frédéric Malle, Founder & CEO of Editions de Parfum Frédéric Malle; Martine and Prosper Assouline, co-founders of Assouline Publishing; and Carine Roitfield, Global Fashion Director of Harper’s BAZAAR. This spring, the award honors Frédéric Fekkai as ambassador of the French art de vivre and beauty and well-being throughout the world.
About FIAF
Founded in 1898, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) is the leading French language and cultural center in the United States. Our not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization creates innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French culture.
FIAF presents sophisticated programming in both French and English throughout the year, offering films, talks, art exhibitions and live performances of music, theater, dance, and more. Our Language Center, which welcomes 7,000 students each year, is the largest in the country and offers classes for toddlers to adults.
The Art de Vivre Award raises funds to support FIAF’s mission to teach French, promote Francophone culture, and strengthen the relationship between the French and American peoples.
Photos credited to Aurora Rose for Patrick McMullan and Courtesy of French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF).
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NY Premieres from Paris Opera & Ballet: “Samson et Dalila” and “Millepied/Robbins/Balanchine” at FIAF
This spring, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York’s premiere French cultural center, and the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet are thrilled to announce a new series presenting HD screenings of opera and ballet performances from the Paris Opera & Ballet for the first time in New York City.
New Yorkers will have a rare opportunity to experience the company’s outstanding productions, filmed live in HD. The program launches with two acclaimed recent performances from the Paris Opera & Ballet repertoire: Millepied/Robbins/Balanchine on Sunday, May 20, and Samson et Dalila on Sunday, June 24, both at 1pm in FIAF’s Florence Gould Hall.
Millepied/Robbins/Balanchine by the renowned Paris Opera Ballet features beloved works by two of the 20th century’s great American choreographers and the premiere of a new creation by Benjamin Millepied with music by composer Nico Muhly.
Samson et Dalila, Camille Saint-Saëns’ lushly romantic re-telling of the biblical tale, will be presented in a new production conducted by lauded Paris Opera music director Philippe Jordan and staged by Damiano Michieletto.
Millepied/Robbins/Balanchine
Sunday, May 20 at 1pm
Introduced by Susan Gluck Pappajohn, Balanchine Trust
“Fireworks! Sets packed with energy and magnificent duos!”—Le Figaro
“Paris Opera Shows off Its Brilliance! … A dazzling display of formal craft!”—The New York Times
“Benjamin Millepied shines in the footsteps of his masters…”—Le Monde
Benjamin Millepied pays tribute to George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, two extraordinary choreographers, both of Russian origin, who helped to redefine dance in Europe and the US in the 20th century.
In time to celebrate the Jerome Robbins centennial this year, the HD screening will feature the Paris Opera Ballet’s introduction of Robbins beloved 1979 Opus19/The Dreamer to its repertoire, which will be paired with the company’s revival of George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The centerpiece of the program is the premiere of Benjamin Millepied’s acclaimed new ballet, Clear, Loud, Bright, Forward, featuring new music by composer Nico Muhly, which was created during Millepied’s tenure as director of dance at the Paris Opera.
Screening will be introduced by Susan Gluck Pappajohn, a former soloist and principal ballerina with the New York City Ballet and a current trustee of the Balanchine Trust.
Clear, Loud, Bright, Forward
Music: Nico Muhly
Choreography: Benjamin Millepied
Scenography: United Visual Artists
Lighting design: Lucy Carter
Opus 19/The Dreamer
Music:Sergei Prokofiev
(Concerto for violin n°1 in D major)
Choreography: Jerome Robbins
Violon: Frédéric Laroque
Theme and Variations
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine
Étoiles, Premiers Danseurs and Corps de Ballet
Conductor: Maxime Pascal
Paris Opera Orchestra
Film director: Vincent Bataillon
140 minutes, with intermission
Cinéma Distribution: FRA Cinéma
Complimentary herbal tea and madeleines will be available during intermission, courtesy of Kusmi Tea and St Michel.
Camille Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila
Sunday, June 24 at 1pm
“From the marvelous opening of solo winds scattered across the night, one realizes that Philippe Jordan has set the bar high…masterful direction that brilliantly revives the flesh and breath of this too often forgotten music.” —Le Monde
Based on the biblical tale of Samson and Delilah from the Book of Judges in the Old Testament, the opera is one of the most popular and often performed in the French repertoire. The seductress Dalila is one of the great opera roles for a mezzo-soprano and includes the well-known arias “Printemps qui commence” (“Spring begins”) and “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” (“My heart opens to your voice”).
The new, 2016 production of Samson et Dalila, staged by Damiano Michieletto, returned the work to the Paris Opera after a 25-year absence. Anita Rachvelishvili, “an exceptional mezzo-soprano of seamless quality” (Opera News) plays the femme fatale and murderous priestess, and Aleksandrs Antonenko, “who tore into Samson’s music with a genuine heroic tenor” (Opera News) is the conflicted, tragic hero.
Samson et Dalila
Opera in three acts and four scenes (1877)
Music by Camille Saint-Saëns
Libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire
Conductor: Philippe Jordan
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Set designs: Paolo Fantin
Costume designs: Carla Teti
Lighting design: Alessandro Carletti
Chorus master: José Luis Basso
Paris Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Dalila, Anita Rachvelishvili
Samson, Aleksandrs Antonenko
The High Priest of Dagon, Egils Silins
Abimélech, Nicolas Testé
An Old Hebrew, Nicolas Cavallier
Philistine Messenger, John Bernard
First Philistine, Luca Sannaï
Second Philistine, Jian-Hong Zhao
Screening in French with English subtitles.
Film Director: François-René Martin
Cinéma Distribution: FRA Cinéma
In French with English subtitles
205 minutes with two intermissions
Complimentary herbal tea and madeleines will be available during intermission, courtesy of Kusmi Tea and St Michel.
About American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet
The purpose of the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet is to share the many treasures of the Paris Opera directly with the American public and to foster artistic cooperation between the Opera National de Paris and the creative community in the United States.
Based in New York, the organization was incorporated in 1984 in response to a request by Rudolf Nureyev, then the Director of the Paris Opera Ballet, to tour the company in the United States. Recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt foundation in 1985, the group has helped underwrite numerous U.S. tours of the Paris Opera, Paris Opera Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet School, traveling exhibitions from the Paris Opera Museum and appearances of guest artists from the Paris Opera Ballet, as well as many productions at the Paris Opera that prominently feature the participation of American artists, such as Jerome Robbins, Trisha Brown, William Christie, Peter Sellars and Robert Wilson.www.afpob.org
About the Paris Opera & Ballet
Recently announcing what The New York Times called a “boldly ambitious 2018–2019 season,” the Paris Opera & Ballet is a world cultural treasure with a rich history that underpins an innovative, vital present. The Paris Opera traces its beginnings to King Louis XIV of France, who established a formal academy of music and dance at court in 1669. Over the centuries, the company has undergone many transformations as a public institution. Today the 430-member company of musicians and dancers, led by general director Stéphane Lissner, ballet director Aurelie Dupont, and music director Philippe Jordan, collaborates with acclaimed directors, choreographers, and singers, and enjoys a position as one of the leading opera and ballet institutions in the world. In 2019, it will celebrate its 350th anniversary, and the 30th anniversary of the opening of the larger of its two theaters, the Opéra Bastille. www.operadeparis.fr
FIAF
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) is New York’s premiere French cultural and language center. FIAF’s mission is to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures. FIAF seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression. www.fiaf.org
Merci!
Tea courtesy of Kusmi Tea. Madeleines courtesy of St Michel.
Program Sponsors: Air France and Delta Air Lines, Cordier Enjoy la Vie, Engie, French American Cultural Exchange (FACE), Florence Gould Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Jacadi, JCDecaux, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NY State Council on the Arts, and Office de Tourisme de Boulogne-Billancourt.
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International musical hit PIAF! THE SHOW starring Anne Carrere at FIAF
“Anne Carrere can miraculously capture Piaf’s soul and ably revive her spirit…”
—The New York Times
“Anne Carrere’s voice soars!”
—The Guardian
Following its sold-out one-night-only performance at Carnegie Hall last year, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York’s premiere French cultural center, joined forces with Gil Marsalla and Directo Productions to present PIAF! THE SHOW from April 18th to 20th at FIAF’s Florence Gould Hall.
Inspired by the Oscar-winning movie La Vie en Rose, PIAF! THE SHOW is a musical celebration of the life and music of the legendary French chanteuse. Conceived and directed by the Nice-based theatrical maverick Gil Marsalla, this special concert stars the internationally acclaimed Anne Carrere, a young French performer hailed as “Edith Piaf’s legitimate musical heiress.”
In two 45-minute acts, the show narrates the rags-to-riches story of the Parisian singer’s career through her unforgettable songs, complemented by a visual tapestry of previously unreleased photographs and images of famous locations of the Edith Piaf era.
PIAF! THE SHOW premiered in 2015 as a tribute to “The sparrow of Montmartre” on the centennial of her birthday. With over half a million tickets sold in more than 30 countries and rave reviews worldwide, this is a rare chance to see the show in the New York!
Cast
Singer: Anne Carrere
Piano: Philippe Villa
Accordion: Guy Giuliano
Double Bass: Daniel Fabricant
Percussion: Laurent Sarrien
About Anne Carrere
Anne Carrere made her debut in large-scale musical theatre as the star of PIAF ! THE SHOW. A native of the South of France, she began preparing for a stage career in her early teens, studying voice, acting, and a variety of vocal and dance styles at the renowned art school Salon-de-Provence. She later pursued classical musical training, playing flute and piano. Before seriously pursuing her passion for the traditional French chanson, Anne participated in numerous French talent competitions and TV shows, showcasing her singing and dancing skills in diverse styles including classical, jazz, and Modern Jazz.
About Gil Marsalla
Gil Marsalla (Director and Producer) has been studying music since the age of 14 and had a rewarding career as a musician, music director, conductor, and artistic director. He has been successfully producing musical and theatrical shows and large-scale events for the past 20 years, most recently with his own production company Directo Productions, which he founded in 2001 with the goal of supporting and presenting emerging French artists. Since 2007, he has been touring his productions worldwide and successfully presented his shows to sold-out houses in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Tokyo, Moscow, and many other international locations on five continents. Among his recent producing credits are Formidable Aznavour (2017), Paris, Le Spectacle (2016), and Piaf Symphonic (2018).
About FIAF
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) is New York’s premiere French cultural and language center. FIAF’s mission is to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures. FIAF seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression. www.fiaf.org
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FIAF launches First-Ever French Animation Festival
Celebrating France’s rich tradition as a pioneer of animation, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York’s premiere French cultural center, is thrilled to launch Animation First, the first-ever French animation festival in the United States, which will take place Friday, February 2 through Sunday, February 4.
With 12 US and New York premieres, the festival presents ambitious, innovative, and award-winning animated feature and short films, virtual reality, video games, and more, coming out of France’s most exciting studios and art schools. Animation First features special screenings and events for all ages, putting audiences in the front seat of 3D animation, works in progress, interactive workshops on drawing and sound effects, gaming demonstrations, and panel discussions with leading artists and studio executives.
The festival will present a preview of Terry Gilliam and Tim Ollive’s latest project 1884: Yesterday’s Future; a rare Q&A and presentation of Oscar-nominated The Red Turtle with celebrated director Michael Dudok de Wit, the festival’s guest of honor; and the US Premiere of En sortant de l’école, a collection of animated short films inspired by the poems of surrealist author Robert Desnos. International superstar and César-nominated actor Jean Reno (Léon: The Professional), who lends his voice to The Day of the Crows (Le jour des corneilles), screening at the festival, will be in attendance for the film’s Q&A along with bestselling French novelist and festival patron Marc Levy (If Only It Were True and film adaptation Just Like Heaven).
The Opening Night celebration, for all ages, is a special 3D screening of the beloved film Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants, followed by a kick-off party at FIAF. After the kids are asleep, stay for a nightcap as the festival presents Erotic Animation, where animators let their imaginations run wild. Sensual, erotic, naughty, poetic, or risqué, these fanciful and unconventional shorts celebrate passion, desire, and fantasies.
Highlights of the film program include Michel Fuzellier and Babak Payami’s feature Iqbal, a Tale of a Fearless Child (Iqbal, l’enfant qui n’avait pas peur). Inspired by the life of Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani boy who became a spokesperson against child slavery, the film takes an imaginative, inspiring approach to a pressing contemporary issue; and Loulou and Other Wolves (Loulou et autres loups), a program of shorts based on the bestselling children’s book by writer and illustrator Grégoire Solotareff. Serge Elissalde, director of the short Loulou, will also be present for a Q&A after the film. Other programs include 3D Animated Short Films with 3D festival programmer and director François Serre; the classic 1973 Cannes Film Festival winning Fantastic Planet (La planète sauvage) by animation legend René Laloux; and Pioneers of French Animation, a ciné-concert with a live piano performance.
An exceptional partnership with the City of Angoulême, Grand Angoulême, Department of Charente, and Magelis will highlight the unique animation ecosystem thriving in the Aquitaine region of France. A significant number of the films in this year’s edition of the festival were produced in the region, which is home to several of France’s top-rated animation schools and studios. In collaboration with SolidAnim, a French leader in virtual production, Augmented Reality (AR) will be used in all promotional material created for the festival, which marks one of the first times AR has been conceived for a major cultural project.
Animation First is co-curated by Delphine Selles-Alvarez, FIAF’s Film Curator, and Catherine Lamairesse, Director of Special Projects at FIAF, who said, “French animation has enjoyed increasing success worldwide in recent years, from the Oscar-nominated Triplets of Belleville to recent hits The Red Turtle and My Life as a Zucchini. With Animation First we are excited to offer New York audiences of all ages the opportunity to explore the breadth and diversity of animation in France, and discover an abundance of creativity across genres and techniques, past and present.”
About French Animation
Animation has a rich history in France. Since its early beginnings in the late 19th century when Émile Reynaud projected his Pantomimes Lumineuses at the Musée Grevin in Paris, French filmmakers and artisans have experimented with puppets, cutouts, and stop motion, inventing important techniques along the way. Notable animated films have peppered the history of French cinema, from Émile Cohl’s Fantasmagorie (1908), depicting a stick figure moving through space, to Ladislas Starewich’s influential stop-motion Le Roman de Renard (1930), the first French animated feature film. Other acclaimed works have included the experimental Une nuit sur le mont chauve (1933), using a pinscreen machine invented by Alexandre Alexieff and Claire Parker; La Demoiselle and Le violoncelliste(1965), films that launched the career of Jean-François Laguionie (Louise en hiver, 2016); as well as Fantastic Planet (René Laloux, 1973), Le Roi et l’Oiseau (Paul Grimault, 1980), and Kirikou and the Sorceress (Michel Ocelot, 1998).
Today, France is Europe’s largest producer and the world’s third largest exporter of animated film. Renowned for stylistic innovation and an often artisanal approach, French animation continues to garner awards worldwide and spans a diversity of genres, from independent art-house successes The Triplets of Belleville, and more recently The Red Turtle, to films for mature audiences like Renaissance, as well as big-budget blockbusters Ballerina and the Franco-American Despicable Me franchise. Beyond films, France has carved out an important space in animated TV programs, web series, video games, and the rapidly developing fields of virtual reality and new technologies.
Festival program follows. For full screening and events schedule, visit fiaf.org/animation.
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The Art of Sex and Seduction
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York’s premiere French cultural center, welcomes New York Times bestselling author, TED speaker, and renowned couples therapist Esther Perel for a talk and book signing celebrating her new book, The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity on Monday, December 11 at 7pm in FIAF’s Florence Gould Hall.
Together with celebrated writer and journalist Anand Giridharadas, Perel will explore the intricacies of modern romance, love and desire, trust and transgression, sex and power.
Esther Perel is widely regarded as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. A therapist with 30+ years of clinical experience, her ability to speak intellectually about how the quality of our relationships impact the quality of our lives has drawn a devoted, international audience to her best-selling books, online courses, and popular TED Talks.
This special talk is presented as part of FIAF’s provocative annual series The Art of Sex & Seduction.
Talk in English. Followed by Q&A and book signing.
About Esther Perel
Esther Perel’s groundbreaking first book Mating in Captivity introduced Americans to the inherent conflict in even successful marriages between emotionally safe but boring intimacy and thrilling but potentially risky, eroticism, love, and lust. It became a global phenomenon and was translated into 24 languages. Ever since, couples therapist Perel has been recognized as one of the world’s most original and insightful thinkers about couples, sexuality, and the peculiar paradoxes besetting modern marriage in the Western world. Fluent in nine languages, she helms a therapy practice in New York City and serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world. Her celebrated TED talks have garnered nearly 20 million views and her newest book is the instant New York Times bestseller The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity. Esther is also an executive producer and the host of the Audible original audio series Where Should We Begin? www.estherperel.com
About Anand Giridharadas
Anand Giridharadas is a writer and journalist. His latest book, forthcoming in the fall of 2018 from Knopf, is Winners Take All. He is the author of The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas and India Calling: An Intimate Portrait of a Nation’s Remaking. He was a foreign correspondent and columnist for The New York Times from 2005 to 2016, and has also written for The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and The New Republic. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Anand has lived in France, Maryland, England, Michigan, India, and New York, where he currently resides with his wife, Priya Parker, and son, Orion.
About FIAF
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) is New York’s premiere French cultural and language center. FIAF’s mission is to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures. FIAF seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression. www.fiaf.org
Merci!
Link to buy tickets: http://fiaf.org/events/fall2017/2017-12-11-talk.shtml.
