2018 Cultural Highlights
Afrique du Sud
Media Contact D +27 (0)11 727 5113 T +27 (0)11 403 0458 comm.culture@ifas.org.za 62 Juta Street, Braamfontein PO Box 31551, Braamfontein, 2017, Johannesburg
www.ifas.org.za IFASCulture IF_SouthAfrica IFAS TV (Provisional programme, subject to change) Cover photo: Gula Matari created and performed by Vincent Mantsoe Photographer: John Hogg
ABOUT As the cultural agency of the Embassy of France in South Africa, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) is the operator of the cultural action of France abroad, one of 96 institutes in the world. IFAS organises and supports artistic events in venues and festivals throughout the country. It has strong relationships with various South African partners through artistic projects like last year's award winning production of Tartuffe with the Fortune CookieTheatre Company, the Baxter Theatre, the JoburgTheater and others, dance productions shown at Dance Umbrella or Tordre with the Market Theater and the multi-disciplinary production The Alchemy of Words that premiered at the NAF in Grahamstown, an over 20 year old partner. IFAS is a platform for cooperation, encouraging cultural diversity and exchanges between South Africa, France and the rest of the African continent. From performing arts to the visual arts, from literature to gastronomy, all cultural fields are honoured. Among those projects, the audiovisual ones are carried out by IFAS Audiovisual which develops links and long term partnerships between the South African (e.g Tshimologong, Encounters, the Durban International Film Festival, Fak'ugesi, Animation SA, NFVF, WESGRO…) and the French cultural industries in the fields of innovation, training, storytelling, production, distribution, professional markets, public policies and regulation frameworks. The scientific projects are promoted and organised by IFAS-Recherche, the scientific section of the French Institute of South Africa, under the joint authority of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research). With its regional mandate over twelve countries of Southern Africa, it promotes research in the Humanities and Social Sciences, particularly prehistory, archaeology, history, urban studies and political sciences. It supports scientific exchanges between French, European and Southern African researchers and institutions (such as Wits University, UCT, the University of Pretoria or the National Research Foundation) and encourages the creation of transnational research teams. Several projects are also carried out in cooperation with others sectors of the Embassy of France in South Africa through its Cooperation and Cultural Action Department (SCAC).
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MUST SEE Exhibition Wonders of Rock Art: Lascaux Cave and Africa 17 May - 1 October | Sci-Bono Discovery Centre | Johannesburg In a first for Africa, the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in collaboration with the Embassy of France in South Africa and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), are bringing an exhibition around Lascaux, the world-famous cave art site in France, to South Africa. The touring exhibition includes true-to-nature replicas of the painted cave walls, featuring some of the most recognisable images of prehistoric art in the world. The Palaeolithic cave paintings, found in 1940 in the Lascaux cave near the village of Montignac in Dordogne, southwestern France, are around 17 000 years old and are mostly of large animals native to the region at the time. They are regarded as masterpieces because of their outstanding quality and sophistication. The replicas are life-size panel reproductions of the cave paintings. Alongside prehistoric South African rock art, it will be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage with humanity's earliest impulse for creative expression. The world's first examples of art and symbolism, found in Southern Africa, are more than 100 000 years old, while Europe is home to some of the world's most well-preserved prehistoric cave-art sites. This will be the first time that the Lascaux paintings will be exhibited alongside the oldest African art, celebrating the earliest works created by humans on two continents. The African room of the exhibition, “The Dawn of Art”, is curated by the University of the Witwatersrand's Rock Art Research Institute, the Origins Centre Museum and IFAS-Recherche. It will include photographs of iconic South African rock art, as well as a display of priceless authentic pieces. The Wonders of Rock Art is made possible through the support of BNP Paribas and RCS Group; Total South Africa; and BolloréTransport & Logistics South Africa.
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CREATION Theatre The Little Prince | Kwasha! Theatre Company June | Victoria Theatre | National Art Festival | Grahamstown October - November | DUT | Durban November | Market Laboratory | Johannesburg and more dates to come throughout South Africa! IFAS and the Market Theatre Foundation will continue their fruitful collaboration in 2018 with an African theatre adaption of the timeless and magical masterpiece of storytelling, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic children's book, The Little Prince. It will be presented by the Market Theatre Foundation’s brand-new theatre company, Kwasha!, and will be premiered at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Originally written in French, The Little Prince is the world's most translated book (outside of religious works). Sometimes described as the story of a grown up meeting his inner child, it is a philosophical contemplation of loneliness, friendship, adulthood and authority. Although it is known as a children's story, this production will create a magical re-telling of the story in an African context through a mix of circus and storytelling in multiple languages, for adults and children alike. The Kwasha! Theatre Company is a collaborative project between the Market Theatre Laboratory andThe Windybrow Arts Centre.The aim of the project is to support the careers of recent graduates and to provide drama classes for youth at the Windybrow Arts Centre. Five of South Africa's most exciting emergent theatre-makers have been identified as the inaugural members of the company, and will work together to create a programme of exciting new theatre. The Little Prince is supported by Mazars
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REGULAR EVENTS Cinema Le Movie Club Monthly | Bioscope | Johannesburg On the last Thursday of every month, immerse yourself in the vibrant cultures of French and Francophone films from around the world. Le Movie Club is a collaboration between The Bioscope Independent Cinema, the Alliance Française of Johannesburg and IFAS. All films are shown in French with English subtitles.
January | Swagger February | Nos futurs / Our Futures March | Guillaume et les garçons à table / Me, Myself and Mom April | Les Invisibles / The Invisible Ones May | Je fais le mort / Playing Dead June | La religieuse / The Nun July | Quai d'Orsay / The French Minister August | Géronimo September|Hippocrate October |Maestro November |Maman Colonelle www.thebioscope.co.za
Digital Visual Art Wakpon, the Museum outside the Walls Second semester | Soweto, Johannesburg Wakpon is a digital application that allows users to discover 43 different art pieces from various contemporary African artists for free. It works with Magic Images, African fabric puzzles hanging on the wall, that can be observed via the app, and is the key to open up the access to the full artworks. Each Magic Image is linked to an artist, whose complete artwork is included in the app. It is available both in French and English, and with additional audio commentary. www.wakponapp.org
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JANUARY Visual Art Absa L'Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award Winners Exhibition 20 November - 26 January| Absa Gallery | Johannesburg Inspired by Gerard Sekoto's contributions to South African art, the Absa Gallery brings together, for the first time, all the Absa L'Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award winners in one exhibition. Titled A Change in the Narrative, the exhibition explores the fourteen winning artists' narratives, through their work and through the reflective retellings of their thoughts and experiences since winning the award.
MY FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL .COM
Cinema My French Film Festival 19 January - 19 February | Online MyFrenchFilmFestival.com, the world’s first online French film festival organised by UniFrance, is an innovative concept aiming to throw the spotlight on a new generation of French filmmakers, allowing web users across the globe to watch a selection of recent French movies, and to share their enthusiasm for French cinema with the option to comment and rate the movies. IFAS helps to spread news of the festival throughout South Africa with communication and the organisation of screenings. www.myfrenchfilmfestival.com
Music | Virtual Reality Mozart 360° 27 & 31 January | 1 February | Johannesburg The innovative project Mozart 360° offers a singular immersion into a classical orchestra playing Mozart's Coronation Mass in the flamboyant gothic cathedral of Saint-Omer, France. Each spectator will be able to follow a staged journey made up of long takes and 360° views from inside the orchestra thanks to a Virtual Reality film with 3D spatial sound. This is a unique way of feeling the music, an "almost physical encounter" with Mozart's work. Co-written by Blandine Berthelot and Thomas Meugnot, produced by Camera lucida and Insula Orchestra in association with ARTE Concert and with the support of Neotopy.
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Night of Ideas World 3.0: Do New Technologies mean New Creativity? 31 January | Tshimologong | Johannesburg As new technologies are being invented, new kinds of content appear with new aesthetics and new structures of knowledge. From archives to contemporary art, through a classical music concert in VR; artists, researchers and VR specialists will debate the impact of form on content in the context of new technologies. Visitors will be able to listen to extracts from the Rivonia Trial, experience Mozart 360° (in VR) and go through Banele Khoza's visual art process. These projects will be the public's ďŹ rst encounter and introduction to the debate itself.
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FEBRUARY Visual Art Sand Man | Natalie Moore 31 January - 21 February | Pretoria Art Museum | Pretoria 27 February - 18 March | KZNSA Gallery | Durban 24 April - 4 May | Bird Street Gallery | Port Elizabeth Natalie Moore is the 2015 winner of the Absa L'Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award. After spending three months in an arts residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris as part of the prize, she has been given the opportunity to exhibit her work at the Absa Gallery from the 20th November 2017 to the 26th January 2018 in Johannesburg. Her exhibition is now touring in the Alliance Française network in South Africa.
Music Johannesburg International Mozart Festival 1 February | Northwards House |Johannesburg Director of the Pablo Casals Festival and former Paris Conservatoire Professor, French clarinettist Michel Lethiec, will perform a programme celebrating the work of female composers, largely hidden from public view as they used to hide behind pseudonyms. Following this year’s festival theme, Papageno / Papagena, exploring opposites such as male vs female and old vs new, his performance will cover everything from Schumann and Felix & Fanny Mendelssohn to Berg and Gerald & Graciane Finzi. www.join-mozart-festival.org
Street Art International Public Art Festival 10-19 February I Salt River | Cape Town The 2nd International Public Art Festival (IPAF), organised by Baz-Art, will take place in Cape Town on the theme of “We need nature”.The event will give both local and international artists the opportunity to showcase their stories, skills and styles in real time and on a global platform.Two workshops will be organised to learn more about street art and murals, meet street artists and even have a go at creating your own artwork. IFAS will support the participation of French street artist and sculptor Damien Gillot. www.ipafest.co.za
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Multimedia Digital Lab Africa | Call for Projects Submission deadline: 25 February Digital Lab Africa (DLA) is both a platform and a call for projects dedicated to creative content linked with innovation in Africa.The very idea of DLA is to incubate next-gen creative talent by offering them a springboard to jump-start and accelerate their projects with the support and expertise of the DLA ecosystem. The call targets artists, producers, designers, startups, and students in the media and creative industries. It’s open to any individual from Sub-Saharan Africa having an innovative project in any of the following categories of multimedia production: web creation, virtual reality, video game, animation and digital music. www.digilabafrica.com
Multi Discipline Rivonia Trial Artistic Project | Call for Applications Submissions deadline: May This year marks the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, as well as the digitalisation of the Rivonia Trial records. IFAS, alongside the Nelson Mandela Foundation, NARSSA, and the Wits History Workshop, is launching a call for applications for a new artistic creation inspired by these records. Any artist or artist collective residing in South Africa, from any form of cultural or artistic expression, can apply. The winner will open the Mandela week at the Nelson Mandela Foundation on September 20th.
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MARCH Animation Cape Town International Animation Festival 2-4 March | Cape Town This year IFAS is collaborating once again with CTIAF to foster cooperation between France and South Africa for the promotion of the animation industry. CTIAF is the only African animation festival on the continent and brings a large international programming with workshops, round-tables, networking sessions and movies. www.ctiaf.com
Dance Mayhem | Gregory Maqoma Gula Matari | Vincent Mantsoe 6-7 March | UJ Centre for the Arts | Johannesburg For the 30 t h edit ion of Dance Umbrella, South Af rican choreographer Vincent Mantsoe, currently living and working in France, will present Gula Matari, a work that he originally created in South Africa in 1993/4 when he was a member of the Moving into Dance Mophatong Company (MIDM). In Gula Matari, the dancers become birds that whistle and use their heads to communicate with other birds. In a double bill, Gregory Maqoma will perform Mayhem, as he used to be a member of MIDM as well in the '90s. www.danceforumsouthafrica.co.za
Performance Put Your Heart UnderYour Feet ... And Walk! | Steven Cohen 8-9 March |Wits Theatre | Johannesburg This work is dedicated to Steven Cohen's soulmate, Elu, with whom Cohen ďŹ rst collaborated on Dance Umbrella in 1998. Over the next two decades they radically changed the face of contemporary dance and performance art in South Africa. In 2016 Cohen was shaken to the core by the loss of both his partner Elu and his beloved childhood care giver, Nomsa. This work, to be presented at the Dance Umbrella, speaks to anyone who has known immeasurable loss and the necessity to keep moving in the face of petrifying grief. www.danceforumsouthafrica.co.za
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French Language Festival de la Francophonie Opening 10 March | Pretoria Boys High School | Pretoria The Francophonie Festival celebrates the diversity and richness of the Francophone cultures around the world through a series of cultural events. Coordinated by the French Embassy in South Africa, in partnership with Pretoria Boys High and the Alliance Française of Pretoria, over 22 Francophone and Francophile countries represented in South Africa will participate. All Gauteng schools teaching French have been invited. Entrance is free and includes traditional food, drinks, concerts (feat. Erika Lernot), lottery, competitions, fun activities and much more.
French Language Francophone Debate 13 March | University of Pretoria | Pretoria Why do the why's and the how's populism in its many forms pose a challenge to established forms of debate and public expression in democratic societies? The debate will be conducted between Georges Contogeorgis, Greek academic, political analyst and politician, and Philippe Salazar, French rhetorician and philosopher, and will be followed by a Q&A session. The event is co-hosted by the Departments of Political Sciences and Modern and Ancient Languages of the University of Pretoria, the Embassy of Greece and the Embassy of France in South Africa.
Music Guinguette 16 March | Alliance Française | Johannesburg During the 'Semaine de la Francophonie', discover a very French concept: the guinguette. Of popular origin, forgotten for some time, the guinguette made its comeback a few years ago to become one of the essential events of Parisian summers. A festive gathering which promotes diversity and the idea of sharing. Join this unique experience in the gardens of the Alliance Française for an evening of singing, dancing and much more, with the bands ClaudeVerdié & Friends and Hot club d'Afrique.
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Gastronomy Goût de France / Good France 19-25 March | Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town For the fourth year, Goût de France/Good France will bring together over 2 000 chefs on fi ve continents to celebrat e French gastronomy. In each participating restaurant the menu will pay tribute to the excellence and values of French cuisine: sharing, pleasure and a respect for good food, accompanied by French wine and champagne. A launching event will be held for the first time in 5 countries in the world. In South Africa it will be organised at the French Residence on the 6th of March, with a culinary performance by Michelin Star ChefVincent Lucas and a wine tasting experience by world champion sommelier Philippe Faure-Brach. Find a participating restaurant near you online! www.goodfrance.com | #GoodFrance
Photo: Romain Philippon
Dance Head Rush | My Body My Space Festival 2018 23 March | Milys of Machado | Machadodorp Head Rush, created by Soraya Thomas, is an exploration of addiction, specifically alcoholism, through dance movements. It is a dance diptych that takes place on a sloping swivelling surface, symbolising the instability of bodies going through drug dependence. Performed by Reunion Island company Morphose, including South African dancers Thabo Kobeli and Nicholas Tiishang Aphane. In partnership with The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (FATC). Funded by the Department of Arts and Culture.
www.facebook.com/ciemorphose
Cinema Francophonie Festival 28 March | Johannesburg March is devoted to the promotion of the French cultural and linguistic diversity all over the word. As a part of this festival IFAS is organising a French movie screening on March 28th in Johannesburg. By invitation only.
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APRIL Conference SA-EU Community Arts Centres Dialogue 4-6 April I Sibikwa Arts Centre I Benoni The National Department of Arts and Culture has partnered with the Sibikwa Arts Centre to realise the 2nd edition of the Shukuma Mzansi! International Community Arts Centres Dialogue. This sectoral dialogue between Irish, Flemish, French and South African Community Arts Centres aims to increase institutional capacity, policy implementation and best practice.The conference will focus on policy development incorporating critical sectoral goals; further important focal topics will include youth participation, the role of municipalities as well as the economic beneďŹ t of CAC's for the municipalities. This initiative is funded by the SA-EU Strategic Partnership - The Dialogue Facility.
Multimedia NewImages Festival 4-8 April | Paris Always at the cutting-edge of innovation, the Paris Virtual Film Festival and I LOVETRANSMEDIA have come together to create the NewImages festival, the ďŹ rst event dedicated entirely to all forms of digital creation and virtual worlds. The NewImages festival is a space where the general public can discover and experiment with new media, while industry professionals can come together to discuss key issues of the latest media innovations. Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, founder of the South-African company Deep VR will be in attendance to introduce its latest VR projects and take part in immersive realities panel. www.forumdesimages.fr/les-programmes/newimages
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Music | Residency Nicky B Musical Migration - SA Music in France 9 April - 4 July |Sundays on Kaya FM, 6-10pm Artis and music expert Nicky B will research South African music in France, exploring the interrelationship of South African music with French, Francophone and other related international trends. What is the impact [if any] of South African music on the French mus i c s c ene, and ha s t hi s infl uenc ed A f r i c an mus i c internationally? In turn, what is the impact of French and Francophone music on South African sounds? Not only will she explore acoustic music, jazz and collaborations, but also the role of radio, DJ's and electro in exposing this music and determining trends. Follow Nicky B broadcasting The World Show from Paris! www.kayafm.co.za/shows/the-world-show-with-nicky-b
Multimedia Digital Lab Africa | Online Pitch Competition 26 April – 9 May | Online The Video Pitch of the 30 selected applicants for the DLA Pitch Competition will be displayed online with the opportunity for the audience to vote for the most innovative pitch and favourite project. 10 projects will be awarded with a 3 000 € cash prize and a Digital Lab Africa Incubation Pass to accelerate their project's development. This includes mentorship sessions by DLA experts, a residency in France within a digital cluster/incubator, and participation at an international industry event. www.digilabafrica.com
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MAY Visual Art | Residency Alexia Vogel March-May I Saint-Emilion Visual artist Alexia Vogel will return from a three months residency in Saint Emilion, organised by the Southern African Foundation For Contemporary Art (SAFFCA). Her artistic practice explores notions of nostalgia, fantasy and wanderlust on large scale canvases and on paper. Her approach to texture is directed by instinct and spontaneity. Vogel continuously shifts between abstraction and figuration. www.saffca.com
French Language | Literature Francophone Writing and History May | Johannesburg, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Durban In partnership with the Universities of the Witwatersrand, Cape Town, Stellenbosch and KwaZulu Natal, three French writers and a historian will tour South Africa to present their works and debate with the students of the French Language Departments. The writers are Goncourt literary prize-listed Thomas B. Reverdy and Nicolas Fargues, acclaimed French-Malagazy writer Johary Ravaloson, and specialist of contemporary history Sylvain Venayre.
Visual Art Five Photographers: A Tribute to David Goldblatt 4-31 May | Gerard Sekoto Gallery | Johannesburg Four photographers, Alexia Webster, Jabulani Dhlamini, Pierre Crocquet and Mauro Vombe, all chosen by David Goldblatt, will exhibit their work at the Gerard Sekoto Gallery at the Alliance Française of Johannesburg.The exhibition will be curated by John Fleetwood, and it will be a reflection of David Goldblatt's socially engaged work.
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Literature Franschhoek Literary Festival 18-20 May | Franschoek The Franschhoek Literary Festival has been running for over ten years. In the spirit of celebrating books and writers, audiences will discuss and share their knowledge of various dimensions of the world of literature. French author Nicolas Fargues, nominated for the Goncourt literary prize in 2015, will participate in the programme this year. www.flf.co.za
Music Teki Latex 25 May | Mødular | Cape Town 26 May | Kitchener's Carvery Bar | Johannesburg The French musical mega-mind Teki Latex is set to hit South Africa in May. From his history as a rapper, music producer and cofounder of label Sound Pellegrino, Teki Latex has recently turned his focus solely to arguably the most relevant modern musical craft - the art of DJing. Expect genre-flexing, dance floor focused selections all melded by the perfect blends. Hosted by Broaden A New Sound.
www.facebook.com/pg/tekilatex
Music Dub Inc 26 May | Bassline Fest |Constitution Hill | Johannesburg 26-28 May | Zakifo Festival | Blue Lagoon Beach | Durban French band Dub Inc fuses classic roots reggae with dub, dancehall, ska, hip-hop and African influences, creating an intoxicating musical hybrid with highly charged and socially conscious songs which have earned them cult status. They will perform at the Bassline Fest, which this year partners with the Nelson Mandela Foundation for the Nelson Mandela centenary celebrations; as well as at the Zakifo music festival in Durban, which brings together an eclectic mix of top-notch local and international acts; from funk to masqanda, from hip-hop to reggae. www.dub-inc.com
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JUNE Graphic Novel | Residency Breeze Yoko January - June | Cité Internationale des Arts | Paris Multi-disciplinary artist and curator BreezeYoko will return from a six months residency where he had the opportunity to experiment with a new medium: B.D (bande dessinée / graphic novel). Graphically telling the spirit of uNongqawuse (Xhosa prophetess devalued and dismissed in her time) through uBoniswa (a name that itself means, to see or to be shown), Yoko wants to broaden the conversation around the way forward for countries which find themselves at an epistemic crossroads where decolonial discussions are both calling for an ending and a beginning. He intends to use B.D as a tool that will be audio-visually vibrant, socio-politically engaging and afro-futuristically positioned.
Visual Art | Residency Banele Khoza April - June | Cité Internationale des Arts | Paris Banele Khoza, winner of the 2017 Absa L'Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award,will return from Paris after a three months residency. In his work entitled Note Making for which Banele won the award, he questions representations of what it is to be a male in South Africa and in the broader context. On his return, Banele will be given an opportunity to exhibit his work at the Absa Gallery, and on a national tour through the Alliance Française network in 2019. www.bkhz.co.za
Cinema | Audiovisual Encounters South African International Documentary Festival 31 May - 10 June | Cape Town, Johannesburg This year celebrates the 20th edition of the Encounters South A f r i c an I nt e r na t iona l D ocum ent a r y Fe s t i v a l bot h in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The festival is developing the documentary genre and its industry as the virtual reality multiplatform. IFAS and Encounters are partnering once again to invite talents and professionals. www.encounters.co.za
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Visual Art Inside Out June | Soweto The internationally famous and participative Inside Out project, created by the artist JR, is coming to the streets of Soweto in April: 1 000 black and white portraits (huge format) of anonymous “Doers of Soweto” will be displayed. The aim of the project is to celebrate the people who are making Soweto what it is today: from artists to social associations, entrepreneurs and innovative creators. www.insideoutproject.net
Multimedia Digital Lab Africa | Incubation Programme June - December | Sub-Saharan Africa, France From June to December, the 10 winning projects of DLA’s second edition will start their incubation programme. Each project will have both French and African mentors to benefit from the expertise of two different ecosystems, and the opportunity to be immersed in those ecosystems thanks to residency programmes within digital clusters and participation in international industry events, both in France and in the Sub-Saharan African region. www.digilabafrica.com
Multimedia Pulsar The Open Art Prize 5 June - December | Paris IFAS is supporting PulsarThe Open Art Prize, a collaborative and digital art prize open to all creators. During an evening of matchmaking, the 50 best profiles will find their creative partners to collaborate with in the world's largest startup incubator, STATION F. The final 3 winning projects will receive creative grants to be produced and exhibited at the Fondation Groupe EDF, a leading art and technology institution, in December . www.pulsar.paris
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Music Fête de la Musique 9 June | Newtown Junction | Johannesburg The Fête de la Musique will be back for its 7 th edition in Johannesburg. Open to musicians from all genres, hosting international artists alongside local musicians, it is a popular family-friendly event, celebrating live music, and bringing free music for all in a safe and inclusive environment. Presented with the Alliance Française of Johannesburg and in partnership with the Bassline and with the support ofTotal.
www.fetedelamusiquejhb.co.za
Music Ibaaku 9 June | Fête de la Musique | Johannesburg Senegalese multi-disciplinary artist Ibaaku is a prolific and eclectic artist. Like a musical UFO, he introduces us to his world mixing hip-hop and experiment al electro blended with Senegalese references and afro-futuristic style. During his Southern African tour, he will perform at the Fête de la Musique for an exceptional musical getaway of styles and art forms. www.facebook.com/Ibaaku
Movie-Concert OZMA - The Lost World by Harry O. Hoyt (1925) 14-26 June | Maseru, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Windhoek, Bulawayo, Harare, Durban A perilous quest, intrepid explorers, an impossible love, a fantastic country populated by dinosaurs, all electrified by a narrative and reactive music: an adventurous jazz with minimalist accents. A thrilling adventure, the treasure of a silent film that the OZMA ensemble dusts off by infusing it with a contemporary soundtrack, touching and refreshing. While retaining jazz's freedom and love of sound, it is in more popular forms of music that this film concert finds inspiration. Pop melodies, rock explosions, and traces of repetitive, electronic music punctuate the film by accompanying theme changes and nurturing improvisations. www.lacompagnietangram.fr/en/spectacle/cine-concert-the-lost-world
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French Language University of Cape Town Winter School: French for Business 18-22 June | University of Cape Town | Cape Town Knowledge of a foreign language is an additional skill adding to the employability of jobseekers. Companies value language skills as an asset in increasingly competitive markets and to promote less discriminatory work environments. If French is the second language learned in the world, it is thus, more and more, according to professional objectives. This winter university aims to help equip French students from South African universities to better integrate into the job market. www.uct.ac.za Cinema European Film Festival 21 June - 1 July | Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town The 2018 edition of the European Film Festival will show a diverse film programme including different genres from many European countries. For the first time the European Film Festival will continue at National Arts Festival with one screening per day from July 2nd to 7th. Coordinated by the Bristish Council of South Africa, hosted by Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau, and organised in partnership with the European Union and 12 European cultural agencies or embassies in South Africa.
www.eurofilmfest.co.za French Language University of the Witwatersrand Winter School: French for International Relations and Diplomacy 25-29 June | University of the Witwatersrand | Johannesburg French-speaking African countries are found in all regions of the continent. As a result, of the 27 multilateral organizations based in Africa, 25 have French as an official and working language.This is the case of the AU, ECOWAS, COMESA and SADC, to name just a few. French is highly demanded in peacekeeping operations, and the international relations of African states go far beyond the continent. This course aims to help equip French students from South African universities to better integrate into the job market. www.wits.ac.za 20
JULY Multi Discipline National Arts Festival July | Grahamstown For the 22nd year, IFAS continues to pursue a dynamic and inspiring partnership with the National Arts Festival. NAF provides a unique opportunity to present shows that have been supported by IFAS to a broad and diverse audience. This year, the NAF will host a part of the European Film Festival and the premiere of the much anticipated The Little Prince. More details on the programme to follow soon! www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
Cinema Back to Burgundy | Cédric Klapisch 13 July | Franschhoek Bastille Festival | Franschhoek The Franschhoek Bastille Festival on the 14th and 15th July is a celebration of both the French national day and the heritage of the French Huguenots in South Africa.The festival will open this year with the South African premiere of Back to Burgundy, the latest film by famous French director Cédric Klapisch, on the 13th July. Set in the vineyards of Burgundy, it is a tender tale of adult siblings re-building relationships and trust. In partnership with Ster-Kinekor.
Cinema | Audiovisual Durban Film Mart 20 - 23 July | Durban The Durban Film Mart at the Durban International Film Festival facilitates networking opportunities for both African and international film makers, while also providing selected African film-makers the opportunity to pitch film projects to leading financiers. IFAS is supporting the Durban Film Mart to accompany young South African talents through writing and production workshops. www.durbanfilmmart.co.za
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AUGUST Visual Art | Residency Alka Dass June-August I Saint-Emilion Young South-African artist Alka Dass, will return from a three months artistic residency with the Southern African Foundation For Contemporary Art (SAFFCA) in Saint-Emilion, France. She works predominantly in sculpture and painting, and looks at female identity and gender equality. www.saffca.com
Audiovisual Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival August/September | Johannesburg The Fak'ugesi festival gathers together the art, tech and digital worlds. As a jam-packed festival, it proposes many events, activities, workshops, conferences and exhibitions. IFAS sponsors Fak'ugesi to enhance professional and creative exchanges on music, innovation, video games and virtual reality, and enable partnerships with different French festivals. www.fakugesi.co.za
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SEPTEMBER Literature Dibuka @ 15 Celebration September | Alliance Française | Johannesburg Dibuka is turning 15 in September! IFAS, in collaboration with the Alliance Française of Johannesburg and the French Embassy, will develop a special programme of activities to celebrate. Dibuka is a multi-media information centre focusing on contemporary French and Francophone culture. Based on the premises of the Alliance Française of Johannesburg, it offers to the general public access to more than 22 000 documents including books, comics, CDs and DVDs. For its 15 years celebration, Dibuka will sport a brand-new designed space to accommodate everybody, adults, teenagers and children. Francophone cinephiles, take note! The top floor of Dibuka will host a weekly Ciné Club of francophone films (subtitled in English, of course). Dibuka is going beyond mere books, and the September festival will allow users to discover books in its various dimensions, following four thematic weeks of story telling, book making, bande dessinée and animation. Workshops and talks will be held throughout the month ending on Saturday 29 September with a festive day of live music and activities for kids and adults alike.
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Visual Art Japanese Prints Exhibition From September | Léon Dierx Museum | Reunion Island After the success of the From Manet to Picasso, Treasures of the Johannesburg Art Gallery [JAG] and the Léon Dierx Museum from Reunion Island in 2016-2017, these two museums will continue their collaboration in 2018 with an exhibition of Japanese prints from the JAG at the Léon Dierx Museum. These works had major importance in the renewal of aesthetics in Europe from the middle of the 19th century onwards; French and English avant-garde owes a lot to the influence of Japanese prints. A selection of colour lithographs from 1890-1900 belonging to the two museums will be displayed in relation to the Japanese works. This new exhibition will contribute to consolidate the cultural links that France has established with South Africa, via Reunion Island. Literature Open Book Festival 5-9 September | Cape Town This annual literary event attracts a host of celebrated local as well as international participants. IFAS will again participate by enabling French writers from different literary genres to participate in the festival. Stay tuned to discover who! www.openbookfestival.co.za Visual Art 2018 Absa L'Atelier Gérard Sekoto Award 12 September| Absa Gallery | Johannesburg For over a decade, the Absa L'Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award for the most promising artist is given to a young South African artist who has shown continued improvement in the Absa L'Atelier art competition. Through IFAS, the winners can do a three month artistic residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, and, on their return, have the opportunity to present their work on a broad platform within Southern Africa, through exhibitions touring in the Alliance Française network of South Africa and partnering galleries. In partnership with the Alliance Française Network, the South African National Association for Visual Arts (SANAVA) and Barclay's ABSA.
www.lateliercompetition.com 24
Research | Audiovisual Listening to the Rivonia Trial Engaging with the Audio Archives of the Rivonia Trial 20-27 September | Johannesburg In July 1963 anti-apartheid activists were arrested in their secret headquarters in Rivonia. Between October 1963 and June 1964, 10Â defendants, including Nelson Mandela, were prosecuted during the "Rivonia trial". It was a brutal turning point in the history of South Africa as eight of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.The trial was recorded on 591 Dictabelts, an obsolete audio recording medium.These records, held by the National Archives of South Africa, are a fundamental piece of heritage of the South African nation and are also inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World register. INA, the French National Audiovisual Institute, was asked by the South African government to digitize and restore the records. Researchers, artists and ordinary citizens can now dive like never before into this key event and discover so vividly both the brutality of the regime and the determination of the activists. This event aims to share and comment on the experience and meaning of the trial and its records, both in the past and today, as well as to highlight and question the heritage and technical issues around those archives. It combines a public debate with former accused and activists, a round-table with specialists and historians, and artistic and audio-visual productions, crossed and inspired by this sound material which will offer a leitmotiv. The event is part of the Nelson Mandela Centenary 2018 program, run by the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Partners: Nelson Mandela Foundation, NARSSA (National Archives and Records Service of South Africa), Wits History Workshop (University of the Witwatersrand), INA (Institut National de l'Audiovisuel).
www.nelsonmandela.org
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OCTOBER Visual Art Curator | Residency Riason Naidoo | The Writer as a Curator in Contemporary African Art April - October | Cité Internationale des Arts | Paris Independant curator Riason Naidoo will return from a residency in Paris. He is engaged in a curatorial research project exploring the relationship of writing to curating in contemporary African art. During his stay in Paris, he will access relevant publications and archives on African art and interview prominent curators such as Simon Njami, who is of particular interest to his inquiry. Naidoo will give a public presentation of his work in Johannesburg. Visual Art | Residency Monique Pelser July - October | Cité Internationale des Arts | Paris Visual artist Monique Pelser will return from a three month residency in Paris. She is developing short visual stories about a female character grappling with concepts of a digital world. The narrative will unfold as a contemporary love story made through play using illustrations which become stickers or posters, Tinder, GoogleTranslate andWhatsApp video screengrabs.The story will be exhibited as a series of public artworks and as a photographic and video installation of recorded performances and other traces collected during the research process. www.moniquepelser.com Gastronomy So Chef! October | Cape Town, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Maseru, Port-Elizabeth After its previous successes, So Chef! returns to Southern Africa for a 5th edition. Top French Chefs will travel to South Africa and Lesotho to take part in culinary activities and create gastronomic masterpieces. Last year, more than 1 500 people attended the 53 So Chef! workshops and events organised countrywide. They included workshops in schools, TVET colleges, universities and cooking schools, gastronomic dinners in partnering restaurants and many other food events such as tastings, movie eat-alongs and documentary screenings … Bon appétit! Part of the National Nutrition Week of the SA Department of Basic Education (DBE) and in partnership with the Alliances Françaises in South Africa. 26
Documentary Theatre Radio live October | Johannesburg French journalists AurĂŠlie Charon, Caroline Gillet and AmĂŠlie Bonnin visit the stomping grounds of the younger generation to interview them about their life journeys. They then go on to explore the environments, hopes and fears of artists, activists and young professionals through live sessions. By bringing everybody together on stage for the ďŹ rst time and through recorded testimonies, interactions with the audience and live images created by an illustrator, the journalists map a place and a generation, while underlining ongoing shifts in society.
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architecture
cinema
digital
gastronomy
ideas
language
literature
multi discipline
music
performing arts
residency
visual arts
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Afrique du Sud
AllianceFranรงaise South Africa
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Recherche