News From France 12.01

News From France

Vol. 12.01 January 31, 2012

A free monthly review of French news & trends

©MAEE/Frédéric de la Mure

©MAEE/Frédéric de la Mure

France Works Toward a Successful Arab Spring

French foreign minister Alain Juppé visited Tripoli, Libya following the country’s 2011 revolution, which France assisted militarily. As a supporter of democratic transition in the ongoing “Arab Spring” events in the Middle East and North Africa, France has sought both to help and respect national sovereignty. Related interview, p. 2 .

While North Africa and the Middle East continue to experience political and social unrest—earning the label “Arab Spring,” a reference to the Prague Spring of 1968 and other democratic protest movements—France has maintained a highly active diplomatic presence everywhere global decisions on the regions are being made.

From Tunisia and Egypt, to Paris and the United Nations in New York, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has sought progress toward a peaceful and democratic future for the Arab Mediterranean.

On Syria, France has repeatedly voiced its condemnation of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Alain Juppé, France’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, termed the government’s violence against its citizens an “absolutely savage crackdown” and judged that “this regime no longer really has a future.” Mr. Juppé concluded that “It’s therefore up to the international community to speak out.” Some measures were begun in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC); however, following a February 4 veto of a UNSC resolution to help Syria by Russia and China, the body has yet to pass substantive resolutions to end the pattern of bloodshed in the country.

In the latest effort to consolidate international support for Syria, President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed creating a “Friends of Syria” group, an idea which has garnered strong encouragement from the U.S. Department of State.

The group would work in parallel with the Syrian National Council, the country’s most prominent rebel organization.

Mr. Juppé paid an official visit to Tunisia on January 5 and 6, which was intended as a gesture toward reinforcing bilateral relations and consolidating the privileged relationship between Tunisia and France. He met with President Moncef Marzouki, as well as the prime minister and the head of foreign affairs. In a statement, Mr. Juppé promised that France would be “vigilant in terms of respect for certain principles: the rule of law, respect for

minorities—for all minorities, particularly religious minorities—and respect for the status of women.” He also mentioned the need to “take action” in the economic affairs of the fledgling government, citing Egypt as a country where democratic progress has also made for some adverse economic conditions. Minister Juppé pledged to continue assistance through the framework of the Deauville Partnership, a program organized within the framework of the G8 for the purpose of lending financial support to Arab countries in democratic transition.

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France will not remain silent in the face of the Syrian scandal.

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- President Nicolas Sarkozy

A long-term plan to help Arab Spring nations transition to a more democratic future, the Deauville Partnership was launched in May 2011 during the Group of Eight (G8) Summit then taking place in the northern French town of the same name. The program lays out political structures to allow for the establishment of real democracy, as well as the economic framework necessary to foster transparent, accountable governing and sustainable, inclusive growth. While announcing the program, G8 leaders, who represent the world’s eight wealthiest economies, stressed their view that all progress in the Arab Spring regions be “home-grown and driven by plans elaborated by the Partnership Countries themselves,” according to a communiqué from the International Monetary Fund.

As France continues its commitment to democratic, economic and social progress in the wake of

revolutions throughout the Arab Mediterranean, it will continue to work with its partners in traditional and new structures to advance democracy and human freedoms wherever they may be struggling to prevail.

inside Current Events

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France & America

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In Depth

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Business & Tech

5

Society

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Culture

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France in America

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Interview with Arab Spring Expert French, U.S. Columnists Convene

Your French Film Festival

Innovation Capitals: Paris, Lyon Comic Books Sketch Out Europe

Vieux Paris in Black and White

Impressionism in D.C.

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AF Creates Prize for Artists; Five in France, Five Abroad

European Union Enacts Embargo on Iranian Oil As proposed by President Sarkozy in a November 21 circular letter to heads of state, EU leaders have agreed to implement tougher sanctions on Iran as the international community continues to discourage the country from developing a nuclear program.

The Obama administration praised the efforts of European leaders as they hope to persuade the Iranian regime to engage in dialogue with regards to its program, which is widely suspected of enriching uranium with the direct intent of developing a nuclear weapon.

The new round of sanctions will focus on future imports of Iranian crude oil as well as a gradual phase-out of existing contracts by July 1, 2012. The Central Bank of Iran, as well as the petrochemical and gold industry, are also being considered as possible targets of future sanctions.

France’s foreign minister Alain Juppé believes the sanctions are necessary and says there is “no doubt” that Iran is continuing its plans to build a nuclear weapon. The ramifications from this announcement are already being felt throughout Europe. Refiners in Italy and Spain have terminated some of their Iranian purchases and are seeking other oil-exporting states to develop ties with.

Denmark Sets Economic and Green Goals for EU Presidency Denmark commenced its role as President of the Council of the European Union (EU) on January 1 and will hold the position for six months. Its priorities for this term, announced January 6 in Copenhagen, focus on the financial crisis and the integration of “green” strategies into EU economic growth. Regarding the ongoing euro currency crisis, Denmark emphasized the importance of financial reforms in all member states to restore confidence in the European market and improve the European economy. In particular, Denmark plans to concentrate on modernizing the Single Market Act by improving the ease and safety of online trading and by lowering cross-border roaming prices.

Green objectives are integral to Denmark’s goals for the presidency, especially its economic priorities.

Through its agenda for green and sustainable growth, Denmark aims to encourage economic growth without increasing resource and energy consumption.

Denmark intends to support cooperation between the ©Sylvain de Gelder

Can a cultural institution build bridges between emerging artists separated by national borders but united by an interest in French culture? The Alliance Française in Marseille-Provence will encourage those connections through its event l’Alliance pour l’Art (Alliance for Art), or “ApART.” In March 2012, during the celebration of Francophonie, ApART will combine the artistic efforts of emerging local and international artists through an exhibition, charity auction and soirée. The Alliance Française in Marseille-Provence will select five French artists, while five other Alliances will select an artist living in their countries.

A jury of 25 cultural aficionados from around Marseille, including gallery owners and collectors, will choose the winner. Each judge will also present an artist outside of the group of ten finalists. In addition to a cash award, ApART aims to further strengthen cross-border artistic connections by offering to exhibit the winner’s works for one year, on a rotational basis between Alliance Française institutions in other countries.

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current events

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©Danish Presidency of the Council of EU

As 2011 rolled into 2012, Denmark assumed the EU presidency, its seventh since joining the bloc in 1973.

public and private sector with the long term goal of achieving a resource-efficient and low-carbon Europe by 2050. The EU presidency rotates among member states biannually. The country holding the presidency chairs meetings of the Council and associated bodies in addition to representing the Council in negotiations with other EU bodies such as the European Commission and the European Parliament, which are based in Brussels and Strasbourg, respectively. The presiding country may use its term to guide the work of member states and enhance cooperation between EU institutions while pursuing its priorities for the EU system.

interview with the expert David Cvach, Political Counselor Middle East and North African Affairs As popular unrest continues in the Middle East and North Africa, Washington has been abuzz with activity as policymakers respond to the regions’ developments.

David Cvach (pronounced “Sfarr”), the embassy’s expert in these regions, shared his role in France’s efforts in smoothing out, as he says, the “long, bumpy path” to democracy.

As the embassy’s specialist in the regions affected by the Arab Spring, how have you been called to act within Washington’s diplomatic community?

I would say in two ways. The first is that when you have such a seismic shift, you have an immediate need for coordination between France and the U.S. This need is only partly met by the direct communications between capitals. So the challenge for me as a counselor is to make sure there is a clear view in the U.S. on French policy and vice-versa. Secondly, the Arab Spring generated a very wide debate in Washington on policy towards the Middle East and on what Europe and specifically France is doing there. So it is quite important that we are able to present our positions in this debate: to the Administration, Congress, think tanks and the press.

countries are a few hours’ flight away from Paris. We really feel that we have a shared future with these countries. But we are not in the business of giving lessons and I think recent events have taught us two things. First, we are not going to get to this shared future if we don’t build a real partnership. Second, it’s false to think that one must choose between stability and democracy. We have learned that, ultimately, one is always better off supporting democracy.

What should Americans know about joint French and U.S. efforts in the Arab Spring events?

I’d like them to know that cooperation is historically good between us. And this isn’t just diplomatic talk. We have some tactical differences, which are natural, but the goals and the views on where we need to go are strikingly similar. We have worked together remarkably well throughout the military intervention in Libya. We are in full agreement on the need to support the Arab transitions. The Deauville Partnership, which we set up under our presidency of the G8 back in May, has been passed to the U.S., who currently hold the G8 presidency. They are continuing to carry this forward. We are also working together very closely on Iran and its radical agenda.

So really, when we take a step back, we can say that the unity of views and purpose is remarkable.

France has recently expressed frustration with the United Nations Security Council, calling their inaction “scandalous” while the crackdown in Syria continues.

How is France working to find a solution for Syria?

I think the frustration is very widely shared given the appalling situation in Syria, with the rising death toll, with disappeared persons. And so we are working with the Security Council members to see how we can break the stalemate. But we are also working with the Arab League, the Syrian opposition, Turkey, and other partners to see how we can help accelerate the transition in Syria and put an end to the bloodshed. In your view, what does the future look like for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa?

How does France’s history with these regions influence I won’t make any predictions. I wouldn’t be a diplomat if I did! its policy today?

But I can make two comments. We know that the path from I would say that our history, in both its good and bad days, revolution to democracy can be long and bumpy. We must and also our geography, have produced very strong ties be ready for some difficult times. But we have also learned between France and most Middle Eastern countries. These from history that, once you take the “genie” of democracy out ties are human, social, economic, cultural. Most of these of the bottle, it’s very difficult to get it back in.

france & america

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American Chefs Chosen for International Bocuse d’Or The waving flags, national anthems and enthusiastic fans may make you think you’re at the Olympics, but the chef hats prove this is a whole different kind of game: the Bocuse d’Or World Cuisine Contest. On January 28-29, four American chefs competed in a contest organized by the Bocuse d’Or Foundation USA to represent the United States in this extraordinary international culinary competition.

Established in 1987 by French Chef Paul Bocuse, the Bocuse d’Or contest celebrates fine cuisine and the dedication, skill and precision required to create it at the highest international level. Teams create two platters, one with seafood and one with meat, and three garnishes. Twenty-four renowned chefs then evaluate each team’s work on the basis of flavor, presentation, technique and efficiency of production.

The United States has participated in the international competition for over two decades, but it was not until 2008 that New York-based French chef Daniel Boulud established the Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation at the request of Chef Bocuse to support the American team. The Foundation provides a structure for selecting one chef and one commis assistant.

It then provides training and financial support for the team in preparation for the global contest.

This year four chefs from various parts of the United States competed for the honor of representing their country at the highest level of fine cuisine creation. To be eligible, chefs must be at least 23 years old by the time of the competition and have worked in fine dining for at least three years. This year’s winner was Richard Rosendale, who is American; he is

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Paris Hosts Forest Summit, Paves the Way to “Rio+20”

©Bocuse d’Or USA

Kelly Choi from the TV program “Top Chef Masters” interviews American chefs at the Bocuse d’Or 2012.

executive chef at The Greenbrier, a luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Mr. Rosendale will represent the United States at next year’s Bocuse d’Or with his commis, Corey Siegel.

Rasmus Kofoed, a 38-year-old Danish chef, was the winner of last year’s Bocuse d’Or. Kofoed received his training in Copenhagen and currently runs Geranium, an organic gastronomic restaurant in the Danish captial.

The biennial Bocuse d’Or competition was established in 1987 to highlight the dedication and skill that creating fine cuisine entails. Twenty-four countries will compete next January in Lyon.

The end of 2011 marked the end of the “International Year of Forests,” a United Nations initiative to protect wooded lands around the world. Around the slogan of “forests for people,” the project’s four goals were to reverse forest loss, increase sustainable forest management, mobilize financial resources, and enhance forest-based benefits by improving the livelihoods of forest-dwelling peoples. France hosted a conference attended by over 300 stakeholders from government, academia and civil society to take stock of the UN program, and to outline means of continuous improvement in forest-related global issues.

The conference follows a handful of environmental conferences in which France has played key roles, including the national Grenelle de l’Environnment program begun in 2007 and the international climate conference held in Durban, South Africa last month.

The January event, held in Paris, helped prepare the final product of a white paper on tropical forests, which will serve as a “road map” for French policymakers in the lead-up to the UN’s “Rio+20” conference on sustainable development scheduled for June 2012.

French Dancers Perform “Modern Vogue” in New York

What do you get when you join two leading global columnists and the editorial chief of one of France’s foremost newspapers? A scintillating bout of discussion, to be sure, as well as a debate called “Politics in Crisis: Europe and the U.S.,” organized by the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune on January 11 in Paris.

The roundtable discussion featured Roger Cohen and Nicholas Kristof, both of the Times, as well as the journal’s deputy editorial page editor, Carla Robbins; their French counterpart was Sylvie Kauffmann, Editorial Director of Le Monde.

In a discussion that ranged from the American electoral primaries to the ongoing euro currency turmoil, the interlocutors had much to say on the current politics on each side of the Atlantic. On the question of European identity, the speakers asked one another whether Europe’s religious history still pertains to that continent in the 21st century. “Is European identity still a Christian identity, or a much more diverse identity that we have to accept?” one of them asked. As the topics shifted and the debate got into full swing, the speakers jumped from the euro currency turmoil and women’s rights in the Arab Spring regions to the rise of China as an economic powerhouse.

The event is the latest installment in a series titled “The New York Times Opinion Pages Live,” a new project that aims to bring leading opinion makers to the same table for discussions on the times and those who make them. The events are livestreamed on the internet so that web viewers can watch the debate no

French dancers Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud made their second visit to New York City in January for “Twenty Looks or Paris is Burning at the Judson Church,” a collaboration with Trajal Harrell and Marlene Monteiro Freitas, two of the city’s prominent modern dance choreographers.

In the decidedly conceptual subjects of artistic and personal identities, desire, and vogue dancing, the artists explore a subset of the more traditional dance style, ballroom. Vogue first developed in the 1960s within New York’s ballroom dance circles. The term is now often associated with predominantly gay dance culture that gained exposure in pop culture examples such as Madonna’s 1990 hit “Vogue” and the accompanying music video, which featured the thenobscure subculture.

The project is supported by FUSED (French-US Exchange in Dance), the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York, a program of the National Dance Project/New England Foundation for the Arts, and FACE (French American Cultural Exchange), with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Florence Gould Foundation.

©Le Monde

French, U.S. Columnists Debate Transatlantic Politics

Sylvie Kaufmann, Editorial Director of Le Monde, was on hand to discuss European and American politcs.

matter where they are. Past web events have included Times columnist and Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, Thomas Friedman, David Brooks and others.

“Politics in Crisis: Europe and the U.S.” was presented in collaboration with the Académie Diplomatique Internationale, a Paris-based independent policy research institute for global affairs analysis.

The group is currently in partnership with the International Herald Tribune for its “Forum for a New Diplomacy” program.

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in depth

Online Film Fest Showcases France’s Rising Talents

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n a globalized and rapidly evolving market, French cinema has never been more prominent. France is now the leading European producer of cinema and the second largest exporter of films worldwide. The best recent illustration of the industry is probably the French silent movie “The Artist,” which recently received ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Yet in spite of success stories like “The Artist,” the presence of new French movies in international markets remains more the exception than the rule.

A Film Festival Where You Run the Show

On-Demand and in Your Language For the duration of the festival, on-demand streaming of the films, available in no less than 14 languages, was offered to viewers at various price options (per feature, per short, or per package deal) on several platforms. Viewers were then given the opportunity to vote for their favorites and leave comments. Exclusive interviews of directors and actors were also available on the festival’s website.

In February, awards will be given in three categories for both feature and short films: viewers’ choice, judges’ choice and international press selection. The winning films will be shown aboard Air France flights for the next 6 to 9 months,

©My French Film Festival

©My French Film Festival

In an effort to improve this situation and to highlight the talents of young French filmmakers, several French partners came together in 2011 to launch MyFrenchFilmFestival.com. The event is an innovative concept that enables film-lovers to discover new French creations and share their common love of cinema with the entire world through the Internet. Its organizers hail from both public and private arts management institutions, including uniFrance, Allociné, the National Center for Cinema, and France’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Ministry of Culture and Communication. Last year’s inaugural event was a success, attracting more than 320,000 visitors. The second edition took place in January this year, and was physically launched in several cities around the world, including Los Angeles, London, Berlin and Seoul.

This year’s festival provides access to 10 feature films and 10 shorts by upand-coming French artists. The selection “reflects the outlooks of a new generation of creators, where society, love and humor meet,” said Frédéric Mitterrand, the Minister of Culture and Communication. The festival featured popular movies in France, such as “Eight Times Up,” directed by Xabi Molia, and the comedy “Back to Square One,” directed by Thomas Ngijol, Fabrice Eboué and Lionel Steketee. The festival’s selection also featured the 1956 classic movie “The Trip Across Paris” by Claude Autant-Lara, which stars Jean Gabin, Bourvil and Louis de Funès.

starting in May 2012.

The network of the French foreign ministry was an important partner in the festival. Cultural attachés throughout the world helped to promoted it and organized events related to MyFrenchFilmFestival. com. Teachers belonging to the Alliance Française network and the Lycées Français were associated with the project.

As the debate over online movie trafficking rages in the U.S., France and elsewhere, this new mode of online distribution “represents Hapless Mathieu and Elsa support each other as a real opportunity for neighbors and friends, and romance hangs in the air.

French cinema,” says Eric Garandeau, President of the French National Center for Cinema. “I hope that this online festival becomes permanent,” he expressed, so that “this newly established dialogue between Internet users across the world, focused on French cinema, will continue to grow.”

French Film Celebrates 2011 as Record Sales Year T he year 2011 will go down in history as the year France went to the movies... over and over again. A total of 215.6 million tickets marked a 4.2 percent increase in ticket sales from 2010, which makes 2011 the best for French movie houses since 1966. French filmmakers especially benefited from the increase in moviegoers, capturing 41.6 percent of the domestic market, an increase of nearly five percent from 2010. Ticket sales for French films such as Les Intouchables reached their highest mark since 1984. Spectators of French films numbered 215 million, while American films attracted 99 million viewers, a slight increase of 0.8 percent from the previous year. Rien à Déclarer, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Adventures of Tintin, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides round out the list of most successful movies in France for 2011.

©My French Film Festival

©My French Film Festival

L-R: Lou de Laage co-stars in “J’aime Regarder les Filles,” a classic princess-meets-pauper tale. In “Love Like Poison” (Un Poison Violent), director Katell Quillévéré is considerably younger than Michel Galabru (center), who plays a grumpy yet loving grandfather. Julie drops everything for Ben in D’Amour et d’Eau Fraîche.

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business & technology

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French Cities Named as Top 2011 Global Innovation Hubs

© paris.com

Urban centers in France are conjuring up the same word in the minds of investors and economic analysts: innovation.

On the Global Innovation Hubs 2011 list by the Australia-based agency 2thinknow, Paris ranks first in Europe for innovation and third globally, just after American cities Boston and San Francisco. Lyon rose one spot from the 2010 rankings to its status as fifth in Europe and eighth worldwide.

2thinknow’s City Benchmarking Data program classifies cities based on the performance of urban economies. The top ten percent of the 331 cities analyzed, termed “nexus cities” in the study, demonstrate the pre-conditions for innovation in multiple industries including science, product, process, business, service and policy. Innovation leads to economic improvement within two to five years for many industries, according to the 2thinknow press release on the rankings.

The criteria for choosing the world’s nexus cities are as rigorous as they are complex. A set of 162 indicators are used to calculate an urban center’s innovation value. The results are then weighted by a team of analysts, while a separate “zeitgeist factor” is included to account for unpredictable, fast-moving trends.

Beyond the nexus category for which Paris and Lyon qualify, the 2thinknow rating scheme also defines second- and third-tier locations as “hub cities” and “node cities.” Some areas that owe their development to proximity with larger ones— for example, according to the survey’s criteria, Silicon Valley would be included with San Francisco. The report recommends that entrepreneurs seek to establish themselves in nexus cities in order to most fully benefit from the breadth of services available nearby.

Similarly, innovative cities may be more likely to recover from current economic difficulties. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that innovation is an integral factor in a country’s ability to rebound from a recession. 2thinknow applies this logic to cities and concludes that the most innovative cities may generate economic growth at a faster pace than the nation as a whole. With two of its cities consistently high in the rankings since the program began in 2007, France is well-situated as a regional and global innovation leader.

In a survey conducted by Australian market research firm 2thinknow, Paris and Lyon rank among the “nexus cities” within global innovation hierarchy. The French capital takes first place among Europe’s cities, and Lyon comes in fifth.

©MAEE / Frédéric de la Mure

In a bold leadership decision, Mr. Sarkozy has pledged to create a financial transaction tax in France.

Circulation of Franc To End 13 Years After Euro Adoption

It’s time to dig one last time through those old suitcase pockets and wallets looking for francs from past trips—as of February 17, banknotes of the former French currency will no longer be transferable into euros. At least 50 million franc notes are still in circulation, valued at around 500 million euros at the fixed conversion rate of 6.55957 francs to the euro. The amount left unconverted by the deadline will benefit the Banque de France and converted bills will be sent to a cement factory. There, the currency will take on a new life as a durable recycled material used for projects such as the construction of tennis courts.

The end of banknote circulation marks France’s final transition to the euro currency, following its currency switch in 1999. As of 2002, francs are no longer legal tender and the Banque de France stopped accepting coins in 2005.

French Business Confidence Rising, Slowly

Sarkozy Offers Solutions for Global Financial Reform President Sarkozy placed France at the forefront of economic reform efforts in the European Union this month with his support of a levy on financial transactions, the so-called “Tobin tax,” named after the economist who first advanced the idea in the 1970s.

Mr. Sarkozy supports the introduction of the tax in the 17 eurozone countries if an agreement cannot be reached among all 27 members of the European Union.

In light of the sovereign debt crisis affecting several EU countries, Mr. Sarkozy plans to implement reforms in France this month following talks with union leaders and employers. France intends to implement the tax this month as a step toward financial reform even if debate continues among eurozone and European Union states.

In a January news conference, Mr. Sarkozy stated that, if necessary, one group of countries would take the lead and adopt the tax in expectation that the rest of the European Union would soon follow suit.

French bankers and businesspeople have expressed concerns about the competitivity of the French and eurozone financial markets if the tax only applies to a limited number of countries. In contrast, the measure is popular with the general European public, who have voiced discontent over bank bailouts. Mr. Sarkozy has argued that there must be strong leadership to spearhead efforts on the Tobin tax, and more broadly, to lead the way toward greater financial responsibility and past the volatility of the current eurozone difficulties.

NFF

The year 2012 is starting with a somewhat stronger economic outlook for France than the past few years of ongoing global slump. In January, INSEE, France’s national statistics bureau, released figures from November 2011, the latest available, which draw a more positive picture than many observers had predicted. Industrial production gained by 1.1 percent, notably from output in the electronics and refinery sectors, leading expert bodies such as the Bank of France to anticipate a better-than-hoped performance of French gross domestic product in the fourth quarter, as reported

by Bloomberg Businessweek in early January. Though manufacturing output decreased in the third quarter of 2011, the decline did not erase a year-on-year gain of 2.2 percent from 2010, indicating an overall upward trend as France seeks a way out of the current recession. The electronic and machine equipment industries constitute the leading avatars of French economic growth at 3.1 percent within their markets. Likewise, transport equipment manufacturing enjoyed a 2.7 percent growth rate for 2011.

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NFF

society

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Comic Book Festival Draws Crowds in Angoulême

In a ritual that harkens back to one of France’s most cherished traditions, French families enjoyed the Galette des Rois—Kings’ Cake—that celebrates the event in the Christian faith wherein the Three Wise Men arrive in Bethlehem to greet the newborn Jesus of Nazareth.

The cake, most often made with frangipane, sweet almond cream and a whole lot of butter, hides a fève, or charm, which is purported to bring good luck to whomever finds it in their slice. The holiday is celebrated each January 6 and the French Embassy marked the event in due form, with galette des rois parties in various departments and the cakes for sale in the cafeteria.

Variations of the recipe can include fruit compote, chocolate or another cream filling of the baker’s choosing.

As the custom goes, the lucky recipient of the charm is called the King/Queen for a Day. At the Elysée Palace, France’s presidential residence, an enormous cake is served to feed some 150 people—but the cake holds no fève, as it would be “improper to designate a king within the Presidency of the Republic,” according to an official Foreign Ministry communiqué.

© L’Europe se dessine

French Families Cut the Cake—and Hope for a King

“Sketching Out Europe” held its 39th annual comics conference with support from France’s foreign ministry.

Comic book lovers from all over Europe convened in the southwestern town of Angoulême from January 26 to 29 for a festival called “L’Europe se dessine,” or “Sketching Out Europe.” Jointly supported by the European Commission, the dominant body of the European Union, and France’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the event’s objective was to represent the idea of European integration through drawing, comics and other forms of graphic design. As it’s called in French, la bande dessinée is akin to American-style comic book forms most often geared toward children. But in countries like France, Belgium and elsewhere in Europe, the artform enjoys a much wider readership among fans that often follow their favorite comic book series throughout their adult lives.

As the European Union moves toward greater cohesiveness and a clearer idea of exactly what it means to be European, the organizers sought to develop these thoughtlines by bringing 50 prominent comic book creators to the annual celebration of European drawing arts.

Another 20 were featured in an ‘up-and-comers’ conference, where attendees could determine for themselves who might be leading Europe’s graphic avant-garde.

The festival features a kind of mascot: an imaginary young adult named “Iris” (see image), an inquisitive European student who goes traveling to observe international architecture, which is her major. As part of the illustrators’ participation in the festival, each artist integrated Iris into their work while touching on the event’s three themes: European Values, Everyday Europe, and Europe’s Future. Iris was shown in an array of settings reflecting these ideas, which highlighted the Continent’s advantages in democracy and human rights, social security, and peace and global leadership. The event’s organizers hope to raise kids’ awareness of these ideas and values—and what better way to start than with comic books?

France Advances to Hopman Cup Finals, A First Since 1998 French tennis players Marion Bartoli and Richard Gasquet defeated China 2-1, Australia 3-0 and Spain 2-0 to advance to the finals of the 24th Hopman Cup earlier this month in Perth, Australia. It was France’s first appearance in the finals since Mary Pierce and Cédric Pioline played Slovakia in the 1998 competition. The tournament, which pits men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed-doubles in a bestof-three format, serves as an effective tune-up to the Australian Open Grand Slam Tournament in Melbourne.

Bartoli is currently the number oneranked women’s French tennis player and Gasquet boasts the #18 best ranking in the world for men’s singles.

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With the rise of personal computers and digitized publication, the artifacts of printing—the moveable type, metal plates and “punches,” or individual letters set on steel spikes that can weigh upwards of seven pounds—would seem things of past. Not so for an exhibition currently open in New York City, where elements from France’s now-defunct official printing house, the Imprimerie Nationale, recall a time when type was set by hand, letters were hammered into shape my metallurgists, and fonts bore names like Romain du Roi after King Louis XIV and other royal commissioners.

Originally the Imprimerie Royale, the printing body underwent a name change when France threw off its monarchical rule in 1789 in favor of democracy. So the evolution of the firm reflects the developments of modern France, to a certain degree, and the changes reflect the political upheavals throughout its modern period. The Romain de l’Empereur font, for example, appeared shortly after Napoleon’s meteoric rise to power at the turn of the 19th century.

The exhibit is housed at the Grolier Club, a Manhattan haven for bibliophiles founded in 1884 that owes its name to a 16th-century French aristocrat and book collector named Jean Grolier who commissioned elaborate—and often expensive— engraved leather book bindings with geometric patterns. In addition to the Roman-alphabet letters and

punches on display, the exhibit features a selection of the 150,000 copper matrices used to decorate the illustrated first pages of books, as well as some of the 224,000 Chinese characters carved in boxwood during the medieval reign of the first King of France, Philippe II (1190-1223).

The exhibit, whose full title is “Printing for Kingdom, Empire & Republic: Treasures From the Archives of the Imprimerie Nationale” ran through February 4. For more information, please visit www.grolierclub.org.

©The Grolier Club

© Paris Sweets in Seattle

French Printing History on Display in New York City

The Imprimerie Nationale established many of today’s printing standards, such as the Garamond font.

cultural highlights French photographer Eugène Atget may not have been duly appreciated during his lifetime (1857-1927), but his prolific body of work, which documents a fin de siècle Paris and its inhabitants, is set to enjoy renewed attention through an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Titled “Eugène Atget: Documents pour artistes,” the event borrows its name from the studio Mr. Atget kept in Paris’s 18th arrondissement.

His concept was to provide photographs for painters and other visual artists—it was common practice at the time to paint subjects with the help of a photograph— rather than presenting the pictures as stand-alone artworks. He called his pictures simply “documents,” visual testimony of the Paris that attracted scores of artists from all over the world, including the American “Lost Generation” that included Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway. His portfolio offers compelling views into French city life in a bygone era.

Through prodigious output sustained over a lifetime, Mr. Atget captured a Paris that experienced dramatic change through the 20th century. His focus on subjects like the 5th arrondissement, home of the Latin Quarter and the Luxembourg Gardens, reveals the specificities of the time and place in stunning detail. His exploration of courtyards, both in Paris and more rural locales, offers a study through photography of early 20th century French architecture.

A onetime bit-part actor and lifelong bohemian, Mr. Atget seemed to embody the eccentric qualities of the Parisian art community in his time. He and his wife, Valentine, associated with several major personalities of the city’s theater scene. And in the latter part of his life he insisted on eating only bread, milk and sugar.

“Eugène Atget: Documents Pour Artistes” runs at the Museum of Modern Art February 6 through April 9.

© Eugène Atget

Documents in Time: Photographs of Old Paris at Museum of Modern Art

Some of Paris’s most celebrated traditions feature in Mr. Atget’s work, including these crooked Left Bank streets, and the city’s cafés and their patio seating—or, as the French say, en terrasse.

© Opera Lafayette

Opera Lafayette Holds Two Shows in Washington Area

La Roi et Le Fermier gave two performances, one a preview, in Washington before heading to New York City.

Two exclusive engagements of the acclaimed Le Roi et le Fermier (The King and the Farmer) were made available to Washington, D.C. opera enthusiasts before the ensemble cast relocated to New York and Versailles for the duration of the show’s run. The Opera Lafayette debuted the modern world premier of this 18th-century opera, which displays the unique collaboration of French dramatist Michel-Jean Sedaine and renowned composer Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny.

In their collaboration, these two artists created a new kind of opera where the music was not meant to be presented as an accompaniment, but rather as an integral part of the narrative itself. With Artistic Director and Conductor Ryan Brown at the helm, the revival of 18th Century opera continues with this opéra comique that explores issues relating to class struggle between French nobility and the common man. Ironically, the piece was performed at Versailles by Marie Antoinette and her seigneurs in 1780, as revolution simmered in nearby Paris.

A special preview performance was shown Friday, January 20th, at 7:30 p.m. at the Atlas Performance Arts Center (www.atlasarts.org).

The Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (www.kennedy-center.org) hosted a performance on January 21, at 7:30 p.m., immediately followed by a dessert reception at the Rivers at the Watergate (600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC).

coup d’oeil

NFF

Virginia Museum Exhibits Rare Burgundy Sculptures After two years spent zigzagging across the United States, The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy will make its final stop at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond.

The exhibit, which features 37 sculptures of mourners from tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy, will be on display until April 15. Other stops on the whirlwind tour included the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The alabaster mourners represent emotions of devotion and piety, presenting mourning as a commonality shared by people across time and space.

The highly detailed designs display a wide range of grief, from solemn and stoic sculptures, to more emotional representations. These sculptures epitomize artistic achievement in Burgundy during the 14th century, when the Dukes ruled over much of present-day France.

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News From France A free monthly review of French news & trends

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Impressionism Exhibits Open, Close at Nat’l Gallery

New Orleans Celebrates Joan of Arc’s Birthday in Style

The National Gallery of Art in Washington closed the expansive 81-piece collection entitled From Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection on January 2. The collection comprised almost one fourth of the more than 300 paintings bequeathed by the famed art collector Chester Dale following his death in 1962.

Mr. Dale, a Wall Street financier, began collecting in the 1920s with his wife, Maud. Their collection consists almost exclusively of early- to mid-20th century pieces, including works by such artists as Henri Matisse, Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Edgar Degas.

“It is impossible to overestimate the transformative impact of the [Dale] collection on the National Gallery of Art,” said Earl A. Powell III, the NGA’s director. “Their legacy has not only enriched the Gallery but the nation as well.”

Many pieces from Mr. Dale’s collection will continue to be on display in the Gallery as French Impressionist and PostImpressionist works will again take center stage with the unveiling of the newly renovated galleries on January 28.

Joan of Arc would turn 600 this month, and the city of New Orleans celebrated her birthday with one of its best-known traditions: the street parade.

On January 6th, the Krewe de Jeanne D’Arc held their 4th Annual parade in honor of the “Maid of Orléans.”

The parade featured several displays that included some of the major influences in Joan of Arc’s life, and centered on the empowerment of young women who revere the French patriot as a symbol of strength and historical importance. With this in mind, the city held a “Maid of Honor” contest for young women between the ages of 16 and 19. The winner was chosen based on her leadership skills as well as her understanding of Joan of Arc and the impact she had on French history.

The 2012 winner, Aggie Bell, spoke of the French heroine: “I understand and deeply appreciate Joan’s fearless accomplishments... Her example can be emulated anywhere.”

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Impressionist classics such as this one by Henri Matisse are featured in two consecutive exhibits at the National Gallery.

© Kim Welsh

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Aggie Bell won the 2012 Joan of Arc contest, an annual event that celebrates the figure’s leadership and legacy.