This 3rd edition of the Festival of French-speaking authors marks a new stage in its development?
Yes because this year it is part of an international tour since we will have launched the first edition of the Festival of Francophone Authors in Malaysia on March 24 and we are launching the first French edition on May 31, June 1 and 2 in the Landes. Ultimately, the Festival, born in New York in 2021, has become a traveling event and this 3rd American edition becomes the 5th edition of the name.
It is also the first time that the Festival “invests” the prestigious National Arts Club in its entirety, since the renowned club opens its doors exceptionally on a Saturday for the Festival of Francophone Authors and thanks to the boundless involvement of its co -founder, Francis Dubois, member of the management committee of the oldest private art club in New York. This will allow us to welcome even more authors but also to expand the programming. You don’t know the place where you only enter when invited by a member? It’s your chance or never.
Finally, around May 18, 2024, we have the pleasure of presenting a daily program which will begin on May 15, at the invitation of New York’s French-speaking institutions…Four days of celebration of French-speaking culture in New York, a pure happiness that we all look forward to sharing with visitors and readers.
It is because the Festival of Francophone Authors is the event of the Rencontre des Auteurs Francophones platform and network that it can develop as it does. Thanks to the power of the network, the active participation of its members and ambassadors and the daily news of its activities around the world.
Why did you choose this tribute to Romain Gary as a common thread?
Last June, we launched the Maison d’Édition Rencontre des Auteurs Francophones, with the Belgian from Miami Anna Alexis Michel at the head of the editorial direction and the fabulous French artist who lived for a long time in the United States, Sandra Encaoua Berrih, which ensures the creation of the covers in particular. Thus, every two months, we publish a collaborative book which brings together very different and personal texts from authors among our 350 members from 50 countries. These calls for texts celebrate an author or a theme linked to our activity (such as a Festival). The first was launched at the National Arts Club for the 80th anniversary of The Little Prince.
So why Gary in May 2024? Because on May 21, we will celebrate the 110th anniversary of the birth of this genius of French literature. Romain Gary, who remains a bridge between the old continent and America since he was Consul of France in Los Angeles in this busy life that was his. On May 18, we will pay tribute to him with the official launch of the book dedicated to him, with some of the authors who contributed to this work, we will have special guests and dramatized animations of texts by Romain Gary.
On May 16, we will be at the Maison de l’Occitanie with the author from Montpellier Mona Azzam, specialist in Camus and Gary around a festive evening on the common thread from Camus to Gary. Mona Azzam will present her novels dedicated to the two authors celebrated that evening but also the two collected works. A fascinating meeting with the public, around a glass of wine from the Occitanie region (the leading French wine producer, remember!) and a meeting with around ten authors who co-signed these books and who will come from abroad for the occasion.
How was the programming carried out and what can visitors expect from this 3rd edition?
If the Festival is a traveling event, it has the particularity of adapting to each location, to each desire of the partners and the places or cities where they set up their libraries. So, if it celebrates film, theater or the visual arts in certain cities, in New York it focuses on books in French.
Visitors will be spoiled this year. More than 25 authors will come from abroad to present themselves to the local French-speaking public. Benoit Cohen will be the guest of this edition and we are working on an additional surprise with a sponsor who will come from France (we are also looking for an airline partner). But above all, we will begin the festivities on May 15 at the end of the day (a little more patience for this first meeting which should be exciting), so on the 16th we are at the Maison de l’Occitanie for a very friendly literary aperitif on the theme “Mediterranean voices in Occitania from Albert Camus to Romain Gary”, on the 17th we will be in Mamaroneck at the invitation of the French-speaking community of Westchester (Alliance Française, West Accueil, FASNY high school among others). We invite book lovers to a magnificent private club by the sea to meet more than 20 French-speaking authors from around the world, around a mini book fair and a late spring and weekend aperitif. And then on the 18th, it is of course the 3rd edition of the Festival at the National Arts Club. In addition to the 25 authors signing, in the legendary good humor of the network, we will offer special meetings throughout the afternoon: an interview with Benoit Cohen around his latest film, adapted from his successful book, readings dramatized texts tribute to Gary by the troupe of actors Atelier Theater New York, a bookstore which will offer Gary’s books but also those of our honorary members, godmothers and godfathers: Marc Levy, Amanda Sthers, Yasmina Khadra, Olivia Elkaim, Alexandre Jardin, André Comte-Sponville, the Goncourt prize Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Éric Chacour, Monique Proulx, Line Papin…
And we are working on a program reserved for children around storytelling.
Benoit Cohen is guest of honor at the festival, how did this collaboration come about?
It was Francis Dubois who initiated the contact. What a wonderful idea! Benoît Cohen is a very talented author and director who has lived in Brooklyn for ten years. We couldn’t have a better guest to honor for this third edition. I was wonderfully received by Benoit, who like many renowned personalities, is truly caring. Benoit will be with us and it’s a great pleasure. His journey is fascinating, his books can be devoured in one sitting and his cinema has long been praised by critics and spectators.
What are your book recommendations at the start of 2024?
If I listed one book more than another, I would hurt many members of the network. Rencontre des Auteurs is a wonderful family and we don’t attack the family, that’s a rule. This is also why the authors follow the adventure of the Festival in Saint-Paul-Les-Dax, New York, Montpellier, Brussels and Kuala Lumpur. Because they feel at home, among friends and we leave with unforgettable memories.
So I’m going to give you four favorites that started in my living room and ended up on the network. Because when I become passionate about a book that I discover, I begin an exchange with the author and it ends with the invitation to the writer to join us as a guest. This was the case for Jean-Baptiste Andréa (Watch over her), for whom I had a real crush long before he was in the list of finalists for Goncourt, literary and human. Jean Baptiste is incredibly kind and accessible. For Eric Chacour (What I know about you) whose first novel is exceptional, here again I was delighted when the first prizes began to reward his work. A real favorite also for the latest novel by Olivia Elkaim (Daughter of Tunis), a beautiful writer full of humility and then of course the moving story of Benoît Cohen’s book Mohamed, my mother and I… And then all those I didn’t mention. The network is full of talents from around the world, you have to log in every day to discover them!
Registration and information on www.RencontredesAuteursFrancophones.com
An idea ? Want to participate? Support ?
sandrine@rencontredesauteursfrancophones.com
2024-02-29 17:08:46
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