What does the 50th Angoulême comic strip festival have in store for us?
50 years already that the FIBD has brought together lovers of comics in all their diversity in Angoulême. We could expect a great heritage celebration or a retrospective exhibition on the occasion of this edition, which will take place from January 26 to 29, 2023: nay. The organizing team announces that it wants to kick off a new era, and look to the future and to young people. As proof, a growing place devoted to manga, with an ambitious Manga City, and a new Youth District covering more than 1,500 m².
The official selection affirms its shift towards a selection of “indie” albums, sometimes even experimental, with young authors, geographical diversity, gender diversity, and an increasingly anecdotal presence of major publishing houses. . The most surprising (but not necessarily the most striking) is perhaps The color of things of Martin Panchauda story built on a schematic principle where the characters are colored circles placed on a map. Revenge of the Librarians of Tom Gauld will delight New Yorker aficionados and publishing professionals.
Among the albums worthy of a serious look, we can cite Naphtalinea partly autobiographical story in which Otero sunan Argentinian author living in France, explores the history of her female lineage. EDEN of Sophie Guerrivefifth volume of the adventures of the bear Tulip, offers a philosophical drift to meet true paradise. It is also difficult not to be seduced by they burna story of Dark Fantasy as terrible as it is graceful served by the thrifty and lively trait ofAniss El Hamouri.
As for the Grand Prix, whoever the winner will be announced at the opening of the festival, next Wednesday, January 25, it will in any case be the intimate bonus. Between queer comic figurehead Alison Bechdel, Catherine Meurissethe first female cartoonist to be a member of the Academy of Fine Arts, and Riad Sattouf who has already won two Fauves d’or for best album, the artists in the running have all three happily practiced the autobiographical story.
On site, there will certainly be no exhibition of Bastien Vivesbut there will be a major retrospective dedicated to the Quebecoise Julie Doucet, Grand Prix du Festival 2022, which promises to be interesting given the diversity of techniques used by the artist, from collage to woodcut. Very delectable things will also be on view in the exhibition dedicated to Philippe Druillet, co-founder of Métal Hurlant and associated Humanoids. Very good news too: the programming of an exhibition dedicated to colors in comics, an opportunity to finally highlight the importance of the work of colorists, artists too often forgotten. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the festival, part of the exhibitions presented in Angoulême will also be visible in stations all over France.
But let’s not forget, the FIBD is also the prize for alternative comics – a good way to discover what is being tinkered with around the world –, meetings, the exhibition of young talents, and a host of fantasies. parallels…
