2 weeks Ago By Anjali Jhangiani
1 2 Pune: Celebrating art, literature and intellectual exchange, cross-cultural festival Art de Vivre – Francophonie in Pune will be hosted on March 23 bridging local artistic talent with the diverse world of French-speaking cultures. Set to take place at Monalisa Kalagram, Koregaon Park, from 11amto 9pm, the event will mark the 50th anniversary of Alliance Francaise Pune and celebrates the spirit of Francophonie and Pune's deep-rooted French connection that dates back centuries. At the heart of the festival are two immersive augmented reality (AR) exhibitions, inviting Punekars to explore the global Francophone experience.
‘La Fresque de la Francophonie', conceived by Cécile Palusinski and Elsa Mroziewicz, offers a poetic and multi-sensory journey across French-speaking regions, featuring 24 writers from Madagascar, the Caribbean and India, among whom Johary Ravaloson, an acclaimed Malagasy author, will discuss his work. "My mother tongue is Malagasy. I read and write it, but my writing language is French.
In the aridness of my childhood, French literature became my promised land. I now persist in this adopted tongue, dreaming of being free of all labels, simply a writer," said Ravaloson. Uramado, an interactive installation by Julie Stephen Chheng, will transform the space into a playground where children and adults can embark on a digital hide-and-seek with mystical Tanuki spirit animals, reflecting on themes of identity and diversity.
The festival will also see a confluence of local artistry with global influences. Hrishikesh Pawar, a dancer and choreographer, will lead the performance, ‘Dancing Through the Francophone World'. "Francophone is like a French mela for me.
There's fun and frolic along with side stories of people fighting, laughing, joking and so on. Two dancers and I will take the stage, and we will invite the audience to come and learn a piece of the choreography during our half-an-hour long performance. It will end with all of us in a gratitude circle on stage," said Pawar.
Music lovers can enjoy an enchanting set by Shivangi Kale, an alumna of Alliance Francaise Pune and French teacher at SPPU, FLAME University, and Vidya Valley School, and guitarist Vinay Kaushal, blending jazz with chanson française, celebrating the French language as an art form. "I studied French since I was in std 8, and opera singing at 18. I will be singing upbeat French songs for everyone to enjoy, based on the theme of Pink Panther," said Kale.
For lovers of classical dance, Kathak maestro Shama Bhate will present "Kathak on French Waves", inspired by Jacques Cousteau and the fluidity of the ocean. A testament to Indo-French artistic synergy, the choreography will explore the sea as a universal language, where movement, rhythm and science converge. There will also be a wine and cheese tasting session, and workshops on eco-conscious perfume-making, fabric recycling, fertiliser making, and so on.
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