Saturday, 8 April 2017 – Sunday, 21 May 2017
Bonjour! Immerse yourself in the very best of French creativity and innovation as the annual Voilah! French Festival Singapore returns this year with a bespoke showcase of more than 40 events around Singapore over six weeks.
Organised by the Embassy of France and Institut Français Singapour in collaboration with French and Singaporean partners, Voilah! 2017 focuses on the theme of Imagination and Innovation, with a spotlight on the Paris region. From delectable French cuisine and enthralling art performances to thought-provoking exhibitions and film screenings, the festival provides an immersive and accessible festival experience with something for everyone.
FESTIVAL PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
Opening Weekend (8 – 9 April 2017)
Once Upon a Time Tomorrow by Chris Morin-Eitner
8 April – 21 May, The Colonnade, Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay
Singapore Supertree of Life.
Immerse yourself in Once Upon a Time Tomorrow by Chris Morin-Eitner, an idyllic world of photo-paintings comparable to a new-found Garden of Eden.
How will man-made super-structures, a symbol of human dominance over nature, evolve over time? Inspired by Angkor Wat, which is a symbol of how a long lost human civilization has been overtaken by the forces of nature, French photographer Chris Morin-Eitner utilises contemporary iconic buildings and digitally reworks the images with colours, shadows, and textures inspired by his previous travels.
For the first time, the exhibition will also feature five photographs of iconic places in Singapore presented as a world première at the opening of Voilah! French Festival Singapore.
Red Hearts – Street art performance
8 April, 7pm and 8pm, Gardens by the Bay
Among the Supertree Grove’s sumptuous setting, the Red Hearts (Les Rouges Coeurs) by the company Mademoiselle Paillette will set the pulse of visitors racing. Whether on stilts, in giant bubbles or suspended in the air, join these whimsical characters in their ephemeral, poetic and joyful world.
Open air screening of The Artist
8 April, 9pm, Gardens by the Bay
Silent with English subtitles
Rating: PG
Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius. Cast: Jean Dujardin (best Actor, OSCAR 2012), Bérénice Béjo
Hollywood 1927 – George Valentin is an immensely successful silent movie star. However, the arrival of talking pictures will mark the end of his career. Peppy Miller, a young woman extra, becomes a major movie star.
Voilah! Gourmet Picnic
9 April, 6pm, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage
The Gourmet Picnic is a not-to-be-missed event at the Voilah! French Festival that allows visitors to experience the best of French culture by gathering gastronomy and performing arts for an enjoyable evening. Savour French delicacies with specially-crafted Gourmet Picnic baskets while enjoying the performances at the Botanic Gardens.
Siong Leng Musical Association concert
9 April, 6.15pm, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage
Experience and nourish your soul and mind through the gentle charm of Nanyin. To bring new life to this ancient art form, Siong Leng ensemble merges traditional Nanyin music and its Zen influences with other elements such as vocals, different genres of instrument, Liyuan movements, contemporary dance and more.
A participant of the Singapore en France Festival in 2015 and recipient of the National Arts Council’s Major Grant 2016-2019, Siong Leng will bring you on a journey to experience traditions anew.
Mademoiselle Paillette Performance
9 April, 7pm, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage
Be allured by the White Shadows (Les Ombres Blanches) as they entertain visitors with soft and fugacious characters on stilts and in giant bubbles. Be enchanted by acrobatic dancers that will carry you into their world of dreams and enchantment.
The White Shadows (and the Red Hearts) are produced by Mademoiselle Paillette, an artistic company that specialises in interactive shows and perform all over the world.
Voilah! French Food Festival
14 April – 21 May, Various locations
Voilah! Restaurant Week (14 to 23 April)
Join us at the Voilah! Restaurant Week and enjoy discounts and special menus at over 20 restaurants across Singapore! Discover and enjoy the best of French gastronomy featuring dishes such as raclette, fondue, boeuf bourguignon, choucroute, escargots, cheese, cold cut platters and crêpes!
Voilah! Sweet Week (25 to 30 April)
Do sweets make you happy? Then the Voilah! Sweet Week is for you!
More than 25 restaurants, retailers, bakery and pastry shops across Singapore will be participating in Voilah! Sweet Week. Enjoy sweet French pleasures with special menus and discounts on desserts, pastries, cakes, croissants, pains au chocolat, crêpes, macarons and many more!
Voilah! Wine Weeks (2 to 14 May)
Life is too short to drink bad wine!
Discover the best wines of France during the Voilah! Wine Weeks! With more than 15 participating restaurants, retailers and wine and spirit shops across Singapore, enjoy French masterclasses, special wine pairings at our partner restaurants and great discounts on French wines!
Voilah! Dairy Week (16 to 21 May)
Eat cheese and be merry!
The Voilah! Dairy Week is here to add beauty to your life! Discover and enjoy special offers and discounts on the most amazing French cheeses from over 10 restaurants and retailers across Singapore!
The Art Behind the Game – The Ubisoft Experience
18 April – 25 May, National Design Centre
Launched in collaboration with Voilah! and Ubisoft, The Art Behind the Game – The Ubisoft experience is an exhibition to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the world-renowned video game franchise, Assassin’s Creed.
The exhibition will allow visitors to dive into three intertwined stories – the history of French gaming company Ubisoft; the Assassin’s Creed saga, its rich historical setting and the contributions of the Singapore studio to the franchise; and for the first time in Singapore, visitors will also be able to get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Assassin’s Creed franchise and the faces behind the game.
Visitors will also get the opportunity to learn more about the game creation process, the research behind it as well as the design of the characters, sound and music. They will get to understand the importance of teamwork and camaraderie in the process of game development.
Exclusive workshops will also be held at the Singapore National Design Center, where art directors, designers and producers from Ubisoft will share about their work and passion.
Virtual Reality Hackathon & Jam
24 – 27 April, IMDA Pixel Studios
The first French-Asian Virtual Reality (VR) Hackathon and Jam is presented in partnership with Institut Français and WondaVR as part of the Voilah! French Festival.
During this creative residency, four teams of participants from Singapore and Southeast Asia will explore the future of cinema, alongside French mentors and experts to produce VR movies in three days. The residency will include various aspects of film production such as writing scenarios, shooting, editing and publishing.
On 27 April, a networking session and presentation of the final VR productions will take place at Pixel Studios.
Urban Mutations by Universcience and Science Centre Singapore
3 – 21 May, Science Centre Singapore, Urban Redevelopment Authority, National Museum of Singapore Cinematheque
<- Art Squat
How and why are cities transforming? How does this change our lifestyle? Urban mutation processes are already engaged. Universcience (Paris) and Science Centre Singapore work together to present urban changes on a global scale.
Whether these changes are functional, sociological or technological, discover an approach on the future quality of urban life by exploring innovations and initiatives in response to the issues urban ecosystems are facing.
From 3 to 6 May, a symposium will take place at the Science Centre with the exhibition of panels in “avant-premiere”, and at the URA.
Films and animation movies related to the city will also be screened in the Science Centre and at the Cinematheque of the National Museum, until 21 May.
Urbanfork exhibition by Philippe Diversy and Bob Lee
4 May – 28 June, URA Lobby Gallery
Pearl Bank Apartment ->
Singaporean photographer, Bob Lee, and French graphic designer and photographer, Philippe Diversy continue their fascination with architecture in the 60’s to the late 70’s buildings. By including their creator’s names on building facades in pictures, Urbanfork highlights the heritage value of the Singaporean and French buildings and empower citizens about their architectural masterpieces.
Urbanfork continues its journey into uncharted territory of heritage buildings drowned in the development of modern cities. It is part of the Urban Mutations event during the Voilah! French Festival.
Week 1: 10 – 16 April 2017
A Play About Love directed by Jacques Vincey
9 – 21 April, Theatreworks
Jacques Vincey, head of Tours National Drama Centre, stage director and French actor, will work with Singaporean actors on The Reunification of the two Koreas, an original play by the famous author Joël Pommerat, as part of an artist-in-residence programme in collaboration with Theatreworks.
This play offers 20 contemporary interpretations – from heartbreaking to hilarious – on the age-old theme of love. The play, translated into English for the first time by Marc Goldberg and interpreted by Singaporean actors, will bring a fresh perspective and add a different dynamism to love.
A public reading of the play with Singaporean actors will be held on 13 April 2017, 8pm.
French Science Journey
10 April – 21 May, Various locations
Conducted as part of the Voilah! French Festival in Singapore, The French Science Journey highlights French savoir-faire in Science, Innovation, Research and Education, showcasing Franco-Singaporean collaborations across all spectrums in science.
The French Science Journey gives students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience French creative innovation first hand through visits to world-class research centres in Singapore such as Airbus Helicopters, EDF & HDB (Centre of Building Research), Biomerieux, Vinci Construction, Essilor, Véolia and International SOS.
Pictures of Imagination – A Journey in Jules Verne’s world
11 April – 31 May
“Travel & Heritage” exhibition, The Fullerton Hotel East Garden Foyer Gallery (12 April – 31 May)
“City & Ocean” exhibition, Alliance Française (13 April – 31 May)
Embark on an extraordinary journey to discover the world of Jules Verne through the eyes of graphic novel artists from the Angoulême International Comics Festival – one of the most influential comics-related event producer.
French novelist, Jules Verne is best known for his adventure novels and his profound influence on the literary genre of science fiction.
His novels include titles such as Voyages Extraordinaires, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days.
Jules Verne gave imagery a particular significance and explored connections between text and picture, making them inseparable. These mythical images that are remembered today have inspired international authors who revisit the images and the imagination of Jules Verne through drawings, comics and artworks.
In order to present Jules Verne’s evocation, this unique exhibition is presented in two sequences.
Week 2: 17 – 23 April 2017
La Cage Aux Folles
19 April – 13 May, Victoria Theatre
Based on the French play La Cage Aux Folles by Jean Poiret, La Cage, presented by W!ld Rice, takes place in a fabulous nightclub in the heart of Tanjong Pagar.
Winner of 11 Tony Awards and one of Broadway’s biggest hits, La Cage Aux Folles is a funny and heartwarming musical about one family’s struggle to stay together and true to themselves. Awarded the Straits Times Readers’ Choice Award for “Production of the Year” for its presentation in 2012, this new production is directed by Glen Goei and features a star-studded company led by Ivan Heng.
The original film by Edouard Molinaro will be screened on this occasion.
Quatuor Tana
19 April, CHIJMES Hall
Recognised by The Guardian as “impeccable players’’, Quatuor Tana is a French modern string ensemble that promotes a contemporary repertoire, bringing to the fore the relationship between composer and performer.
The recipient of an array of international awards, Quatuor Tana has performed at prestigious festivals and concerts worldwide, including La Folle Journée, Aix-en-Provence Festival and Abbaye de Royaumont.
The concert will be followed by a Meet & Greet session with the musicians.
Quatuor Tana will also give a closed-door showcase at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music on 18 April.
FAKE i REAL ME, Photographs by Corinne Mariaud
20 April – 26 June, Art+ Shanghai Gallery
Photographer Corinne Mariaud presents FAKE i REAL ME, a photographic series shot in Singapore and Seoul that explores the importance of physical appearance amongst young women in these cities.
From coloured contact lenses in Singapore to the extreme pursuit of perfection in Seoul where young women go to great lengths to enhance their appearance, FAKE i REAL ME discovers how the face can become a personal construction that is constantly reworked until it reaches the ideal state of beauty.
Philippe Beck – A conversation of poems
21 – 25 April, The Arts House
The recipient of the Grand Prix de Poésie de l’Académie Française (Grand Poetry Prize from the French Academy), Professor of Poetry at the European Graduate School, and of Philosophy at l’Université de Nantes, Philippe Beck is a French poet, writer, and philosopher.
Join Philippe Beck for an evening at the Arts House as he embarks on a poetic journey, and shares his views with the American poet, Adam Staley Groves (Tembusu College, National University of Singapore) and the Singaporean poet Lim Lee Ching (SIM University).
Philippe Beck will also be part of a workshop at the National University of Singapore on 24 and 25 of April (closed session).
French Cinema in Singapore: Cine Club and Cine Kids – HISTOIRES D’EAU (Water stories)
23 April – 16 May, Alliance Française Theatre
Cine Club
As part of Alliance Française’s regular programming, the Ciné-Club screens a French movie in English subtitles every Tuesday night. With a film selection dedicated to an actor, a director or a specific theme, it is a great platform to discover French Culture!
2 May, 8pm: Tempête (Land Legs) by Samuel Collardey
9 May, 8pm: Fidelio, l’Odyssée d’Alice (Fedelio, Alice’s Journey) by Lucie Borletau
16 May, 8pm: Oceans by Jacques Perrin
Cine Kids
Once a month, on a Sunday afternoon, Alliance Française screens an animation film for children.
23 April, 4.30pm: Tout en Haut du Monde (Long Way North) by Rémi Chayé
Les Sonates Françaises
24 April, Esplanade Recital Studio 5.30pm
Join husband and wife duo, violinist Siew Yi Li and pianist Beatrice Lin, as they bring you an evening of French romantic music featuring violin sonatas by the most outstanding French composers.
Programme:
Claude Debussy, Violin Sonata in G Minor
Gabriel Pierné, Violin Sonata, Op. 36
Gabriel Fauré, Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13
Scents of Josephine
27 – 29 April, 8pm, Black Box at Drama Centre
Scents of Josephine – A collage portrait of Josephine Baker celebrates the scandalous, innovative and daring dancer-singer icon who shook up Europe and the rest of the world in the 1920s. The musical follows four female performers as they discuss Josephine’s life journey alongside theirs, accompanied with her signature tunes in both English and French.
Both whimsical and contemplative, the play is based on an original play created by Marc Goldberg and is an intimate performance of song, story-telling and dance that features an international cast.
Cannes French “Palmes d’Or”
6 – 21 May, The Projector and Alliance française
As part of the French sessions at The Projector, enjoy screenings of four French films who were recently awarded the “Palmes d’Or” at the Cannes Film Festival.
Programme at Projector
· The Class (Entre les murs), by Laurent Cantet: Palme d’Or 2008
· Love (Amour), by Michael Haneke: Palme d’Or 2012
· Dheepan, by Jacques Audiard: Palme d’Or 2015
Programme at Alliance française
· Blue is the warmest color, by Abdellatif Kechiche : Palme d’Or 2013
Week 5: 8 – 14 May
Jean Lambert-wild public reading and masterclass
9 – 20 May, Lasalle College of the Arts
Jean Lambert-wild, theatre-maker and artistic director of Limousin National Drama Centre, is coming back to Singapore after creating Le Clown des Marais with Marc Goldberg at 72-13 last year.
During Voilah! French Festival, he will be leading a masterclass on clowning at Lasalle College of the Arts, where he will also be performing a bilingual reading (with subtitles) of selected plays and some of his poems, together with Marc Goldberg and students from Lasalle. The reading will be followed by a discussion with the audiences.
Beyond the Surface, by Hélène Le Chatelier
9 May – 24 June , Intersections Gallery
Hélène Le Chatelier’s Beyond the Surface aims at portraying our inner geography through ink wash paintings, sculptures and video installations. These landscapes reveal a contrast of emotions and feelings, strengths and fragilities, bright and dark sides.
Utilising various techniques and media, Hélène blurs the borders between tradition and modernity, Western and Eastern perspectives as well as skin and screen, just as our world is submerged by a constant flow of images, sounds and digital data.
Yelle – French Miracle Tour
12 & 13 May, 8pm, National Museum of Singapore, Theatre Gallery
YELLE, the French duo consisting of lead singer Yelle (Julie Budet) and GrandMarnier (Jean-François Perrier), are best known for their electro-pop hits A Cause Des Garçons and Je Veux Te Voir (2005 Top five Hit in France).
They are now back with the soothing track Ici & Maintenant(Here & Now), a song reflecting Yelle’s urge to be connected fully to the present moment, and will promote this new single in Singapore, as part of their French Miracle Tour in Asia.
Yelle will also give a Q&A session in the afternoon on 13 May 2017.
Open at Night, as part of European Union Film Festival
13 May, 7pm, 100 min, National Gallery Auditorium
“A sensitive and poetic comedy. Édouard Baer and Audrey Tautou at their best” – Studio Mag
Set within a 24-hour period, Luigi (Edouard Baer) has one night to save his theatre from ruin before the opening of a new show. After being ditched by his girlfriend Friday (Audrey Tautou), he coerces Faeza (Sabrina Ouazani), a no-nonsense intern on her last shift, to help him find the funds to pay off an angry cast and crew, not to mention track down a live chimpanzee to perform in the play.
This film is screened as part of the European Union Film Festival (11th to 21st May).
Week 6: 15 – 21 May
Singapore-France Innovation Circle – Cultural and creative industries in a digital world
17 May, 6pm, Embassy of Franc
The Singapore-France Innovation Circle aims at bringing together French and Singaporean stakeholders, from academic and business to government institutions to discuss on innovations that are significant to Singapore.
After its first edition on “Intelligent Mobility”, the second innovative circle will focus on the cultural and creative industries, with the participation of three panelists from Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA), DailyMotion and a Singaporean university or think tank.
Scientific Research and Public Policy – A French-Singaporean collaboration to address the challenges of the next 50 years
18 May, 2pm – 6pm (18 May), 19 May 9am – 5pm , University Town, National University of Singapore
How can scientific research and public policy influence each other and what are the implications for our societies?
Launched in collaboration with French and Singaporean universities, this event addresses the challenges of the next 50 years. It will showcase work that has been jointly conducted by the National University of Singapore and the Université Sorbonne Paris Cité in France in the past three years and will also be the opportunity to explore future partnerships.
The showcase demonstrates that interdisciplinary and international collaboration can be the way we come up with new ideas and innovative solutions to tomorrow’s challenges in public health, education and the environment.
“Experience the Taste of Magic” by Disciples Escoffier Asia
18 May, One°15 Marina Club
Disciples Escoffier Asia presents the first Singapore Epicurean Dinner with Wine Pairing, in conjunction with Voilah! French Festival Singapore. Disciples Escoffier Asia aims to support Singapore’s less-privileged students by educating and offering them culinary opportunities in their journey to become a Chef.
The 6-course dinner will be prepared by six renowned MasterChefs from Disciples Escoffier Asia, including: Emmanuel Stroobant, Robert Fontana, Edmund Toh, Laurent Bouard, Michael Michaelidis (3 Stars Michelin) and more.
A Charity Auction will be the final act of this event.
6th French Film Animation Festival
19 – 21 May, Alliance Française Theatre
French Animation Film Festival is coming back for adults and children alike to enjoy!
Six movies will be headlining this year’s French Animation Film Festival, including the shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards Ma Vie de Courgette (My Life As A Zucchini) by Claude Barras, musical adventure comedy Ballerina (Leap!) by Eric Summer and Eric Warin, Michel Ocelot’s new film Ivan Tsarevitch et la Princesse Changeante (Ivan Tsarevich and the Changing Princess), science-fiction adventure Avril et le monde truqué (April and the Extraordinary World) by Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci, and more films
Maxime Zecchini, Piano solo
19 May, National Museum of Singapore
Multi-award winning musician, Maxime Zecchini, is best known for mastering the left hand repertoire.
Inspired by Ravel’s Concerto pour la main gauche, Zecchini explores this specific technique, which is able to make the piano sound like a full orchestra.
Through left-hand pieces from French composers, Maxime Zecchini will introduce you to the poetic breadth of this unusual repertoire and his virtuosity prowess in producing melodies in all their beauty.
Playtime: The complete works of Jacques Tati
20 May – 4 June, National Museum of Singapore
The International Cinema Retrospective is one of the signature programmes of the National Museum of Singapore’s Cinémathèque and presents studies of key directors, landmark movements and other thematic concerns in international cinema.
This year, enjoy a complete retrospective of French screenwriter, director and actor Jacques Tati with screenings of all six of his feature-length films – Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Playtime, Mon Oncle, a colourised version of Jour de fête, the revelatory Traffic, and the little-seen Parade, along with four short films that contributed to the creation of his full-length cinematic masterpieces.
The screenings of Playtime and Traffic are a part of Urban Mutations events during Voilah!
Julien Doré – “&” Tour
21 May, 8pm, Kallang Theatre
As part of the closing concert of Voilah! 2017, French pop-rock singer-songwriter, Julien Doré, will be making his first Asian tour stop in Singapore to present his newest album ” & “, which was released in October 2016.
A result of deep reflection on life and nature, “&” exudes warmth and personality as Julien Doré complements it with his unique poetic writing.
Since awarded with France’s prestigious Victoire de la musique (2015), Julien Doré has alternated between recording albums and going on numerous tours.
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