French and Francophone Cultural Fair

Program of the day - Saturday, April 26, 2025

• 9:30am - 10am: free breakfast, served by Wafels & Dinges 

• 10:00 am - 10:30 am: introductory remarks by the cultural services of the French Embassy / Villa Albertine 

• 10:30am - 3:00 pm: Meet our exhibitors, all of whom offer cultural activities in French or celebrate Francophone culture ; Pétanque workshops and games ; Book signing sessions with authors taking part in the panel discussions and authors from the Festival International des auteurs francophones 

Three exciting round tables on literature: 

• 10:40-11:40 am: French as a writing language (Alain Mabanckou, Kim Thuy)
• 11:45 am-12:45 pm: Translation in the age of IA (Lucie Tiberghien, David Thepaut, Matt Reeck)
• 1:30-2:30 pm: How to get children and teenagers to love reading?(Victor Dixen, Marion Kadi)

Creative workshops for children aged 2 to 12:

• 10:40-11:40 am ; 11:45 am-12:45 pm ; 1:30-2h30 pm : workshops with Petits Poussins (2-5 years)
• 11:45 am-12:45 pm : "L'arbre à palabres" with Vickie Frémont (7-10 years)
• 1:30 pm-2:30 pm : "L'arbre à palabres" with Vickie Frémont (10-12 years).

• 1:10 pm - 1:30 pm: Reunionese music set (Natie)

• 3:00-4.30 pm: Theater in French, Le Mariage de Figaro by L'Atelier Théâtre NY

Our authors and panelists:

This year, "En Français, Oui But Why?" features exceptional personalities from the French-speaking literary and cultural world:

• Alain Mabanckou: Internationally acclaimed Franco-Congolese writer, one of the most prominent voices in contemporary Franco-African literature.
• Kim Thuy: Quebec novelist of Vietnamese origin, whose works explore themes of identity and exile.
• Lucie Tiberghien: Artistic director of Molière in the Park and literary translator 
• David Thepaut: translator working with artificial intelligence for over 10 years
• Matt Reeck: translator and poet, winner of the Albertine Translation Prize 
• Victor Dixen: Author of children's books, a key figure in French fantasy literature
• Marion Kadi: Author and illustrator of children's books, shortlisted for the Prix Albertine Jeunesse 2025
• Festival International des auteurs francophones 
• Violaine Huisman: Author of The Book of Mother and Les monuments de Paris, artistic director of L'Alliance NY

General information:

• Access to the fair and workshops is free and open to all
• Panel discussions are at an additional cost ($20 each, $50 for access to all three, free for students).
• Tickets for the play cost $20, $10 for students, free for under 18s 

Contact: Pascale Richard [email protected] ; Valentine Grammont [email protected]

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Cultural Center, Lycée Français de New York, 505 East 75th Street, New York, United States