The relay, which was held at the SM Mall of Asia Globe, is part of the series of events organized until September 8 until the closing day of Paralympic Games.

“Inclusivity, audacity, and innovation are the key words of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but also those that best characterize France. We will continue to promote this spirit not only for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but also within our cooperation with our Filipino partners,” said Ambassador Fontanel.

Following the relay, Ambassador Fontanel and Ambassador Pediotis also led the inauguration of an exhibit titled “Legacy in Motion: A Visual Tribute to Olympic and Paralympic Athletes” at S Maison. The exhibit is presented by Agence France-Presse (AFP), Alliance Française de Manille and the Embassy of France to the Philippines, with the support of Decathlon, and SM SuperMalls.

Through a carefully curated collection of images from world-renowned Agence France-Presse, the exhibition in the Philippines offers a poignant tribute to the athletes and sports that have defined the Olympic movement.

For the showcase in the Philippines, photos of Filipino athletes, namely Hidilyn Diaz, Margielyn Arda Didal, Eumir Felix Marcial, Carlos Edriel Yulo, Nesthy Petecio, who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and Michael Christian Martinez, who participated in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics were showcased.

The exhibit runs from April 16 to 26 at S Maison, May 20 to 26 at The Podium, and June 21 to 30 at SM Aura (TBC).

French films are back in Cebu to provide the Cebuano movie-goers a glimpse into French culture through the diversity of French cinema. While Paris is popularly known as the city of romance, the French romantic comedy LES CHOSES QU’ON DIT, LES CHOSES QU’ON FAIT will show how relationships can be complicated sometimes. Hip hop fans will discover the French urban dance scene in SUPREMES. Cinephiles will enjoy viewing or reviewing the classics LE DERNIER METRO and LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG. Meanwhile, GOLIATH is a drama that looks into the serious issue of the environment. But on a lighter note, LES DEUX ALFRED is a comedy set in a modern-day start up that shows how socio-economic problems are real also in French contemporary society.

French Ambassador Her Excellency Marie Fontanel believes that the young vibrant population of the Philippines should be exposed to the diversity of cultures, and « through cinema, the Filipino youth can have the chance to see a different perspective in life beyond the regular programming of theaters. »

In the words of French President Emmanuel Macron: « The French spirit continues to astonish, fascinate and change the world ». French cinema entertains the audience with the unexpected twists and turns and delivers messages that can help build a better world. The French Film Festival in Cebu is making it iconic.

France is touted as the haven for food and great wine, of course being the second-largest wine producer in the world. The perfect pairings of wine and food will surely provide an unparalleled experience for a gastronomic adventure that would delight one’s palate and senses.

Truly, the French Cuisine is undoubtedly the most admired food in the world because of the palpable reflection of culture, tradition, sophistication, notwithstanding the French love for food, captures the picture and palate perfect experience of everyone wants to have a heavenly experience.

Knowing the contribution of French Cuisine to Western cuisines, Goût de France / Good France returns all over the world and in the Philippines from October 14 to 22, 2021, with the aim of helping the F&B sector bounce back from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as promoting healthy eating and sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the culinary profession.

First organized by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and French chef Alain Ducasse in 2015 as a celebration of the best of French gastronomy and responsible cuisine, this year’s 6th Goût de France in the Philippines is organized by Embassy of France to the Philippines, in partnership with the Alliance française de Manille and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines.

Celebrating French cuisine in the Philippines

This year, Goût de France features eight chefs in the Philippines who will be offering a specially-curated traditional French menu (following the order of starter, main course, cheeses, dessert, accompanied by French wines and spirits) in their respective restaurants from October 14 to 22, 2021 and herd are the 8 Illustrious chefs and their menu who join the global ‘Goût de France’ celebration in the Philippines:

Previously based in Baguio City, French chef Didier Derouet will also be offering a special menu on October 21 as part of the virtual Les Jeudis culturels / Cultural Thursdays organized by the French Embassy and by the Alliance française de Manille.

Each menu, inspired by the ingredients and flavors of France’s Centre-Val de Loire region, was crafted to demonstrate the richness of French gastronomy, responsible cuisine, and may highlight local culinary traditions in the Philippines. Restaurants were also encouraged to offer menus with reduced levels of fat, sugar and salt, and with vegetables and grains.

The public is invited to experience French culinary tradition and expertise by dining in or ordering from any of the participating Gout de France / Good France restaurants throughout the duration of the campaign. To reserve a table or place an order, please directly contact the restaurants.

For more information on Goût de France and on the participating restaurants and their respective menus, visit https://bit.ly/GoutdeFrancePH2021

Cultural Thursdays puts the spotlight on French cuisine and classical music

This month’s online Cultural Thursday will feature a cooking class led by Chef Didier Derouet, followed by a French classical music repertoire by pianist Giuseppe Andre Diestro and cellist Alejandro Consolacion II.

The virtual event will be streamed live on the Facebook page of the Embassy of France on Thursday, October 21, 7:00 PM: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH

My Favorite French Food Moment Contest

As part of Goût de France, the Alliance française de Manille (AFM), in partnership with the Embassy of France and Le Cellier French Wine Selections, presents an online video contest for all adult French food lovers. To enter, participants are invited to post a creative 1-minute video on their Facebook profile to share their favorite French food and the most ideal moment or setting to enjoy it.

The grand prize will be a special, intimate French candlelit 4-course dinner for 2 and a private screening of a French film at the Alliance française de Manille in Makati City.

The deadline for entries is on October 20, 2021, 12:00nn. For the full contest guidelines, visit the Facebook page of the Alliance française de Manille: https://www.facebook.com/alliancefrancaisedemanille

Behind the Cuisines webinar and live cooking

This month, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines (CCIFP) presents “Behind the Cuisines,” a two-day virtual event that aims to explore the current situation of the F&B industry in the Philippines, as well as support French and Filipino food retailers and distributors, restaurateurs, and local farmers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Behind the Cuisines” features a webinar on the theme “The Changing Phases of the Food and Beverage Industry: Defining the New Food Normal” (by registration) on October 22, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, followed by a live cooking segment “A Fusion of French and Filipino Flavors” hosted by Erwan Heussaff on October 23, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM live on the Facebook page of the CCIFP: https://www.facebook.com/frenchchamberphilippines

“Behind the Cuisines” is a free event. Register to the webinar and/or support local farmers through the CCIFP’s partner beneficiary, AGREA, via the following link: https://app.glueup.com/event/behind-the-cuisines-40061/

Founded six years ago in France, the Night of Ideas has grown into a global event celebrating ideas, arts, culture, science and philosophy through debates, exhibits, performances, film screenings, and other creative, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural activities organized in countries across the world.

This year’s theme is “Proches” (“Closer”), allowing us to reflect on our relationship with each other and with our environment, especially during this pandemic which has forced several countries to close their borders and confine people and families in their homes.

In the Philippines, the Embassy of France joins local cycling groups and advocates, athletes, and representatives from the government and from the private sector or a webinar entitled “Closer by Cycling” on Thursday, January 28, 2021, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

With a limited public transport system due to the pandemic, more and more Filipinos are discovering a newfound appreciation for the bicycle as a mode of transportation and as a lifestyle. In response to the growing number of cyclists in the Philippines, local governments and urban centers have taken various initiatives to provide bicycle lanes and other infrastructure to facilitate travel on two wheels, but several opportunities and solutions remain untapped.

Confirmed speakers are: journalist, cycling advocate, and COVID-19 survivor Howie Severino, Roselle Rivera and Jack Yabut of the Firefly Brigade, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities Executive Director Renato Constantino, SM Bike-Friendly Initiative Project Lead Arturo Carballo, Jr., painter, artist and Iloilo cycling advocate Rock Drilon, French businessman and triathlete Cyril Rocke, Team David’s Salon cycling team member Joyette Jopson, Pasay City Chief of Staff Peter Pardo, and DOH Bureau of Health Cooperation Director Beverly Ho.

This webinar seeks to be an opportunity for concerned stakeholders to discuss the various issues related to cycling as a popular mode of transport, infrastructure and creating bike-friendly spaces, and its impact on health and on the environment.

This online event is open to the public, and will be streamed live on the French Embassy’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH

The Night of Ideas in the Philippines is made possible through the support of the Firefly Brigade, SM Supermalls, SM Cares, Siklista Ako TV, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Manila City Government, and Kapetolyo by SGD Coffee.

The International Silent Film Festival has been one of the most awaited cultural events among cinephiles and music lovers alike in Manila.  Indeed, it is one event that brings together film classics from different parts of the world and talented Filipino musicians on the same stage to perform and reinterpret stories in a unique mix of cultures and generations.

The current health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered, limited, if not stopped, cultural programs worldwide. Art institutions, concert halls, and movie theaters remain closed at present. Local fans have wondered over the quarantine period whether this festival would push through this year.

In this particular context, technology provides the means to bridge distant and diverse cultures together. Indeed, from celluloid to digital, the internet is able to ensure the cultural exchange and reach an audience confined in the safety of their homes.

This year’s International Silent Film Festival Manila features 10 silent films from four countries:

JAPAN

On December 4 (6:00 PM), the Japan Foundation, Manila presents six (6) unique animated short silent films taken from the Japanese Animation Classics collection, digitized and subtitled in English by the National Film Archive of Japan (NFAJ) in this year’s silent film festival, including the oldest existing Japanese Animation “The Dull Sword.” The four-minute animation classic was directed by Junichi Kouchi and produced in 1917 which is considered the birth year of domestic animation in Japan.

The Dull Sword is about a samurai who tests his new sword by attacking a blind person. He purchased the sword from a swordsmith, known as “Dull Smith,” for four gold coins.

The other Japanese Animation Classics to be featured are Burglars of “Baghdad” Castle (1926 | 14 mins), The Animal Olympics (1928 | 13 mins), Two Worlds (1929 | 15 mins), Old Man Goichi (1931 | 11 mins), and A Day after a Hundred Years (1933 | 10 mins).

The Japanese Animation Classics in the festival will be accompanied by the musical scores created by the HJH Composers Collective. The group is composed of Hiroko Nagai, Jordan Peralta, and Harold Andre Santos, contemporary music composers with a diverse musical palette of pop, classical, folk, jazz, electronic music, and traditional Philippine and Japanese music, and they frequently collaborate with other artists to create music for film, theatre, dance, and visual arts.

ITALY

Two films from Italy will be screened on Saturday, December 5. “The Silent Killer,” produced by See Thru Pictures and scored by Franco Eco, narrates a mother’s journey back home amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This story alternates with interviews with scientists, politicians, ordinary people, and Covid 19 chronicles from all over the world.

At 6:00 PM, the Philippine Italian Association, in collaboration with the Cineteca di Bologna, presents “Malombra”, a 1917 movie by Carmine Gallone. Directly inspired by a gothic novel set on the beautiful shores of the Como Lake, the protagonist, Marina, takes quarters in the castle of her uncle where she discovers a bunch of letters. A story of past souffrances calling for revenge, a story of love and ultimately death that traps everything into the most tragic of endings. This bombastic movie will be scored by the original music composed and performed by the internationally renowned classical solo-pianist, Maestro Raul Sunico.

FRANCE

On Sunday, December 6 (11:00 AM), the Embassy of France will screen “Le Manoir de la peur” (“The Manor of Fear”) directed by Alfred Machin. This silent film noir narrates the story of young Jean Lormeau who investigates a series of crimes affecting their village. Michael Mark Guevarra, one the country’s top saxophone players, will be scoring this film.

GERMANY

Also on December 6 (6:00 PM), the Goethe Institut will screen Metropolis (1927), directed by Fritz Lang. A monumental science fiction film combines visual power with a love story around the reconciliation of labor and capital. Alyana Cabral aka Teenage Granny featuring: Kent Pesito, Miguel Nuñez, Jon Olarte, Joee Mejias, Tristan Ortega and Kiko Nuñez will score the film.

All films will be available on www.iwatchmore.com for free, and will be screened only during the times mentioned above.

Film archiving webinar: from celluloid to digital

The issue of celluloid to digital is central in this edition of the International Silent Film Festival Manila as the importance of preserving cultural heritage has become a growing concern.

A webinar entitled “Saving Memory: Making Silent Films Talk to Us” featuring experts from Japan, Italy, France and Germany will exchange with their Filipino counterparts to share best practices and local initiatives in preserving film heritage through archiving and restoration.

Moderated by Mr. Doy del Mundo, the webinar raises topics such as (1) The problems of archiving silent films; (2) Archiving silent film music scores and narration; (3) Color in silent films; (4) Funding archives; and (5) Silent films and cultural heritage.

Other speakers include Mr. Don Gervin Arawan, lead officer Philippine Film Archive at the Film Development Council of the Philippines; Mr. Daibo Masaki, Head of Film Collections at the National Film Archive of Japan (NFAJ); Mr. Andrea Meneghelli, Curator of the Film Collections at Cineteca di Bologna (Italy); Ms. Beatrice de Pastre, Photographic and Cinematographic Archive Specialist of France’s Centre National du Cinéma (CNC); and Mr. Luciano Palumbo, Filmrestaurator at FW Murnau Foundation (Germany).

This online discussion will take place on December 4, 3:00 PM, and will be open to film institutions, schools, and the general public. Interested participants may register here.

The 14^th International Silent Film Festival Manila is organized by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, the Japan Foundation Manila, the Philippine Italian Association, the Goethe Institut, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, in partnership with iWatchMore.com.

In the context of this global health crisis that has led to the implementation of confinement measures in the country, the Embassy of France continues its commitment to cultural diplomacy and adapts to this “new normal” by migrating its cultural programs to digital platforms.

Since 2018, “Cultural Thursdays” has been a highly anticipated monthly event that has featured performances from highly-acclaimed French and Filipino artists, including award-winning French guitarist Thibault Cauvin, French jazz recording artist Tricia Evy, French classical pianist and composer Maxime Zecchini, Filipina soprano Rachelle Gerodias and Korean baritone Park Byeong-In, and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

The new Cultural Thursdays will be launched online for the first time with “Après un rêve” (“After a Dream”) – a French classical music concert featuring cellist Kyongmin Nam and pianist Dingdong Fiel, who will perform renditions of works by French masters, including Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, and Claude Bolling.

“Our embassy recognizes the importance of adapting to the current situation and continuing our cultural advocacy using online platforms,” said Marc Piton, the French Embassy’s new Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs who arrived in Manila last September.

“In this time of confinement and uncertainty, we find comfort in culture. We hope that by relaunching Cultural Thursdays virtually, we would be able to reach new audiences and allow them to discover French music, appreciate Filipino talents, and enjoy a break from this difficult period, especially for those working tirelessly in the frontlines” he added.

This inaugural event will be aired for free on November 26, 8:00 PM through the Facebook page of the Embassy of France: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH.

A French Dinner for a Cause

The Cultural Thursdays experience is best enjoyed with French cuisine. This concert is organized in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines and The Tasting Club, which will be offering a “Dinner For A Cause” for the benefit of the Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y), a French-Philippine NGO dedicated to the professional and social integration of young adults living in extreme poverty and exclusion in the Philippines.

The Tasting Club presents a traditional French pairing menu featuring Beef Burgundy, Roasted Potatoes and Carrots, Chocolate Mousse Verrine, paired with a fine red wine from Burgundy (AOC Santenay) delivered straight to your doorstep for PHP 1,200 (delivery fee not included), with 10% of proceeds to be donated to LP4Y. The Tasting Club will also be hosting a virtual degustation prior to the concert at 7:00 PM.

Order form and virtual degustation registration link: https://forms.gle/rRat2UrUnqPu9cB59

“Les Jeudis Culturels” (“Cultural Thursdays”) is organized by the Embassy of France to the Philippines and by the Alliance Française de Manille, in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines, The Tasting Club, LP4Y, Manila Pianos, and Mr. Richard Sy-Facunda – the artistic director and resident recordist of the Manila Pianos Artist Series.

The “Manila 2019-2050: City of the Future” is a series of events organized throughout 2019 by the Embassy of France to the Philippines. It intends to bring together French and Filipino experiences and expertise in sustainable and livable urban development and focuses on a vision of what Metro Manila can potentially become by 2050: a region of sustainability, a center of economic and technological progress, and more importantly, a home for its inhabitants.

As part of this initiative, the “Manila 2019-2050: City of the Future Comics Contest” was launched in collaboration with Benoît Peeters and Komiket to invite professional and amateur artists to submit original comics strips illustrating their vision of Manila around 30 years into the future.

A jury led by Peeters, the French Embassy, and Komiket will select a grand prize winner from the professional category who will receive an all-expenses paid trip to France to attend the Angoulême International Comics Festival, one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious events dedicated to comics.

The works of 20 finalists from the professional and student categories will be exhibited at the 6^th Floor Gallery of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s School of Design and Arts starting on November 26.

“Les Cités Obscures” by Benoît Peeters

To present his vision of a future that borders between utopia and dystopia, Peeters will inaugurate “From Obscure Cities to Futuristic Cities,” an exhibit based on the award-winning French comics series co-created by Peeters and artist François Schuiten. A portrayal of a post-futuristic era where the fabrics of society and time strata intertwine, the series “Les Cités Obscures” (“Obscure Cities”) won the Manga Grand Prize at the 16th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2012.

“From Obscure Cities to Futuristic Cities” will be on exhibit from November 25, 2019 to January 11, 2020 at the Alliance Française de Manille Gallery in Makati City.

“Manila 2019-2050: City of the Future” is supported by the “Fonds d’Alembert” of the Institut Français, a fund dedicated to initiatives that encourage dialogue under the theme “City of the Future.” This project is supported by the Alliance Française de Manille, Air France, Komiket, Wacom, and the Manila Bulletin. 

(Press release/Embassy of France to the Philippines)