Alliance Française in Dublin

Exclusive concert Rendez-vous Celtic Bretagne/ Ireland

2012-01-10T15:03:00.002Z

Avant tout Bonne Année à vous tous qui suivez l'Alliance Française de Dublin!

Pour bien commencer l'année, nous vous proposons de nous rejoindre le vendredi 20 janvier à 20heures dans les locaux de l'Alliance au 1 Kildare Street Dublin 2 pour profiter du Concert Celtic Rendez-vous - Bretagne / Ireland qui vous est proposé par Gerry O’Connor (Fiddle), Gilles Le Bigot (Guitar) et Jean-Michel Veillon (Flute)

Admission: €12 / €8 AF members – Bookings: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Il vous est possible de réserver une table au restaurant de l'Alliance, La Cocotte, avant le concert pour 18h30.

Information & Booking:
www.entertainment.ie

Ne prenez pas le risque de rater cette super soirée sous les couleurs des drapeaux français et irlandais!

www.gerryoconnor.net www.jmveillon.net www.gilleslebigot.com

Exclusive concert. One of Ireland's most outstanding fiddle players meets two renowned French traditional musicians!

"Sparkling" and with "Dazzling Ability" were words used recently by the national press to describe the music of Gerry O'Connor (fiddle); Gilles Le Bigot (guitar) is a famous guitarist in the world of Celtic music with over 25 years of musical adventures; Jean-Michel Veillon (flute) was a child prodigy on the bombarde and achieved widespread recognition as one of world’s premier traditional flute players.

Friday 20 January at 8.00pm
€12 / €8 AF members
Information & Booking:
www.entertainment.ie

Optional pre-concert dinner available at La Cocotte from 6.30pm (only those staying for the concert will have access to the café)

FRENCH CHRISTMAS MARKET

2011-11-25T12:02:00.000Z

Saturday 3 December
From 10.00am to 4.00pm

In need of ideas for your Christmas presents?

The 4th French Christmas Market will be held at the Alliance Française on Saturday 4 December.
You will love its cheerful and cosy atmosphere.
Escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy some tasty food from our delicatessen with a warming hot drink.

Our stands will be selling an array of Christmas presents including jewellery, children’s books, Christmas hampers and French products.

So whether you're looking for that special gift, a seasonal snack or simply looking for some festive atmosphere, the Alliance Française Christmas Market 2010 is the perfect place for yuletide cheer with a beautiful French touch.

Admission free
La Cocotte – Alliance Française

Wanderings in France by Joe Sterling

2011-11-24T15:59:00.002Z

Photography Exhibition

2 December 2011 – 18 February 2012
(Opening Thursday 1 December at 6.30pm)

Wanderings in France is a series of photographs taken between 1980 and 2011. The pictures were taken in various locations throughout France and celebrate the cultural diversity of everyday life there, with each region having its own individual identity, customs and rituals - all totally unique and existing simultaneously. This eclectic mixture of images will inform the viewer of the beauty and remoteness of some of these regions. Geographical boundaries, like the Pyrenees Mountains, isolated many of these communities for generations. These regions were really only brought together after the French revolution and divided into Departments in 1790 when a centralised government in Paris tried to bring all the regions of France together under one flag, speaking one language.

It is difficult to imagine that France, as the country we know today, was composed of many different regions with totally different climates and geography. Many of the languages spoken were a direct consequence of residing close to neighbouring countries. Commerce and trade between these regions also had an influence on language, customs, and the social norms. Flemish was spoken in the North of France, Breton in the West, while in the South West some regions were influenced by Spain. In the North East and East, France is bordered by Germany, Switzerland and Italy, all of which contribute to the rich diversity of culture and cuisine.

Joe Sterling has been Course Coordinator of Photography in Sallynoggin College of Further Education [1989-2011]. He has exhibited in numerous group shows and solo exhibitions over the past thirty years and is very involved in the “photo scene” in Ireland.

Following a BA (Hons) in Documentary Photography from University of Wales College Newport in 1999 Joe Sterling studied in Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design for his HND in Design for Communications in 1980. He was awarded an MFA in Documentary Photography by University of Wales College Newport in 2008 and he has also been a visiting Lecturer in University of Wales and University of Ulster, Belfast Campus.

Admission free
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday: 8.30am-6.30pm / Friday: 8.30am-5pm / Saturday 8.30am-2pm
Alliance Française, 1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé !

2011-11-08T14:23:00.003Z

Come and celebrate the arrival of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau with friends and colleagues and discover le cru 2011 in the wonderful setting of The Vaults. Enjoy a festive evening with a fashion show, music, regional food (cheese and charcuterie) to accompany the wine tasting, make new friends and dance the night away with our French DJ!

Presented by the Alliance Française and the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce with the support of Geodis. In the presence of H.E. Emmanuelle d’Achon, Ambassador of France to Ireland.

Thursday 17 November
7.00 – 9.30pm. Bar open for business until 11.30pm
€40 / €30 AF & IFCC members
Tickets online or at Reception

The Vaults
Harbourmaster Place, Dublin 1

2nd Photography Award Competition

2011-10-13T12:13:00.004+01:00

2ND AF PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD COMPETITION
Submissions deadline is December 1st 2011

After last year success, submissions are being sought again from artists working in Ireland with a particular interest in photography, for an new exhibition in the spring 2012 inspired by the particular multi-use context of the our Gallery which is also a café space. Artists will be shortlisted by the Advisory Committee of the Gallery of the Alliance Française and from this exhibition a winner will be selected.
In 2011, Joby Hickey, Doreen Kennedy, Roseanne Lynch & Jean-Luc Morales were selected to exhibit at the AF and our first Award was given to Roseanne Lynch. See the details here.Prize: Return flights to Paris provided by the Alliance Française Dublin for a two week stay in 2012 at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, sponsored by the Centre Culturel Irlandais, and a €500 grant, sponsored by the Ireland Fund of France. In addition, should the winner not be a French speaker, the prize will include a French course at the Alliance Française Dublin prior to the trip.

Download form

2ème concours de photographie
La date limite pour soumettre votre candidature est le 1er décembre 2011 alors ne perdez pas de temps !

Après le succès du concours de l’année dernière, les candidatures sont à nouveau ouvertes pour les artistes qui travaillent en Irlande avec un intérêt particulier pour la photographie. Nous organiserons une nouvelle exposition au printemps 2012 dans notre galerie qui sert aussi de café. Les artistes seront sélectionnés par le Comité de la Galerie de l’Alliance Française et un gagnant sera désigné.
En 2011, Joby Hickey, Doreen Kennedy, Roseanne Lynch et Jean-Luc Morales ont étéselctionnés pour exposer leurs œuvres à l’Alliance et notre première récompense a été remportée par Roseanne Lynch.
Pour plus de détails, cliquez ici.
Le prix : Vols aller-retour vers Paris fourni par Alliance Française Dublin pour un séjour de deux semaines en 2012 au Centre Culturel Irlandais à Paris, commandité par le Centre Culturel Irlandais, et une subvention de 500 euros commanditée par the Ireland Fund of France. De plus, si le gagnant ne parle pas couramment français, il se verra offrir un cours français à l’Alliance Française Dublin avant son voyage.

Téléchargez le formulaire ici

Exhibition People of the Sea - Gens de la mer

2011-09-28T12:07:00.005+01:00

The Alliance Française Dublin and Veolia Environnement
In partnership with Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh County Cork and The West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen, West Cork
present

People of the Sea - Gens de la mer

Photographs by Gilles Perrin
Exhibition opens Thursday 6 October at 6.30pm in the presence of H.E. Emmanuelle d’Achon

7 October – 26 November 2011

The Alliance Française, Dublin in partnership with The Sirius Arts Centre and West Cork Arts Centre present “People of the Sea” an exhibition of documentary photographs of the Irish Fishing industry by French photographer, Gilles Perrin. These large format black and white images capture the lives of people working in maritime industries around the Cork coastline. Gilles Perrin selected his subjects by visiting harbours and piers in locations such as Cobh, Baltimore, Schull and Castletownbere through the Artist in residency programme at Sirius Arts Centre and later by a similar residency position at the West Cork Arts Centre which took place over a few months in 2007 & 2008.

The photographs which comprise People of the Sea create a valuable document for Ireland illustrating and recording the lives of the families whose work has a history with the sea and make up this long standing vital tradition in Ireland's heritage. The images are made by a large format camera utilizing long exposure times; the resulting large negatives allow tiny details to be viewed with extreme clarity. Often Perrin presents his work as diptychs and triptychs to reveal the full panoramic landscape of the subjects he photographs.

Gilles Perrin is based in Paris, France and has a Master’s Degree in photography. For over 30 years Gilles has photographed extensively with large format cameras (4x5 and 8x10 inches). His passion for photography has taken him to Africa, Tibet, Finland, India, China, Peru and throughout Europe. His work has been exhibited in Japan, China, Syria, Egypt, USA and Europe. “People of the Sea” was first exhibited in 2010 at Sirius Arts Centre and West Cork Arts Centre and is the result of artist residencies with these organisations in 2007 and 2008.

The photographs were printed in Cork at iophotoworks by Tony O’Brien whose kind support is greatly appreciated. It was also made possible in part through art grants from Cork County Council and the Arts Council, Gilles’ wife, Nicole Ewenczyk, was also a key figure in the making of these images. For more information on Gilles Perrin please visit his website at: http://gilles-perrin.com. Gilles Perrin will be present at the opening of this exhibition.

WCAC and Sirius Arts Centre acknowledge the financial support of the Arts Council in making this exhibition possible.

Alliance Française de Dublin
1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Monday-Thursday: 8.30am-7.30pm
Friday: 8.30am - 5.00pm
Saturday: 8.30am to 2pm

OPEN DAY / Porte Ouverte

2011-09-05T15:48:00.003+01:00

Open Day at the Alliance!Saturday 17 September
10am – 2pm

You are invited to the Alliance to experience the full range of what we have to offer! Come on your own or with children and friends and have fun while exploring our many activities.

* Meet our teachers
* Test your level of French
* Try our toddler programme A petits pas
* Learn more about our bilingual programmes for kids
* Try our workshops for kids and adults
* Get information about our diplomas for professionals
* Find out about our Primary School classes
* Learn about our Corporate Classes
* Free tour of our French library & book sale
* Practise your French accent
* Taste some good French wines
* Experience French Cuisine at La Cocotte
* Get a special Membership rate on the day
* Sing along with our French choir
* Discover regions of France
* And… be in with a chance to win in our raffle!

We are wainting for you!

Alliance Française : 1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2

Vous êtes intéressé par les activités de l'Alliance Française? Vous avez des questions à nous poser? Vous voulez simplement passer un agréable samedi en notre compagnie?

L'Alliance Française organise une journée Porte Ouverte le samedi 17 septembre de 10h à 14h[u].
Situés au 1, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, nous vous proposons de:
* Rencontrer nos professeurs,
* Tester votre niveau de français,
* Vous renseigner sur les cours des tout petits, des enfants, des ados ou des adultes,
* Pratiquer votre accent français,
* De participer à des jeux de société,
* De tenter votre chance à la Tombola,
* Goûter de bons vins français,
* Déguster ce que vous proposera notre restaurant La Cocotte
* Devenez membre avec de nombreux aventages et une offre spéciale pour l'occasion
* Et plein d'autres choses encore!

Alors ne manquez pas cet évènement exceptionnel

Nous vous attendons!

Bastille Day Celebration

2011-07-11T12:10:00.003+01:00

Wednesday 13 July at 8.30pm
The Alliance Française in association with Musiclee.ie presents: Bastille Day Celebration. Featuring Cajun and Country band from South Louisiana L'Angélus.
There is a new wind blowing in South Louisiana music and it's called L'Angelus. Talented, original, yet tradition based. With roots in both Cajun and Country. To hear them play is a pleasure. To hear them sing is a joy. I am a fan." ~Zachary Richard
"L'Angélus is the epitome of organic family music. "L'Angélus" translates to me as "angelic voices" with the instrumental energy of a freight train that knows no boundaries. Apart from the fact that these kids are so in sync with one another the magic of their music more than touches your heart......it pierces your heart then sweeps you away. The joy of music is L'Angélus 'raison d'être'." ~Michael Doucet dit BeauSoleil

Whelans’ , Wexford Street, Dublin 2.
Tickets : €15 /€12 for AF members at Alliance Française reception desk on production of Membership card.

Let’s Walk and Talk! "Ça marche !"

2011-06-01T18:13:00.000+01:00

Come and join us for a stroll and a chat… in French!
Within the framework of Dublin City Council’s community initiative, Let’s Walk & Talk, “Ça marche !” is a great way for everyone to stay healthy, meet other people and practise French!
Join us every Friday between 10 June and 15 July at 2pm. The walks last an hour and a half.
All Welcome! Bring your smile, your umbrella and your few or many words of French! And make sure to be on time!
Meeting point: Outside the Alliance Française, 1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Organised in partnership with Dublin City Council.

Friday 10, 17 & 24 June
from 2 to 3.30pm
Free
More information:
www.letswalkandtalk.ie

Matisse exhibition - Exclusive Tour

2011-06-01T18:08:00.002+01:00

The Art Books of Henri Matisse presented by the Chester Beatty Library features four of Matisse’s most artistically significant artists’ books from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Collection, including the famous Jazz. Matisse’s Poèmes de Charles d’Orléans, inscribed from the artist to Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, and a copy of Matisse's illustrated version of James Joyce's Ulysses, both from the Library's own collection, are also on display.
On this occasion, the Alliance Française offers you the possibility of an exclusive guided tour with Dr. Jill Unkel, the curator of the exhibition, to learn more about this French artist. The visit will be followed by Moroccan delights and tea/coffee at the Silk Road Café. The guided tour, which will last between 30 and 40 minutes, is limited to 12 people. Register now!

Wednesday 8 June - 3pm
€10 / AF members €7
Online registration available
Deadline: Monday 6 June

A wind of French swing is forecast for Dublin from 16 June to 25 June 2011

2011-05-26T15:46:00.005+01:00

Get ready for the sixth edition of the Let’s French… Festival of French Music!
7 days of concerts and screenings around Dublin with a wide selection of French music from the most contemporary Folk and Pop to the famous French Chanson!

The festival opens on Thursday 16 June at the Mercantile with the performance of Stranded Horse, a French artist who brings a dreamlike quality to his acoustic melodies and vocals.

On Saturday 18 June, a special “Basque evening” takes place at Dublin Castle with Alegera, a brass band from Bidart (Biarritz) flown in for the occasion. The event celebrates Basque Culture through its traditional music and typical food and drink from the region with a free tasting.

On 19 and 20 June, the IFI presents two one-off special screenings of French films in which music and rhythm play a very central role: Rubber by Quentin Dupieux and Les chansons d’amour by Christophe Honoré.

The South William welcomes Amsterdam Beat Club on Tuesday 21 June, the date of “la Fête de la musique”, for an unforgettable night with an un-beat-able Cocktail of the very best Vintage Music from Swingin' Sixties Sounds to Ska music!

The Alliance Francaise opens its doors on Thursday 23 June for a unique concert of French chanson with the famous singer Agnès Bilh – a musical Trip to France guaranteed!

And finally, to close the festival, Let’s French is proud to present two singers representing the “nouvelle scène française” at the Village on Saturday 25 June. The evening begins with the performance by Claudine Muno and The Luna Boots followed by Tété, one of the most prolific Pop/Folk French singers of the last ten years. This is his first performance for a Dublin audience…A show not to be missed.

For more information about the booking, the price of the tickets, etc. please visit our website: http://www.lets-french.ie/

Recital of Reynaldo Hahn’s songs with the Royal Irish Academy of Ireland

2011-05-23T11:39:00.003+01:00

Wednesday 25 May at 7pm

The Royal Irish Academy of Music in association with the Alliance Francaise Dublin present "L’Heure exquise", a concert celebrating the music of Reynaldo Hahn.

Devised by the award-winning pianist Marek Ruszczynski

The songs of Reynaldo Hahn may not be as popular as those of other French musical giants but they certainly deserve to be brought to the attention of music lovers. The sublime taste and sensibility of this unique and much-loved composer enabled him to create true jewels in the field of song-making during the period of modernism. L’Heure exquise provides Dublin audiences with the opportunity to experience ephemeral beauty and charm. Balancing deliciously on the verge of light and the profound, this evening of music-making will offer an unforgettable insight into the Parisian salon from the times of the fin de siècle.

Anna Brady, soprano
Laura Murphy, mezzo-soprano
Patrick Hyland, tenor
Benjamin Russell, baritone
Alexander Bernstein and Nadene Fiorentini, piano

Admission Free - RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

"Dance Expression", Portraits by Peggy Jarrell Kaplan from 17 May to 24 June

2011-05-11T16:31:00.003+01:00

Dance Expression, by the New York-based photographer, Peggy Jarrell Kaplan, features portraits from 1986 to 2011 that relate to the history of French contemporary dance, the 2011 Dublin Dance Festival, and dance in Ireland. Kaplan has been photographing performing artists who explore new dance forms for more than three decades and has compiled a collection that represents almost all those choreographers that have come to define contemporary dance today.

Working within the tradition of black and white classical portraiture, Kaplan approaches dance obliquely, conveying qualities related to performance, but without reproducing it. Intense close-ups incorporate their own drama and implied corporeal energy. Kaplan sees the photographic studio as a small stage and questions the relevance of sincerity in our digital age.

Peggy Jarrell Kaplan has exhibited her portraits in international dance festivals and at performing arts venues in Europe, North America, and South America. She has a long association with French dance including exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou and at the French Institute Alliance Française in New York. Other series include a history of Japanese dance and underground visual artists from the Soviet Union. Her portraits of Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys, Pina Baush, William Forsythe, and Merce Cunningham have been widely reproduced. Her work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum in New York.

The French writer, Jean-Marc Adolphe, has written of her work: In the reciprocal touch of the face and the image, the passion of the portraitist meets the passion of the choreographers.

This exhibition is part of the Dublin Dance Festival and will run from 17 May to 24 June in the Gallery of the Alliance Française.

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday: 8.30am - 7.30pm; Friday: 8.30am - 5.pm; Saturday: 8.30am - 2pm

CHILDREN’S BOOK LAUNCH - "Mon Carnet de voyage en Irlande" by Aurore Finlay and Eglantine Bonetto

2011-05-09T17:49:00.003+01:00

Saturday 14 May from 11.30am to 1.30pm

After London, Paris and Madrid, Jo comes to Ireland with Mon carnet de voyage en Irlande.
This special green guide is filled with practical information, stories and puzzles. Children will have great fun interacting with this book, while learning all about Ireland.
Aurore Finlay (writer and teacher at the Alliance Française Dublin), aided by Eglantine Bonetto (illustrator), will help you through this wonderful journey.
Collection « Jo et moi autour du Monde » Editions Sikanmar. www.joetmoi.com

Admission free - No booking is required
Venue: Alliance Française - 1, Kildare Street - Dublin 2

LITERATURE NIGHT – Murder in the City organised by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and Eunic

2011-05-04T17:06:00.001+01:00

Wednesday 11 May at 6.30pm

Dublin UNESCO City of Literature invites you to discover exciting contemporary European writers in the intimate surrounds of the Sugar Club, Leeson Street. Enter the murky world of crime and murder as writers from the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy and Scotland read and discuss their works. An atmosphere of suspense and intrigue will be created by musicians from the Dublin Institute of Technology. Crime journalist and writer, Niamh O’Connor, will introduce this exhilarating cast of contemporary crime-writing talent.
On this occasion, the Alliance Française Dublin will introduce Pierre-Olivier Lombarteix whose book Runes is about murders in Dublin.

Admission free - No booking is required.
More information on: www.dublincityofliterature.ie, tel: 01 674 4862, email: catherine.duffy@dublincity.ie
Sugar Club – 8, Lower Leeson Street – Dublin 2

Board Games Evening: French-speaking Culture Quiz

2011-05-04T16:57:00.003+01:00

Wednesday 11 May at 7.30pm

The Médiathèque at the Alliance Française Dublin opens its doors once again from 7.30pm to 9pm for a games evening: a quiz about French-speaking culture!
You will discover, or re-discover, games in French such as Pictionary, Tabou, Cranium, and many more.
The games will be adapted so that they are accessible to all learners of French, whatever their level. It will be an opportunity to speak French but also to discuss French-language culture (film, literature, history and current affairs) through the game.
The evening is open to adults at all levels in French

In the library – AF members only – limited to 12 players
Admission free – RSVP: library@alliance-francaise.ie or 01 638 1443

Roseanne Lynch, winner of the 1st Alliance Francaise Photography Award Exhibition

2011-04-14T13:31:00.003+01:00

1st Alliance Française Photography Award Exhibition
30 March – 11 May 2011
JOBY HICKEY - DOREEN KENNEDY - ROSEANNE LYNCH - JEAN-LUC MORALES

Four artists, Joby Hickey, Doreen Kennedy, Roseanne Lynch and Jean-Luc Morales, were shortlisted among 40 applications to exhibit for the 1st Alliance Française Photography Award Exhibition. The first photography prize was announced at the opening of the exhibition on by Claire Bourgeois, Director of the Alliance Française.
Roseanne Lynch was selected by the Gallery Committee as the winner of the 1st Alliance Française Photography Award as the panel found the work of Roseanne Lynch to be visually intriguing, formally dynamic and beautifully constructed.

She receives a return flights to Paris for a two-week stay in the Centre Culturel Irlandais, a €600 grant sponsored by Ireland Fund of France, a one-to-one professional tutorial on how to prepare raw RGB photographic image files for fine art lithographic printing sponsored by Vermillon Design and a French course at the Alliance Française Dublin prior to the trip.

The exhibition is still running at the Alliance Francaise until 11 May.
Admission free - Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 8.30am-7.30pm; Fri: 8.30am - 5.pm; Sat: 8.30am to 2pm

BOOK LAUNCH - Les Oeuvres complètes de Molière (Gallimard - La Pleiade)

2011-04-11T16:44:00.004+01:00

Wednesday 20 April at 6.30pm

BOOK LAUNCH
Les Oeuvres complètes de Molière (Gallimard)

Presented by Edric Caldicott (Emeritus Professor of French at UCD and member of the Pléiade editorial team)

In continuous publication since 1660, whether in pirated or legal form, or in individual or collective editions, the work of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-73), known to the world as Molière, has always excited admiration mixed with controversy. Unlike Corneille and Racine, his illustrious contemporaries, he was also an actor, assumed to attach more importance to the performance of his thirty-one plays than to their published form – which is perhaps why he was afflicted in his own lifetime with so many illegal editions of his work. Unknown to subsequent scholars, or perhaps just ignored, his protests against literary piracy failed to secure for him the privilege of his own edition of his own complete works. In this respect his fate is not unlike that of Shakespeare whose Folio and Quarto editions have, until the work of Lukas Erne, created deep controversy with regard to their bibliographical authenticity.

It was in this context, and to address these issues, that Georges Forestier, Claude Bourqui, Edric Caldicott, and Anne Piéjus signed a contract with Gallimard in 2003 to produce a new edition of Molière’s works in the Collection de la Pléiade.

Presentation in English. Q & A in French and English.
Admission free – In the library – RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

“Sorry!” by Pierre Byland, Paddy Hayter and Footsbarn Theatre

2011-04-11T13:11:00.002+01:00

From Thursday 7 to Thursday 21 April at 7.30pm (and 3pm at the week-ends)
THEATRE & CIRCUS

Join us for a special family afternoon on Saturday 16 April 2011! The show will begin at 3pm and a snack for children will follow the performance.

Footsbarn Travelling Theatre celebrates its 40th birthday with a triumphant return to Ireland. Their Spiegeltent will be moving into the Point Village at the start of April where they will perform their new show “Sorry!”.

“These guys are probably the best travelling theatre company in the world and it is great to see them coming back to Ireland,” explained Harry Crosbie, Chairman, The Point Village. “When they called to see whether we would be able to host them at the Point Village I didn’t have to think twice about it.”

“Sorry!” involves not only the Footsbarn production team but also Pierre Byland, the famous Swiss clown-actor and former teacher from the Lecoq school, and the Cirque Werdyn, a gypsy horse circus.

“This is not your typical stuffy play,” explains Paddy Hayter, Footsbarn Theatre Company. “As the undertakers hold a funeral for a famous composer, a family of gypsies arrive to celebrate a wedding, all in the same place. From ill fated attempts at cohabitation to open warfare, the two sides attempt to cope with this unfortunate double booking. With a plot like that you know you are in for a show like no other.”

You won’t find another show in Ireland this year that features clowns and undertakers, actors and tractors, corpses and horses and theatre and circus. Despite being 40 years old, Footsbarn Travelling Theatre has lost none of their energy or invention.

With the support of the Alliance Française Dublin, the Cultural Service of the French Embassy and L'Institut Français

At Point Village, in the Footsbarn tent - For further information, please contact: 086 732 67 56

Adults €20
Children €10 / Children under 6 free
Concession tickets [students, unwaged or senior citizens (60+)] €15
Family pack (4 people) – 2 adults and 2 children €50
Family pack (5 people) – 2 adults and 3 children €60
Tickets for sale on www.tickets.ie/footsbarn

For school group bookings or group booking queries, please email Paul: paul@footsbarn.com.

Screening of Vipère au poing - Franco-Irish Literary Festival

2011-03-31T12:16:00.003+01:00

As a prelude to the Franco-Irish Literary Festival, the Alliance Française and the French Embassy have the pleasure of offering you the chance to attend a screening of the French film Vipère au poing, Philippe de Broca’s adaptation of Hervé Bazin’s novel. The film will be introduced by UCD Lecturer Dr Laurent Marie.

At the Irish Film Institute on Tuesday 5 April at 6.30pm.
Admission free but ticketed.
To book your ticket please contact the IFI box office: 01 679 3477

1ST ALLIANCE FRANCAISE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD EXHIBITION (30 March - 11 May)

2011-03-22T17:33:00.004Z

FROM WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH TO WEDNESDAY 11 MAY
1ST ALLIANCE FRANCAISE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD EXHIBITION
With Joby Hickey, Doreen Kennedy, Roseanne Lynch and Jean-Luc Morales

Four artists, Joby Hickey, Doreen Kennedy, Roseanne Lynch and Jean-Luc Morales, were shortlisted to exhibit for the first Alliance Française Photography Award Exhibition.

Joby Hickey : Urban images and the impact of streetscapes on the eye form the basis of his work “Cities: Dublin–Paris; Paris–Dublin”. Urban images and the impact of streetscapes on the eye form the basis of his work “Cities: Dublin–Paris; Paris–Dublin”. He made his own camera on through a special process generated a unique perspective.

Doreen Kennedy: Her work “Flower Bed” was initially a photo based installation. 6" x 4" c-type photographic prints on wooden sticks were installed as part of the Sculpture in Context Exhibition, The National Botanic Gardens, in Dublin in 2009.

Roseanne Lynch’s areas of exploration are the recurring themes of light, truth, perception, representation, uncertainty and the understanding held within the unknowing. In her work “ Document”, she is creating a space where the viewer is allowed to become aware of their own presence.

Jean-Luc Morales : His work “Tokyo People”, printed following a platinum printing technique, is based loosely around the notion of capturing, in movie-stills format, the stories of individuals who form the human pulse moving through the Tokyo metropolis. The atmosphere is grey, urban and anonymous.

With the kind support of Ireland Fund of France, Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris and Vermillon Design.

Opening hours: Monday-Thursday: 8.30am-7.30pm; Friday: 8.30am - 5.pm; Saturday: 8.30am to 2pm
Admission free

Concert by the DIT Chamber Choir

2011-03-16T15:44:00.002Z

Wednesday 30 March at 8pm

The DIT Chamber Choir, conducted by David Brophy, comprises full-time music students of the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and performs a diverse repertoire ranging from 16th century madrigals to contemporary music. The DIT Chamber Choir has established itself on the competition circuit, twice winning first prize in the Cork International Choral Festival Chamber Choir Competition. It has performed in the National Concert Hall on many occasions and in various other leading venues.

DIT Chamber Choir conducted by David Brophy will give a special concert to celebrate Francophonie.

Programme
Berlioz La mort d’Ophélie
Saint-Saëns Quam dilecta Op. 148
Fauré Tantum ergo Op. 55
Fauré Requiem Op. 48

50 mins without an interval
Admission free - RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie
Venue: St. Stephen’s Pepper Canister Church - Mount Street Crescent - Dublin 2

Table Quizz for Teens

2011-03-16T15:37:00.003Z

Friday 25 March 7.30pm

The Alliance Française is pleased to invite 4th, 5th and 6th year secondary school students to a table quiz, for the first time organised and hosted by its teachers and staff! All the quiz rounds are about different aspects of French culture: cinema, food, music, literature, sports, etc.
We have numerous prizes for each member of the winning teams, including books, films, t-shirts and vouchers for a French course!

This event is free of charge. However, booking is necessary as there is a maximum of 20 teams of 4!
Special event in partnership with the French Teachers Association Kildare

Admission free - RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Climate Week - 22 to 26 March

2011-03-14T12:50:00.001Z

The Alliance Française is happy to take part in Climate Week - an international rendez-vous - in partnership with Eco-Créations Co.
The artist Emmanuelle Marion will be happy to meet students to tell them more about this special event and to take the opportunity to show samples of ecological crafts that she will be teaching during the new session of workshops from 4 April. All students will be invited to vote for their favourite creations. The workshops will be based on the two most popular crafts

Adults : Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 from 12.00noon
Teenagers : Friday 25 March from 4.30pm
Children : Saturday 26 March at 12.00noon

Admission free
Eco-Créations Co. website: http://www.ecocreations.ie/about.htm

Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2011 - Screening of Vipère au poing at IFI

2011-03-08T18:30:00.004Z

As a prelude to the Franco-Irish Literary Festival, the Alliance Française and the French Embassy have the pleasure of offering you the chance to attend a screening of the French film Vipère au poing, Philippe de Broca’s adaptation of Hervé Bazin’s novel. The film will be introduced by UCD Lecturer Dr Laurent Marie.

At the Irish Film Institute on Tuesday 5 April at 6.30pm.

Admission free but ticketed.
To book your ticket please contact the IFI box office: 01 679 3477

TALK - La responsabilité sociale des entreprises, sujet à la mode ou expression d’un besoin réel ?

2011-03-02T13:11:00.004Z

Thursday 10 March at 6.30pm
Cercle Français
TALK by His Excellency Michel Doucin
Presentation in French – Q&A in French and in English

La responsabilité sociale des entreprises, sujet à la mode ou expression d’un besoin réel ?

From the United States to China and from Brazil to Norway, companies, foundations, multinationals, financial institutions and governments are calling for a charter to regulate the social practices with regard to the environment, social laws, human rights and the fight against corruption. Such a consensus is surprising in a world that is usually so divided on these topics. The French Ambassador charged with the social responsibility of enterprises (RSE), His Excellency Michel Doucin, will explore the sense, in reality the senses, plural, of the notion of social responsibility and will give examples from different continents, all the while underlining common ground: the largely shared view that these potentially destabilising economic powers have a huge role to play, to serve progress and the common good.

In collaboration with the Cultural Service of the French Embassy
Admission free - RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

The Short Story/Poem Competition

2011-03-02T11:47:00.005Z

The closing date of the Short Story/Poem Competition is fast approaching. Any budding writer, whether Irish or French, can take part in this challenge.

Find the rules below:
• The closing date is the 15th March 2011.
• A short story or short poem on the theme of “Generations”
• You may write either in English or in French.
• Your story or poem must be in Arial 12 and on one page word format. Any text longer than this will be disqualified!
• There is no age limit
• All stories and poems will be displayed during the Literary Festival.•
Send your completed story or poem by email to business@alliance-francaise.ie

We look forward to reading from you.

PANCAKE TUESDAY WITH MUSIC

2011-03-01T13:31:00.005Z

Tuesday 8 March from 7pm to 9.30pm

Before the deprivations period of Lent, come to the Alliance Française and celebrate Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, in Carnival style! You’ll have some delicious pancakes lovingly prepared by the Café la Cocotte while enjoying Cajun music played by the band Prison Love.

Paul Mulcahy - steel-string Guitar, 5-String banjo; Mark O’Mahony - lead vocals, washboard ; Konrad Liddy - double-bass; Adrian Hart - fiddle, harmony vocals and Dave Holden - mandolin, harmony vocals will “deliver exquisite musicianship and great fun in equal doses” (Prison Love).

A free glass of cider will be offered to anyone who dresses up or to anyone who wears a disguise (ex: hat, wig...). Best fancy dress wins a surprise!

€20 for AF members / €22 for Non Members
(1 or 2 savoury sarrasin galettes + 1 or 2 sweet crepes with 2 glasses of cider/ pers)

Online registration before Tuesday 8 March at 12pm on http://registration.xenegrade.com/afdublin/

Listen to Prison Love: www.myspace.com/prisonloveband

BOARD GAMES EVENING - PICTIONARY

2011-02-25T13:18:00.003Z

Wednesday 9 March from 7.30 to 9pm

The Médiathèque at the Alliance Française Dublin will, from now on, opens its doors on the second Wednesday of the month from 7.30 to 9pm for a games evening!
You will discover, or re-discover, games in French such as Pictionary, Tabou, Cranium, and many more.
The games will be adapted so that they are accessible to all French learners whatever their level. It will be an opportunity to speak French but also to discuss French-language culture (film, literature, history, current affairs) through the game.
The evening is open to adults at all levels in French

In the library
AF members only – limited to 12 people
Admission free
RSVP: library@alliance-francaise.ie or 01 638 1443

The new poster - Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2011

2011-02-24T16:23:00.004Z

Hello Everybody,
We have the pleasure to show you the new poster of the Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2011!

We look foward to seeing you in April!

MERS ET MERVEILLES, MONTRER L’INVISIBLE By Dr Emmanuel G. Reynaud (UCD)

2011-01-31T11:54:00.003Z

Tuesday 15 February at 6.30pm

Dr Emmanuel G. Reynaud will present "Mers et merveilles, montrer l’invisible".
Oceans represent 71% of our lovely blue planet, and 97% of the water available to us. Each litre of seawater contains 10 to 100 billion invisible microscopic organisms which have a huge influence on the ecosystem and are the basis of the oceans’ food chain. They also produce half of the oxygen we breathe.
Our presentation will show the various techniques we have at our disposal to identify these microscopic and macroscopic species by digital photography and how these scientific, educational and artistic images give us a better understanding of this “nano world”.
Presentation in English - Q & A in French and in English –
Admission Free - RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie.
With the support of the Cultural Service of the French Embassy

9 + 1 by Dominique Davoust

2011-01-21T13:23:00.003Z

EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS - 9 + 1 by Dominique Davoust
Opening: Thurssday 3rd February at 6.30pm in the presence of the artist
From 26 January until 19 March

In the mid 70’s D. Davoust studied Linguistics at the Paris VIII University and architecture at the Paris Beaux-Arts. In 1978, the portrait of Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto in Nigeria, marked the start of Dominique’s life as a free-lance photographer. Since then, he worked for advertising campaigns for 20 years. Dominique is now based in Dublin where he works for the Irish advertising market, travels for international brands and devotes a large part of his time to his personal work and exhibitions.
In the project 9+1, ten photographs are taken on a given subject with a Polaroid SX70 camera. The SX-70 film has always been an icon in the world of fine-art photography. It renders photographs in a pastel-tinged colour palette that attracted big-name photographers and designers, among them: Helmut Newton, Duane Michals, and Andy Warhol.
Nine are chosen and framed following a square grid of 3 x 3. The last image authenticates the work as unique Polaroid originals. Here the composition is external to the image itself, but it creates a new work by assembling the nine individual images, in a “vibration” of nine squares.

Previous exhibitions:
• May 2000: at the Alcazar, Joseph Conrad’s famous venue in Paris: "Paris Surface".
• July 2005: in the Civic Theatre at Tallaght Co. South Dublin Dublin: The Luas Chronicle.
• November 2005: at the National Art Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria: “9+1”
• February 2009: Toradh Gallery in the Civic Centre, Ashbourne Co. Meath: “Encounter Meath”

Admission free – At the Alliance Française, in La Cocotte – 1, Kildare Street; Dublin 2
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 9.30pm – Friday 8.30am to 7pm – Saturday 8.30am to 1pm

The Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2011

2011-01-18T16:12:00.003Z

Now a significant date in Dublin’s annual literary calendar, The Franco-Irish Literary Festival will be held for the twelfth consecutive year on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of April 2011 in the Coach House situated in Dublin Castle and in the Alliance Française.

On 26tth July 2010 Dublin was officially designated a UNESCO City of Literature. The Alliance Française Dublin is very proud to have played its part in achieving this prestigious designation with the Franco-Irish Literary Festival.

Our intention this year is to invite Irish and French writers and also one each from Canada (Quebec), Germany and UK.
Authors include Geneviève Brisac, Virginie Linhart, Phillippe Forest, Eric Fottorino, Véronique Ovaldé, Claude Arnaud (France), Mícheál Ó Conghaile, Siobhán Parkinson, Caitriona O’Reilly, John Banville, Macdara Woods, Harry Clifton, Keith Ridgway, Paul Murray (Ireland), David Homel (Québec), Julia Frank (Germany), Carlo Gébler (UK).

The theme of the twelfth edition of the Franco-Irish Literary Festival, Generations – Glúnta, will be discussed through four round-table discussions:

● Etre de son temps : Belonging to a generation - Cuid de ghlúin faoi leith

● Le temps de la révolte : Generation gaps - An deighilt idir ghlúnta

● Au fil du temps : Words in time - An briathar trí chriathar an ama

● Le temps après : The next generation - An ghlúin atá le teacht

We look forward to seeing you on the 8th, 9th and 10th of April 2011!

The writing competition - Budding Writers

2011-01-10T15:30:00.002Z

Last year, for its eleventh edition, the Franco-Irish Literary Festival introduced a new idea: A writing competition. We were so encouraged by the huge success of this competition that we intend to repeat it in the current edition.

The purpose of the writing competition is to showcase writing talent on the theme “Generations”. Any "Budding Writer”, whether Irish or French, can take part in this challenge.

The jury which will decide on the winner is composed of members of the Festival Committee. The best short stories/poems (one French and one English) will be read by the authors during the festival.
The two winners, one Irish - will receive a free French course, of his/her choice, at the Alliance Francaise and one French - will be able to choose from a wide range of creative writing courses at the Irish writers’ Centre.

• The opening date for entries is the 1rst January 2011 - The closing date is the 15th March 2011.
• A short story or short poem on the theme of “Generations”.
• You may write either in English or in French.
• Your story or poem must be in Arial 12 and on one page word format. Any text longer than this will be disqualified!
• There is no age limit.
• All stories and poems will be displayed during the Literary Festival.
• Send your completed story or poem by email to business@alliance-francaise.ie

Take up your pens!

IFI FRENCH FILM CLUB – THE THORN IN MY HEART

2011-01-10T13:18:00.001Z

Tuesday 18 January - 9pm
IFI FRENCH FILM CLUB – THE THORN IN MY HEART
6 Eustace Street
Dublin 2

The Thorn in my Heart is a film directed by Michel Gondry. Starring Michel Gondry, Suzette Gondry, Jean-Yves Gondry.
Watching the work of the French fabulist Michel Gondry can be an intoxicating yet frustrating experience. Few directors share his ability to make images that seem to plug directly into our feelings, particularly those of nostalgia, melancholy and childhood joy.
But despite his knack for enchantment, the films he builds from those images, like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, don’t quite sweep us away. Their eccentricity and whimsicality begin to feel studied, then insistent, and finally a bit off-putting; what seemed to be transparent turns out to be opaque.
For his new film The Thorn in the Heart, Mr. Gondry dispensed nearly entirely with the visual embroidery that has been his trademark since his music-video days. “Thorn” is about as personal a project as you’ll see from a major filmmaker: a documentary portrait of Mr. Gondry’s formidable Aunt Suzette, a family linchpin and former schoolteacher, and of her troubled relationship with her son, Jean-Yves.

Introduced by Laurent Marie, Lecturer in French at UCD
Tickets available at the IFI: AF members €7 - Non-members €9.50

ALLIANCE FRANCAISE CHOIR

2011-01-10T13:11:00.001Z

The Alliance Française invites you to sing every Tuesday from 1pm to 2pm. This choir, now in its second year, is directed by French soloist, and singing teacher, Laura Zimmermann. The repertoire is French and in a variety of styles, from the medieval to the contemporary, without forgetting songs from around the world.
The sessions begin with a good warm-up and vocal work.

Whatever your level, don’t hesitate. Join us!All welcome: French speakers and non-French speakers alike.

Every Tuesday 1.00-2.00pm
11 Jan – 7 June: 19 sessions
(no choir on 22 February and 19, 26 April)
€50 for AF members
€80 for Non-Members
Online registration available
€5 a session for those who don’t want to commit to the whole term.

Happy new year!

2011-01-06T16:43:00.003Z

Wishing you a Happy New Year in 2011 from us all at the Alliance Francaise of Dublin.
May 2011 be the year of happiness, peace, health and surprises...!

Christmas concert

2010-12-14T14:57:00.002Z

CONCERT DE NOEL AF CHOIR
Thursday 16 December at 8pm
The Alliance Française Choir will be delighted to sing the selection of French traditionals and classic songs.
Laura Zimmermann, director of the AF Choir and professional soloist, will sing accompanied on piano by Cécile Gorge, teacher of piano and French at the AF for over twenty years, some of Gabriel Fauré’s songs adapted from poems by Paul Verlaine, Armand Silvestre and Villiers de l'Isle-Adam among others.

Admission: AF Members €8 / Non-Members €12
Booking essential at Reception info@alliance-francaise.ie

MOVING WORLDS FESTIVAL

2010-12-06T11:52:00.001Z

8-11 December: MOVING WORLDS FESTIVAL
Moving Worlds: Cinemas of Migration is a unique collaboration between the Forum on Migration and Communication (FOMACS) and the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC)

Friday 10 December at 6pm
PANEL CONVERSATION WITH MARIELLE BERNARD

On the occasion of the Moving Worlds Festival, Marielle Bernard, the coordinator of social services of CAFDA, will give a talk at the Alliance Francaise. CAFDA (centre d’accueil pour les familles demandeurs d’asile), a reception centre for asylum seeking familiesQ&A to follow the screening.
RSVP: contact FOMACS in advance to register. tel: (01) 402 3006, or email info.fomacs@dit.ie

Saturday 11 December at 2.30pm
SCREENING AT THE IFI – THE ARRIVALS by Claudine Bories, Patrice Chagnard

The Arrivals is a French co-directed documentary. Caroline and Colette are social workers on the frontline. All day long, they assist families who are seeking asylum in France. Every day, there are new arrivals from different parts of the world – Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Eritrea – with or without passports, with or without luggage. Tickets are available from IFI Box Office, 6 Eustace Street Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 679 3477, or at www.ifi.ie

2010-11-29T17:36:00.000Z

Saturday 4 December from 9.30am to 4.30pm
FRENCH CHRISTMAS MARKETIn need of ideas for your Christmas presents?

The 3rd French Christmas Market will be held at the Alliance Française on Saturday 4 December.
You will love its cheerful and cosy atmosphere.
Escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy some tasty food from our delicatessen with a warming hot drink.
Our seasonally-decorated stands will be selling an array of Christmas presents including wine, chocolates, jewellery, cosmetics, books, clothes and decorations.
So whether you're looking for that special gift, a seasonal snack, or simply looking for some festive atmosphere, the Alliance Française Christmas Market 2010 is the perfect place for yuletide cheer with a beautiful French touch.

Admission free

THE HOTCLUB OF DUBLIN-CD LAUNCH

2010-11-22T16:54:00.002Z

SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER AT 7PM
Concert. “Hotclub” is a blend of Swing Jazz and Gypsy (Roma) music. It is largely associated with the Quintette du Hot Club de France a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt.

The Hotclub of Dublin consists of three members of the Gilligan Family, John, Fintan and Daniel, virtuoso Russian gypsy violin player Oleg Ponomarev and well-known French saxophonist Cyrille Laurens.

The Hotclub of Dublin will launch their new album Fin voyage.

The Café des Amis will be open for wine, soft drinks and sandwiches.

myspace.com/thehotclubofdublin

Admission €15 non-members
€12 AF members.

2010-11-16T16:31:00.001Z

BEAUJOLAIS CELEBRATION
Thursday 18 November - 7.00 to 9.30pm
Following last year’s massive success the Alliance Française in partnership with the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce will celebrate Le Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 !
So, come along and join us for the arrival of this year’s Beaujolais with friends and colleagues, when you will be guided by Richard Moriarty, Chief wine buyer at Supersquinn, in the setting of a festive evening with music, local food products (cheeses, patés, saucissons etc…) to accompany the wine tasting and…. a surprise !
We are honoured to welcome our newly-arrived Ambassador to France in Ireland H.E. Emmanuelle d’Achon for the evening.

With the support of Superquinn‘s wine expert Richard Moriarty and the sponsorship of Emerald Freight Express.

Price: AF & IFCC members €40 per person / €70 per couple
Non-members €55

2010-11-04T12:13:00.002Z

LIFE SIZE CLUEDO
Friday 5 November from 7.30pm to 9.30pm

Who killed Jacques Perrin? The situation is serious at the Manor of La Main Noire… Jacques Perrin, a French teacher of the Manor, has been strangled! All the residents of the Manor are upset: The guardian is crying all the time, the librarian stopped reading, the teachers are on strike... Tension is at its height !
That’s why the Landlord of the Manor decided to call Grolumbo, the famous French inspector! But must be helped to interrogate all the suspects by a lot of aspiring investigators…YOU
So, join us to unmask the murderer !
A voucher for French classes to win!

Admission FREE.
RSVP PLEASE: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Teachers' workshop: Sung French as a pedagogical tool

2010-11-02T13:23:00.001Z

Saturday 13 November 1 – 3pm

Through exercise and vocal games, this workshop offers teachers of French as a Foreign Language, as well as secondary school French teachers, some strategies to develop oral and aural skills and provide their students with the courage to take the lead in conversations and to improve structure and pronunciation.

The musical theatre of Georges Aperghis, who combines poetry and humour, the speaking voice and the singing voice, will provide the material used by Laura Zimmerman, a professional singer, who is currently directing the choir of the Alliance Française Dublin.

AF members €5/Non-members €10. Online registration available.

Naim Kattan's lecture cancelled

2010-10-28T15:31:00.002+01:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret that Naim Kattan must cancel his lecture which is due to place at the Alliance Francaise tonight, Thursday 28 October.
Sorry for any inconveniences this may cause.

The fascinating world of the Ocean waves by Pr. Frederic Dias

2010-10-26T13:16:00.002+01:00

Wednesday 3 November - 6.30 pm

Water waves can have destructive power but they can also be a source of renewable energy, especially in Ireland. Expert on water waves for over 20 years, Prof. Frederic Dias from University College Dublin (School of Mathematical Sciences) will present his work The fascinating world of waves at the Alliance Francaise.

The presentation is in French with films and slides in English. It will be followed by a session of questions and answers in English and French.

Admission free
Limited number of seats available: RSVP info@alliance-francaise.ie - 01 676 17 32.

2010-10-12T13:07:00.002+01:00

Thursday 28 October at 6.30pm
Lecture : Pourquoi j’ai choisi le français. par Naim Kattan

Naim Kattan, writer, literary critic (born at Baghdad, Iraq in 1928). Kattan studied law at the University of Baghdad before studying literature at the Sorbonne. His fictionalized memories of these years appeared as Adieu, Babylone (1975) and Les Fruits arrachés (1977). He immigrated to Canada in 1954 and in 1984 became head of the writing and publishing division of the Canada Council. Kattan has contributed to magazines and newspapers in the Near East, Europe and North America, and has written several books, distinguishing himself in the genres of essay, novel, short story and theatre.
In Le Réel et le théâtral (1970), a collection of essays that won the Prix France-Canada (1971), Kattan pondered the elements that over the ages have differentiated and distinguished cultures and civilizations, the relationship of oriental and occidental man with nature, other men and the beyond. He continued this reflection in La Mémoire et la promesse (1978), Le Désir et le pouvoir (1983) and Le Repos et l'oubli (1987).
In collaboration with the Délégation générale du Québec à Londres.

Presentation in French
Q & A in French and English
Admission free. RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

MEET THE WRITER AZOUZ BEGAG

2010-10-06T16:10:00.001+01:00

Wednesday 13 October 6.30pm

Azouz Begag, born in Lyon, France, is a French writer, politician and researcher in economics and sociology at the CNRS. Begag's best known literary work (he has published more than 20 books, among them many novels often inspired by his childhood) is the autobiographical novel Le Gone du Chaâba, published in 1986. In his novel, he describes the first ten years in the life of a child of Algerian immigrants who arrived in France in 1949: an Arab father, a mother from Kabylia, seven siblings, and a wooden shack for a house on the banks of the Rhône, next to other shantytowns.

Azouz Begag has been the delegate minister for equal opportunities of France between 2005 and 2007. Begag's academic career, culminating in his place as a researcher at the CNRS, as well as his political career to date, have also centred around the problems of unequal opportunity for those brought up in industrial suburbs and ghettos, " les Beurs" (young French of Maghreb descent).

Presentation in French moderated by Michael Cronin, Director of the Centre for Translation and Textual studies (DCU).
Q & A in French and English
Admission free. RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Legal french evening

2010-09-20T15:42:00.002+01:00

Tuesday 5 October at 6.30pm

Un droit europeen des contrats : un reve ou un cauchemar?
Presentation by Paul Keane, Managing Partner of Reddy Charlton McKnight and a graduate of the Diploma in Legal French

The European Contract Law proposal presents significant political, legal and linguistic challenges. Is it worth the effort?”

This event will signal the start of the academic year for the Diploma in Legal French.
Presentation in French - Q & A in French and English- Admission free

Opening of the exhibition " A natural history" by Martin Healy (30 September-27 November)

2010-09-20T15:39:00.001+01:00

Wednesday 29 September at 6.30pm

Martin Healy’s practice explores the connection between belief, perception and recorded imagery or sound, through the framework of popular cultural mythologies and phenomena.

For the show in the Alliance Francaise Healy will present a series of works that refer to the role photography plays in the classification of the natural world.

Martin Healy graduated from Crawford College of Art in 2000. Martin Healy came to public notice when he was included in the RHA’s Futures exhibition in 2004. Since then he has had a residency at IMMA and solo shows at the RHA and Rubicon galleries. Martin Healy is represented by the Rubicon gallery.

Admission free.

Dublin Culture Night - A reading to music

2010-09-10T15:17:00.003+01:00

Friday 24 September from 7.30pm

On the occasion of Culture Night, the Alliance Française is offering a reading to music of Si la musique doit mourir by Tahar Bekri. On this occasion, Pol Huellou, flutes, will be backed by Sean Howley, bouzouki, Gerry O’Connor, fiddle and Gilles Le Bigot, guitar.

A poet born in 1951 in Gabès, Tunisia, Tahar Bekri has been living in Paris since 1976. He writes in French and in Arabic. He has published about twenty works. His poetry, hailed by critics, is translated into various languages. His work, marked by exile and wandering, evokes crossings in time and space continually reinvented. An inner speech, it is rooted in memory, seeking new horizons, at the interface of tradition and modernity. Above all it wishes to be a fraternal song, a land without frontiers. The reading of Si la musique doit mourir of Tahar Bekri could only get Pol Huellou to compose the music to accompany and to illustrate his poem in the framework of a creative project at La Passerelle, in Saint Brieuc. Since their initial encounter, a deep friendship has developed between the poet and the musician and their act was selected by the annual event of Le Printemps des Poètes. The poem has been translated into many languages: English, Russian, German, Greek, Portuguese, but also into Irish by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill.

French second-hand books for sale from 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

Readings at 7.30 pm, 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm
Admission free

Meet the artist - Talk with Pascal Bircher

2010-09-10T15:10:00.002+01:00

Thursday 16 September 6.30pm

Pascal Bircher’s interdisciplinary practice combines elements of personal and collective mythology, samples of reality and fiction. With strong references to history and science (particularly deep history and astrophysics), literature, genre movies and popular culture, he probes notions of origin and the mechanisms through which identity and narrative are constructed, evolve or mutate, exploring the possibilities of representing the unfathomable and the phenomena of appearance or disappearance of form and meaning.

Pascal Bircher lives and works in Paris. He is currently doing a residency at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin Q&A (French-English)

Admission free - RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie
Venue:
Alliance Francaise de Dublin
1, Kildare street
Dublin 2

French Week (13th to 18th july0

2010-07-08T13:08:00.000+01:00

Hoist the French sail with the Alliance Française Dublin!
13-18 July

In partnership with the Belem Foundation and to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Alliance Française Dublin, the third biggest Alliance in Europe, is organizing a crossing between France and Ireland on the Belem, one of the oldest tall ships still sailing the seas. A French merchant ship in her first years, later on the property of the Guinness family this vessel is France's only remaining three-masted barque.
Setting sail from Roscoff, Britanny, on the 9th of July with about 48 trainees, the Belem will be welcomed into Dublin Harbour (right beside the Samuel Beckett bridge), four days later by the French Ambassador on the 13th of July, just in time for the Bastille Day celebrations! The Belem will be moored for a few days beside a huge festive market, organised by Le Marché de France European Market, on the quayside, giving the people of Dublin a chance to come on board and to participate in the celebrations.

To all sailors!
Raise the anchor and please give the Belem:
A real Irish welcome to Dublin Bay: Tuesday July 13 around 2 to 3pm
And a real Irish farewell back to the high seas: Saturday July 17 around 9am

Bal musette

2010-07-08T12:27:00.001+01:00

Come and enjoy the traditional celebration of Bastille Day!
Dance the night away at the “Guinguette”, an open air dance hall.

French food and wine served.

Take a stroll on the quays to the French tall ship Belem in an old-time Paris ambiance to the sound of French chanson and Cajun music.

Duo Sean & Tómas
Caroline Moreau
Cedric Watson and Bijou créole

Admission free

Soirée aveyronnaise

2010-06-24T14:12:00.001+01:00

Come and discover the wonders of the Aveyron region at a very special evening!
Keep thoughts of sunshine to the fore and be introduced to the local delicatessen and the local talents!
Discover the secrets of the aligot and try some of the local cuisine: charcuterie and cheeses including the famous Roquefort, along with a glass of wine and you will be transported to this beautiful region of France and meet some young entrepreneurs, members of the Jeune Chambre Economique, who will talk to you about their lovely area and the places that you really must visit if you are tempted to travel there!

Wednesday 30 June- 6.30pm
Admission free
RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Party Gainsbourg

2010-06-11T13:43:00.000+01:00

Monday 21st June
The Mezz – 9.00pm
The film made you nostalgic?
Then why not dance with the Gainsbourg Family! Among the three, you will definitely like one of them, between the provocative Serge Gainsbourg, his “muses” Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin and the fragile Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Their most popular hits will be played all night at the Mezz, a late Bar with music, in Temple Bar. Admission Free.

Screening Gainsbourg

2010-06-11T13:42:00.003+01:00

Monday 21st June
IFI - 6.45pm
The IFI is delighted to present, a preview of Gainsbourg, Joann Sfar's fascinating biopic of the legendary musician Serge Gainsbourg. An artist, a rebel, a rock star and a lover to many beautiful women, Gainsbourg explores all aspects of a man who would prove to be one of the most influential musicians of all time.

The screening will be followed by a Gainsbourg Party

Musical Brunch

2010-06-11T13:42:00.002+01:00

Sunday 20th June
Restaurant Verre en vers
Hotel Radisson Blu – 1.00 to 4.00pm
A Musical Brunch will be held at the French Restaurant of the Hotel Radisson Blu, Verre en vers. Come and enjoy French gastronomy in a warm, relaxing and musical atmosphere.

To book your table, call 01 898 2992
Brasserie Verres en Vers is offering a 5% discount off Sunday Brunch for Let's French Festival guests on Sunday the 20th June.
This is not valid in conjunction with any other offer.

Concert Jazz

2010-06-11T13:41:00.002+01:00

Saturday 19th June
Alliance Française Dublin - 6.30pm
The association of German saxophonist Daniel Erdmann & French pianist Francis Le Bras is the crossing and the addition of another universe, harmony and melody, of two conceptions of music and improvisation. Here, artistic freedom allows the two stories told to go their own way before merging at the best possible moment.

www.myspace.com/erdmann3000

2010-06-11T13:38:00.000+01:00

Saturday 19th June
Alliance Française of Dublin
from 3.00 to 5.00pm
After the last year success, students, members and friends of the Alliance Française are all welcome again to come on stage and show off their musical talents!
Whether you have a talent for singing, or playing an instrument, whether you are into hip hop, folk, rock, classical or opera this will be your 5 minutes of fame!
No stage fright just friends here to support you in the Café des amis to celebrate summer and music!
Performance time: 3 to 10 minutes per person / band.

Registration mandatory at cultural@alliance-francaise.ie.

Party - French Caribbean Night

2010-06-10T15:39:00.000+01:00

Thursday 17th June
South William Bar – 9pm

Come and Join us on June 17th in the South William Bar to celebrate French Caribbean Music. Often understated, this night will offer Creole-aficionados the chance to sample some of the best Biguine, Calypso and Zouk music straight from Martinique and Guadeloupe.

The Bar will serve typical cocktails, so put your dancing shoes on and come and join us. It’s free!

Concert - Sophie Delila

2010-06-10T15:23:00.003+01:00

Wednesday 16th June
Whelans - 8pm

A Parisian-bred singer, pianist, guitarist, writer and producer, Sophie Delila is currently seducing Europe with her brand of soulful melodic pop. She appeared last year on Nouvelle Vague's album covering Talk Talk's classic "Such A Shame". Her highly anticipated debut album, Hooked, will be released on 31st May and is already described as “one of this season’s essentials”.

Concert - Mellino (from Les Négresses Vertes)

2010-06-10T15:21:00.002+01:00

Friday 18th June
Crawddady - 8pm
After a few memorable years in the French cult band Les Négresses Vertes, Mellino are back on the road in their own style, focusing all their energy into intense, visceral gypsy rock. The duo mixes easily the classic by the Négresses Vertes with their brand new mediteranneo-rock material.

www.myspace.com/mellino

French Film Club "La fille du Rer" by Téchiné

2010-06-01T12:16:00.001+01:00

FRENCH FILM CLUB:
LA FILLE DU RER

Tuesday 8 June @ 8.40pm

In La Fille du RER, veteran French auteur André Téchiné turns in a complex drama which displays all his trademarks of narrative density, insightful character study and a passionate engagement with the complexities of modern French politics and culture.

The cast is uniformly strong, with Catherine Deneuve, Michel Blanc, Emilie Dequenne, Mathieu Demy, Ronit Elkabetz and Nicolas Duchauvelle. The film is inspired by Jean-Marie Besset’s play RER (2006).

Introduction by Dr Laurent Marie

Tickets: €7 AF members - €9.50 Non-members
To book, please contact the box office at 01 679 3477

Irish Film Institute
8 Eustace Street, Dublin 2

Jena Sulivan Evening

2010-05-31T13:37:00.002+01:00

To mark the 30th anniversary of the death of the French priest-writer Jean Sulivan (1913-1980), a special evening will begin with a short talk by Dr Eamon Maher, Director of the National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies in IT Tallaght, on the theme: The relevance of Sulivan’s writings for post-Catholic Ireland, followed by readings from Sulivan’s work with an selection of music by the poet, musician and former teacher Dominique Dao Huu Bao from Rennes, in Sulivan’s native Brittany.

Thursday 3rd June @ 6pm
In collaboration with the Cultural Service of the French Embassy

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact the reception at info@alliance-francaise.ie

Cultural Events June 2010

2010-05-31T13:16:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 1 June
Award - Launch of the 1st AF Photography Award for an exhibition in November 2010

Thursday 3 June
Talk - The relevance of Jean Sulivan’s writings for post-Catholic Ireland by Dr Eamon Maher followed by a reading by French poet and musician: Dominique Dao Huu Bao - 6pm - RSVP

Tuesday 8 June
French Film Club - La fille du RER by Téchiné introduced by Dr. Laurent Marie - at IFI - 8.40pm
€7 AF members

Let’s French Music Festival 16 June - 21June
Wednesday 16 June
Concert - Sophie Delila - at Whelan’s - 8pm - €8 AF members / €12 Non-members
Thursday 17 June
Party - French Caribbean Night - at South William Bar - 9pm - Free
Friday 18 June
Concert - Mellino (Négresses Vertes) - at Crawdaddy - 8pm - €8 AF members / €12 Non-mbers
Saturday 19 June
Open Mic - Children, teens and adults come & show your musical talent - 3pm to 5pm - Free
Concert - Franco-German Jazz Duo - Daniel Erdmann & Francis Le Bras - 6.30pm
€8 AF members / €12 Non-members
Sunday 20 June
Musical Brunch - Restaurant Verre en vers at Hotel Radisson Blu - 1pm to 4pm - book your table at 01 898 2992 - 5% discount for Let’s French Festival guests
Monday 21 June
Cinema - Advance Screening of Joann Sfar’s Gainsbourg - at IFI - 6.45pm - €7 AF members
Post-screening Party - Gainsbourg Party - at The Mezz - 9pm - Free

Wednesday 23 June
Ciné Kid – Lucky Luke, la ballade des Dalton - 4pm - Free for AF members only - RSVP

Thursday 24 June
Ciné Club - La cite de la peur by Les Nuls - 7.30pm - Free for AF members only - RSVP

Wednesday 30 June
Soirée aveyronnaise - Come and discover the wonders of the Aveyron region at a very special evening. Be introduced to the local delicatessen and the local talents! - 6.30pm Free - RSVP

TO COME:
7 July: Exhibition Belle-île en mer 1930-1960 by Pierre Jamet
8 July: Talk by Nicolas Fève Overview of photography in France from the 1930s to the 1960s
13-17 July: French Market on the docks and the arrival of the French tall ship Le Belem

Ciné Club - Belle de Jour by Luis Buñel

2010-05-20T09:30:00.001+01:00

CINE CLUB
Belle de jour de Luis Buñel

Thursday 27 May - 7.30pm
French version
with French subtitles, 100 min.

Catherine Deneuve plays a woman who decides to spend her days as a prostitute while her husband is at work. As mysterious, poetic, and provoking as every Luis Buñuel's films, Belle de Jour is certainly the masterpiece of surrealist cinema. His meditation on reality, society, fantasy and sexuality still remains both alluring and shocking decades after it was made (1967).

Information and booking:
library@alliance-francaise.ie

Admission Free. Seats are limited to 15 and restricted to Members.

AF Birthday Party!!!

2010-05-19T14:11:00.000+01:00

CHAPEAU L'ALLIANCE !
AF BIRTHDAY PARTY

Special Event. 50 years old, that’s worth celebrating!
Take your hat off to the Alliance Française, but first you have to wear it! Use your imagination! Come wearing your finest examples of millinery madness and then dance the night away to celebrate the first half century of the Alliance Française in Dublin.
The grand draw for the 50th anniversary raffle will take place at 10.30pm on that night. If you haven’t already bought your raffle ticket, there’s still time to buy some at the Alliance or on the night if stocks last!

25 May 2010 - 7.00pm
Admition: Free for the hatted! Otherwise a €5 charge will apply.

Ciné Kid - Le Petit Nicolas de Laurent Tirard

2010-05-19T13:58:00.005+01:00

Le Petit Nicolas de Laurent Tirard

Screening. This month Cinékid presents the live-action adaption of the acclaimed children's book series Le Petit Nicolas by Goscinny & Sempé.

One day, Nicolas overhears a conversation between his parents which suggests that his mother might be pregnant and his whole world is shattered... The adaptation was co-written by Alain Chabat (Les Nuls, Astérix & Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre).

Saturday 22 May - 12.15pm
French version
with French subtitles

Free for AF Members only
RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Dublin Dance Festival - Young People Old Voices

2010-05-12T15:01:00.000+01:00

DUBLIN DANCE
FESTIVAL 2010

Dance. The modern dance theatre piece Young People, Old Voices by the German dancer and choreographer Raimund Hoghe, and with the young French dancer Emmanuel Eggermont, is the central event of the Dublin Dance Festival 2010.

Tuesday 18 at 7pm
Wednesday 19 May at 7.30pm

Tickets: €22 (Full Price) / €18 (Concession) / €17 (Early Bird)
10% discount off full price tickets for AF members. Call the Box Office on (01) 672 8815.

Other French productions or co-productions during the Dublin Dance Festival: Basso Ostinato by Caterina Sagna (May 17-18 at Project Arts Centre) and AD VITAM by Carlotta Sagna (May 21-22 at Project Arts Centre), MonStreS by La BaZooKa (May 13-15 at The Ark).

Samuel Beckett Theatre
Beckett Centre 202 Pearse St, D2

Training - Acting techniques for improved student engagement

2010-05-10T15:13:00.003+01:00

Acting techniques for improved student engagement

Training. New instalment in our Teacher of French Training Workshops series:

Acting techniques for improved student engagement presented by Anne Abel-Ginisty, both a professional actress and a teacher of French as a foreign language at the Alliance Française in Dublin.

Using theatrical techniques learns how to take account of personal qualities to help voice utilisation, body movements and the use of space, in particular. Activities help students to take the lead and participate more fully in class.

Saturday 15 May 2-4pm at the Alliance Francaise in Dublin
AF members €10
Non-members €20

Book online
More information:
info@alliance-francaise.ie

Rencontre avec Samuel Beckett

2010-05-06T15:37:00.001+01:00

Rencontre avec Samuel Beckett

Conference. Charles Juliet and Barry McGovern will talk about their encounters with Samuel Beckett at different stages of their life.
Charles Juliet, is a French poet, playwright and novelist. In 1986, he published his Rencontres avec Samuel Beckett, which included four interviews he had with the author. Barry McGovern is an Irish stage, film and television actor. He is known internationally for his award-winning one-man Beckett show I'll Go On. Barry McGovern will read a few extracts from Beckett’s work and from Charles Juliet own book. Q&A (French-English) will follow the reading.

Tuesday 11 May at 6.30pm
Admission free at the Alliance Francaise in Dublin
RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

In collaboration with the Cultural Service of the French Embassy and the Lycée Français d’Irlande

Ciné Club - Mon Oncle by Jacques Tati

2010-04-26T11:16:00.001+01:00

Cinéclub

JACQUES TATI's MON ONCLE
Thursday 29 April - 7.30pm
On the occasion of the Franco-Irish Literary Festival whose theme this year is The City, the Ciné-Club suggests that you see or see once again Mon Oncle by Jacques Tati, which was first shown in 1958. The first film in colour by the director this absolute masterpiece received the Oscar for the Best Foreign Film that year.
M. and Mme Arpel live in a very modern house in a lethargic neighbourhood. Game, chance and humour have no place in this too-well designed universe. Their son, Gérard, is bored. But that's where his uncle M. Hulot makes his appearance, an idiosynchratic misfit...

French version with French subtitles, 110 min.

Information and booking: library@alliance-francaise.ie
Admission Free. Seats are limited to 15 and restricted to Members.

French Film Club "La Danse" by Frederick Wiseman

2010-04-22T12:31:00.000+01:00

Monday 26 April at 8pm
Talk 15minutes before the screening

At the IFI (8 Eustace street, Dublin 2)

Ticket on sale at the box office
€7 AF members / €9.50 Non-members

From the talent and application of individual dancers and choreographers to the infrastructure of a venerable Parisian institution, La Danse, The Paris Opera Ballet is an expansive portrait that surveys the totality of presenting world-class ballet to an adoring public.

For the past four decades, Fred Wiseman, the dean of American documentarists, has specialised in allowing the audience the status of invisible observer watching the process of others going about their lives, and here as usual he forgoes captioning and direct-to-camera interviews to give reality to us straight up. The result is compellingly immersive, detailing the day-to-day micro-crises inevitably shaping the fortunes of any large ballet company, yet also encouraging our appreciation of the sheer toil involved in honing physical grace to a fine point of finesse.

The screening of the film will be preceded by a brief introduction by a representative from the Dublin Dance Festival.

Ciné Kid - La Ballon Rouge by Albert Lamorisse

2010-04-19T14:27:00.001+01:00

Saturday 24 April 12.15
French version
with French subtitles

Le Ballon rouge is a 1956 fantasy short film (40 minutes)directed by Albert Lamorisse (who also shot Crin Blanc).

The film, which follows the adventures of a young boy who one day finds a sentient, mute, red balloon, was filmed in the Ménilmontant neighborhood of Paris.

It won numerous awards, including an Oscar for best original screenplay in 1956 and the Palme d'Or for short films at Cannes. Many international directors and critics are still considering this film amongst the most influential. It also became popular with children educators.

Free for AF Members only
RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

Photographic exhibition "Beckett's Paris" by John Minihan

2010-04-15T10:25:00.003+01:00

"Beckett's Paris" by John Minihan
14 April - 25 June
At the Alliance Française in Dublin (1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2)

The Irish photographer John Minihan first met Samuel Beckett in May 1980, and was to photograph him many times thereafter, in both Paris and London, a privilege afforded to very few. Impossible to interview and famously camera-shy, Samuel Beckett was nevertheless a remarkable subject, with his wise, eagle-like face which reflected his greatness and profundity as a writer.

This exhibition presents some impressive portraits of Beckett and of his surroundings in Paris together with portraits of the famous, like Jean-Louis Barrault or Nathalie Sarraute, who worked and spent time with Beckett in Paris at that time.

This exhibition is kindly sponsored by www.parisbynumbers.ie

Zazie dans le métro de Louis Malle

2010-03-31T19:39:00.003+01:00

Thursday 8 April at 6.30pm

Screening. As a prelude to the Franco-Irish Literary Festival, the Alliance Française has the pleasure of offering you the chance to attend a screening of the 1960 cult classic film Zazie dans le métro.

Louis Malle's fourth film, based on the novel by Raymond Queneau, is an absurdist wonder to behold, halfway between slapstick comedy and poetry. A sassy young girl embarks on a madcap Parisian adventure when she visits her transvestite uncle and takes a raucous sightseeing tour of the city.

The film will be introduced by UCD Lecturer Dr Laurent Marie.

Admission free but ticketed.
To book your ticket please contact the IFI box office: 01 679 34

The writing competition is over!

2010-03-30T14:33:00.004+01:00

Dear writers,

The Writing Competition is now over.

We would like to thank you all for your participation. The Short Story-Poem Competition has been set up for the first time, this year and it has been a real success that we did not expect.

If you get a chance to go to the Festival, which is held at Dublin Castle on the 16th and 17th April and at the Alliance Française on the 18th of April, you will get the opportunity to read the 31 stories and poems in English and French of all candidates.

We all hope to see you at the Festival.

The organisation team of the festival

SEAN HILLEN ON HIS WORK

2010-03-22T15:18:00.002Z

Talk. Sean Hillen was raised in Newry and studied at the Belfast College of Art. In 1982, he travelled to London to continue his studies at the London College of Printing, and then at the Slade School of Fine Art. The Man from IRELANTIS shows many examples of his highly acclaimed work from the 1980’s up to his most recent and talks about its genesis and history. The exhibition Return to Irelantis is currently on display in our gallery. Read a review here from the Irish Independent.

Tuesday 30 March at 6.30pm
Admission Free RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

CINECLUB: LE GRAND VOYAGE

2010-03-22T15:02:00.002Z

Screening. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Francophonie the Cinéclub is giving you the opportunity this month to see a screening of Le Grand voyage, a wonderful film by the director of Maroccan origin, Ismaël Ferroukhi. This universal and humanist road movie is carried by the performances of two intense actors, Nicolas Cazalé and Mohamed Majd. Le Grand voyage won the Luigi De Laurentiis Award at the 2004 Venice Film Festival.

Thursday 25 March - 7.30pm
French/Arab version with English subtitles, 108 min.

Information and booking: library@alliance-francaise.ie
Admission Free. Seats are limited to 15 and restricted to Members.

FRENCH FILM CLUB: LE PERE DE MES ENFANTS

2010-03-22T13:37:00.003Z

Screening. What starts as a tribute to a hero of the European art film becomes an affecting meditation on the pursuit of happiness in this hauntingly beautiful offering from writer-director Mia Hansen-Løve.

The shamblingly charismatic Louis-Do de Lencquesaing plays an unfailingly-enthused, financially-doomed, producer obviously modelled on the late Humbert Balsan. For a while, we’re hooked by the film’s brutally honest depiction of the sharp end of independent cinema, but as worries begin to weigh more heavily, the focus shifts to the
long-suffering wife (Alice Gautier) who is obviously wondering, like us, whether this masculine rage to build a legacy is actually depriving her and her children of a life in the meantime.

Tuesday 23 March at 8.40pm
Ticket: €7 AF members / €9.50 Non-members

Irish Film Institute

ST PATRICK'S DAY PARADE & BRETON EVENING

2010-03-08T12:59:00.004Z

Parade. To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, the Alliance Française will take part in the Dublin parade and be represented by the Bagad (traditional Breton music group), Glaziked of Pouldergat. The group which was created in 1946, has evolved locally since 1990 under the direction of Pascal Le Friant. This ensemble is made up largely of pipers, bombards and drums from the Pouldergat locality, trained at the school of band music. The repertoire is mainly traditional Breton tunes occasionally influenced by traditional tunes from elsewhere. The Costumes known as Glazik are very bright in colour and quite characteristic of the geographical location of Pouldergat (Finistère). This event is supported by Région Bretagne, ULAMIR du Goyen and the St Patrick’s Festival Committee.

17 March From 12-noon to 2pm - starting at Parnell Square, D1

Breton evening. To complete the Breton experience the Alliance Française invites you to come and try out our Crêpes event. In partnership with French Crêpes we offer you the opportunity to enjoy a crêpe meal in a festive ambiance provided by the Glaziked band, who will introduce you to traditional Breton music.

17 March from 6.30pm to 9pm at the Alliance Française

Price: AF members €8 / Non-members €12 Tickets include one drink and one traditional Breton crêpe. Online registration is available. For further information, contact Reception: (01) 676 17 32 or info@alliance-francaise.ie

VÉRONIQUE PESTEL's POEMES EN L'AIR

2010-03-08T12:57:00.004Z

Véronique Pestel is a singer/song-writer musically trained from an early age (song, dance, piano). She started her career in the early 80s and soon she was playing support for major singers such as Nougaro, Serge Reggiani and Juliette Greco. As an artist, she puts music to poèmes, in the great French tradition. She also covers work by other authors mixing styles and genres. Throughout her career she took part in many French and French-speaking festivals such as Bourges, La Rochelle, Lausanne, Charleroi, Montréal. This event is organised in collaboration with the Cultural Service of the French Embassy and the Festi’Val de Marne.

Wednesday 10 March at 8pm

Tickets: AF Members €10 / Non-members €15 (tickets on sale at AF Reception or at the Sugar Club one hour prior to the show)

The Sugar Club 8 Leeson Street, Dublin 2

Alert! Last month of the Short Story-Poem Competition

2010-03-02T12:41:00.002Z

The Short Story-Poem Competition is now in its last month.
Don’t forget to take part in this challenge and write a short story or poem on the theme of “The City”.

Find the rules below
- You can write in either French or English.
- Your story or poem must be between 500 and 1000 words.
- Send your completed story or poem by email to Business@alliance-francaise.ie or post in on the blog of the Alliance Francaise of Dublin.

-The closing date for entries is 31st March 2010.
-All stories will be displayed during the Franco-Irish Literary Festival.

I look forward to reading from you.

Coming soon: the Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2010

2010-02-16T16:40:00.004Z

A quick note to remind you that the Franco-Irish Literary Festival, which is a meeting place for everyone interested in French and Irish Literature, will be held at Dublin Castle and the Alliance Française on the 16th, 17th and 18th April.

As you know we have invited a number of special guests to the festival.
Answer the question below and you will discover one of them.

Who is collaborating with Benoît Peeters on the comic Les cites obscures?

SEAN HILLEN's RETURN TO IRELANTIS

2010-02-03T14:03:00.001Z

Exhibition. A collection of acclaimed work by Irish artistSeán Hillen will be shown for the first time in Dublin since the 1990’s. Best known for his Irelantis series, where competing myths and visions cohabit a deliciously witty montage, Hillen is one of the most significant artists of his generation.

As the Irelantis images have come to be seen as the most vivid and emblematic expression of the dreams and anxieties of the Celtic Tiger, his works from the ‘Troubles’ era, based on his own photographs, have become more widely-known internationally and are now studied as masterworks of the medium.

In this exhibition the public will get a rare opportunity to see several of the delicate almost miniature original collages, together with a selection of a new definitive edition of archival prints.

12th February – 10th April 2010

Opening: Thursday 11th February at 6:30pm. Admission free.

AUDIARD's A PROPHET

2010-02-03T13:58:00.002Z

Screening. Jacques Audiard’s latest is one of the great European crime flicks of recent years. Newcomer Tahar Rahim provides a compelling central presence as an Muslim prisoner in one of France’s toughest jails, who ensures his survival by throwing his lot in with a group of Corsican lifers, becoming an essential part of the criminal operation they run from behind bars, and something of a surrogate son for their grizzled head honcho (Niels Arestrup).

Roundtable. The film will be preceded by a roundtable discussion with John Lonergan, Governor of Mountjoy Prison, and Stéphanie Djian from Observatoire International des Prisons. The discussion will be moderated by UCD Lecturer, Dr. Laurent Marie.

Monday 8 February 6.30pm

IFI Members and Alliance Française Members will get a special discounted €7 ticket price

SOLO SAILING RACES

2010-02-03T13:45:00.007Z

Irish Sailor Paul Ó Riain competed solo onboard his yacht “CityJet” in La Solitaire du Figaro in 2007, a gruelling 1,800 mile 4 stage yacht race between France, Ireland and Spain. Come and hear Paul speak about racing in the world’s most competitive solo sailing event.

British Sailor Steve White staked all to compete in the 2008-9 Vendée Globe solo round the world race. His story, of how he made it to the start of the biggest, toughest and most dramatic round the world sailing race ever and completed his remarkable circumnavigation to finish an incredible 8th place from 30 starters is both inspiring and compelling.

The talk will be in English with questions and answers in French and English. Including photo & video footage and a wine reception afterwards.

Thursday 4 February 8pm

Admission Free. RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

The New Poster - Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2010

2010-02-02T11:33:00.005Z

Hello everybody,

I have the pleasure to show you the new poster of the Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2010.

I look forward to seeing you in April!

JE ME SOUVIENS...

2010-01-25T15:45:00.006Z

To make our 50th anniversary more grounded, we are looking for testimonies of your past experiences of the Alliance Française in Dublin.

Leave your comment here or send us documents at webmaster@alliance-francaise.ie

DANCE ON FILM: JEROME BEL

2010-01-19T12:02:00.004Z

Screening. Véronique Doisneau was a member of the corps de ballet of the Paris Opera Ballet, a career ballet dancer, but never the étoile. This work by Jérôme Bel was made as Doisneau was approaching 42, POB’s
mandatory retirement age. On a bare stage, Doisneau sketches out her life as a dancer. Both humorous and poignant, Bel’s film reveals the person behind the facade of the mutely graceful corps. A panel discussion on the topic ‘Career Transitions in Dance’ will follow the screening. Panellists include Joanna Banks, College of Dance; Finola Cronin, UCD; Paul Johnson, Dance Ireland, Jenny Roche,
Dance Advisor Arts Council and Davide Terlingo, Head of Dance Arts Council.

This event is FREE but ticketed. Tickets can be booked in advance or collected from the Light House Box Office (01 879 7601).

Sunday 31 January 4.00pm

PANCAKE WORKSHOP for children

2010-01-19T11:44:00.005Z

Celebrate Chandeleur with Anne-Sophie from Fafie’s Creperie. This workshop offers children who like to help in the kitchen the opportunity to learn how to make crepes with a professional. The aim is to discover the real secret of Breton Crepes. The motto? Learning by doing… and tasting!

Maximum 12 participants. All materials supplied.

Online registration available: Members AF €10 (on production of membership card) / non-members €15

Saturday 30 January 12.30 – 1.30pm

CINECLUB: JEAN RENOIR'S LA GRANDE ILLUSION

2010-01-19T11:31:00.004Z

Screening. A humanist and pacifist film, La Grande Illusion was banned both in Nazi Germany and occupied France during World War II. Benefitting from masterly performances by three leading film actors, Pierre Fresnay, Eric Von Stroheim and Jean Gabin, Jean Renoir's timeless work is still, even to this day, considered to be one of the best French and international films ever made.

In 1917, in a German prisoner of war camp, a group of French prisoners, including an aristocrat, Boieldieu, a foreman, Maréchal and a Jewish banker, Rosenthal, plan an escape. At the last minute, they are transferred to a fortress run by Von Rauffenstein who sympathizes with Boieldieu...

Thursday 28 January 7.30pm
French version with English subtitles, 108 min.

Information and booking: library@alliance-francaise.ie
Admission Free. Seats are limited to 15 and restricted to Members.

INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD TO TEACH FRENCH

2010-01-11T15:26:00.003Z

Training. To further establish the Alliance Française as a resource centre for teachers of French in the Dublin region, we are proposing this workshop especially designed to give them the opportunity to discover the specifics of interactive whiteboards and to train in their use. Teachers will learn how to find resources and how to create effective ones for the teaching of French - for both adults and children. The workshop The Use of Interactive Whiteboards in the Teaching of French as a Foreign Language, in partnership with TV5MONDE, will be presented by Claire Bourgeois, Director of the Alliance Française, who has been implementing this tool successfully on a large scale at the Alliance Française in New York from 2005 onwards.
It will be followed by a reception to continue the discussion.

Saturday 23 January 1-4pm

AF Members:
€10 (on production of membership card) Non-Members: €20
Online registration

TERESA WHITINGTON - SYLLABLES OF TIME

2010-01-11T15:24:00.003Z

Book Launch. Teresa Whitington's The Syllables of Time: Proust and the history of reading reveals reading to be one of the main activities to occupy the inhabitants of the world of Marcel Proust's novel A la recherche du temps perdu. All human activity is glossed by means of a series of metaphors of reading, extending the reader's domain beyond the written text. Through a series of illuminating analyses, Teresa Whitington shows how this web of references builds into a specifically Proustian account of both the outer, social context of reading and the inner, psychological world of the reader.
Teresa Whitington is librarian in Dublin and a graduate of Arts, Library and Information Studies and postgraduate in modern French literature.

Wednesday 20 January 6.30pm
RSVP: info@alliance-francaise.ie

L'ENFANT QUI VOULAIT ETRE UN OURS

2010-01-11T15:19:00.002Z

Screening. The Alliance Française is launching a monthly cine-club for children from 6 years old.
When a mother polar bear’s cub dies in the Arctic wilderness, the father polar bear assuagesher grief by kidnapping a human baby boy to raise as their own. Directed by Jannik Hastrup, scored by Bruno Coulais (Winged Migration), and produced by the team behind The Triplets Of Belleville, the award-winning animated feature The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Bear is a heart-warming tale of family loyalties among the frozen tundra.

Saturday 16 January 12.15-1.30pm
Wednesday 20 January 4-5.15pm

Information and booking: prim ary@alliance-francaise.ie

Admission Free. Seats are limited to 15 and restricted to Members.

Writing Competition prizes!

2010-01-11T12:33:00.001Z

Calling all writers!

I am sure you have already started to think about your future Short story and poem!
There will be two winners of this competition, one Irish - who will receive a free French course, of his/her choice, at the Alliance Francaise and one French - who will be able to choose from a wide range of creative writing courses at the Irish writers’ Center.

All the best for this challenge!

Short Story and Poem Competition (Franco-Irish Literary Festival)

2009-12-17T13:51:00.008Z

Before I wish you a Merry Christmas I would like to give you all rules of the short story and poem competition. I really hope you will find time, between two chocolates or Christmas pudding, to think about your story.

Rules:
-You must write a short story or short poem on the theme of “The City”.
-You can write in English or in French.
-Your story or poem must not be in excess of 1000 words, but with at the least 500 words.
-Send your completed story or poem by email to Business@alliance-francaise.ie or post in on the blog of the Alliance Francaise of Dublin.

-The closing date for entries is 31st March 2010.
-All stories will be displayed during the Franco-Irish Literary Festival.

Good luck

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes

Short Story or Poem Competition (Franco-Irish Literary Festival 2010)

2009-12-03T14:45:00.007Z

As you may know, the Alliance Francaise of Dublin is organising the eleventh Franco-Irish Literary Festival which takes place on the 16th, 17th and 18th of April 2010 in Dublin.
The Franco-Irish Literary Festival is a meeting place for everyone interested in Irish and French Literature.
To mark this eleventh consecutive year of the Festival on the theme of "The City", this year we have decided to come up with a new idea:The Short Story or Poem Competition.

Everyone able to write in english or french is invited to take part in this challenge.

Get your thinking caps on! Details to follow.
Hope you will take part.

See you in January with all rules of the competition.

Happy Christmas and Best Wishes

CONCERT: UN NOEL FRANCAIS (a Christmas Carol)

2009-12-02T13:54:00.003Z

The programme, which ranges from the Middle Ages to the great French composers of the 20th century (Ravel, Debussy, Poulenc) evokes the sadness of winter transcended by the love and warmth of Christmas.
Laura Zimmermann (soprano) studied at the Conservatoire of Strasbourg and at the Schola Cantorum of Basel. She teaches singing and produces shows and has recently come to live in Dublin. Jean-Baptiste Milon (piano) studied at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. He is currently in the first year of a Masters at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Thursday 17 December - 8.00pm

AF Members €8 (Non Members €12) Including a complimentary glass of wine and a slice of the traditional Bûche de Noël (the Christmas Cake).

Book online!