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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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...!