Various cultural events took place in Harare as part of the 41st anniversary of the eventful week. “The Francophone week started on a high note, we have over five French-speaking countries that have joined hands with the French embassy in celebrating the French culture,” said Alliance Francaise cultural and communications officer, Nelly Mukwembi.
“The countries are Canada, Romania, Switzerland, Belgium, and the DRC, and we also have organisations such as the European Union also contributing towards Francophone Week,” she said.
Annually in March, French-speaking embassies, governments and institutions in Zimbabwe partner with the Alliance Francaise in Harare and the French school to present a series of films, concerts and activities that reflect the diversity of the Francophone world.Mukwembi said this year’s event had an exciting line up of events and the film du festival that ran for free at the Alliance Francaise.Among many favourites, the Alliance Francaise presented the Mondial Cabaret show, a phenomenal performance by a French duo with an act that was whimsical, magical, humourous, sad and overloaded with mixed emotion.
“The two-men show on Tuesday had an exciting turn out of revellers and it was overwhelming,” said Mukwembi.“Last week revellers enjoyed an exciting line up of French films such as Bon Cop, Bad Cop, LesFiancees de L’Amerique, La Petit Chambre, The Little Room, Bobule, The Grapes and Incendies among others.”
There was also a film starring Papa Wemba, one of the legendary figures of world music. It revolves around a charming trickster, impotent husband, neglected wife and divine. It is a rags-to-riches story of a poor rural musician who gets his big breakthrough on television.
The celebrations will be closed by films Reves de Poussiere directed by Laurent Salgues and La vie est Belle, Life is Rosy directed by Ngangura Mweze and Benoit Lamy.
