Romania will bring a program of visual arts, dance theatre, music, literature, heritage, and new technologies to the Village de la Francophonie, taking place mid-November as part of the 20th Francophonie Summit.
Under the concept “JEU INFINI – Créer le possible” (Infinite Play – Creating the Possible), the country “presents Francophonie as a space of diversity and creativity, highlighting both its membership in the Francophone community and its longstanding cultural ties with it, as well as the potential for new partnerships,” the organizers have said.
The program will bring under the spotlight prominent names of Romanian culture, including artist Dan Perjovschi and choreographer Gigi Căciuleanu, alongside projects exploring new forms of artistic expression and intercultural collaboration, such as the musical encounter between Subcarpați and Cambodian artist Vanthan.
Dan Perjovschi will present the participatory project Dessine-toi!. His drawings, displayed on the pavilion walls, will receive contributions from children and visitors, who are invited to color them in and help create a collective artwork. Exploring themes such as identity, freedom, mobility, and a shared future, the project turns visitors from spectators into active participants in the creative process. The result of this collective experience will be presented on November 17, the final day of the event.
Lari Georgescu Photo: Artexim
Choreographer Gigi Căciuleanu will be represented at the Village de la Francophonie through a selection of projects exploring the relationship between dance, technology, and new forms of stage expression. Visitors to the Romanian Pavilion will be able to discover three of his creations, namely WOLFGANG, LUV’s LUV, and TrioMix.
Gigi Căciuleanu pictured center Photo: Artexim
On November 15, the artist will also present Da❤Padam, a performance featuring actor Lari Giorgescu that brings together French chanson and Romanian music.
Photo: Artexim
On November 14, the project Traditions in Motion – Subcarpați & Vanthan will bring together musicians from the Subcarpați Cultural Center – Ioana Milculescu (vocals), Radu Pieloiu (drums), Matei Vasilescu (cimbalom), and Gabriel Groza (caval flute) – and Cambodian artist Vanthan (Vanthan Ly), a singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. Conceived as a dialogue between Romanian musical heritage and Khmer traditions, the performance blends traditional instruments, contemporary sounds, and influences from Cambodian musical culture.
Artexim
The exhibition VISAGES DE LA MÉMOIRE – Masks, Memory, Identity, and Transformation explores the dialogue between the tradition of Romanian folk masks and the Cambodian artistic world. Created in collaboration with the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant and visual artist Mircea Modreanu, the exhibition brings together traditional Romanian masks and contemporary works inspired by Cambodian theatrical traditions, specially created for the project. It will also feature artistic interventions by Mircea Modreanu, who will create drawings at the pavilion inspired by traditional Romanian motifs and offer them to visitors.
Located in Wat Botum Park in Phnom Penh, the Romanian Pavilion at the Village de la Francophonie will host art installations and interactive experiences, exhibitions, and presentations highlighting the country’s UNESCO heritage, cultural tourism, and major Romanian cultural events, including the George Enescu International Festival and Competition.
The program will also include a screening of the documentary What We Are, What We Have, produced by the public TV station in collaboration with the Romanian National Commission for UNESCO.
Romania’s participation will also include the roundtable “Femmes qui conduisent par leur exemple – Women Who Inspire,” dedicated to women’s leadership, professional excellence, and the promotion of an inclusive Francophonie.
The Village de la Francophonie takes place November 13 to November 17 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The event gathers national pavilions, performances, exhibitions, conferences, and other experiences focused on the cultural diversity of the Francophone world.
Romania is currently making a bid for the position of Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, with former prime minister Dacian Cioloș as the candidate for the job.
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