Five Funny French Films is Back !

 Thursday, March 20–Sunday, March 23 at  the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston


Firmly established as one of the Museum’s most popular annual film series, Five Funny French Films delights and intrigues with innovative approaches to humor.

Opening with Tip Top, auteur Serge Bozon’s genre hybrid policier starring Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Kiberlain, the fourth edition also includes two tales of ordinary individuals who unexpectedly become national heroes: Populaire and Tour de Force.

The lively The Rendez-Vous of Déjà Vu considers the French public’s reaction to the government’s shortening of the traditional summer vacation, and the war of the sexes is front and center in the romantic comedy Love Is in the Air.

Un petit extra is included in the program: a restored edition of Seven Years Bad Luck, a hilarious 1921 silent comedy directed by and featuring the great Max Linder.

$9 general admission – $2 discount for MFAH Members, seniors, and students with ID

For more information

WATERSHED MARKET March 22/23

Watershed Market’s first weekend will be on March 22nd and 23rd from 10:00 AM to 06:00 PM, at 2322 Polk St. 77003!

The Texan-French Alliance for the Arts will be showcasing many of the doors from the Open the Door project with a particular focus on THE ONE CREATED BY THE TALENTED KIDS from the ARTBRIDGE program (visit www.artbridgehouston.org) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SISTER CITIES OF HOUSTON.

The kids will share with us the stories that inspired the finished design about the many influential people in their lives. Join us with some of the “Open the Door” artists for an afternoon of inspiration, learning, creativity and fun. The kids will join us on stage from 2 p.m. to 2:10 pm  and in the demo tent from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday the 22nd.

Come and find our booth !

VISIT THE WEBSITE

FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL

The FRENCH CULTURES FESTIVAL aims at celebrating and promoting French language through cultural and educational events. It brings together people who not only speak French, but also love French Cultures and feel, in one way or another, close to the Francophone community. This year the French Cultures Festival will take place from March 1 to 31, 2014.

The FCF gathers many institutional and cultural partners such as the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts and features events such as lectures and talks, movies, performances, concerts, encounters with artists and writers, teacher training sessions and other educational events. Diplomatic representations, museums, universities, schools, and many other organizations take part in the festival. Over 30 different cultural events are being showcased during the festival in the three states covered by the Cultural service of the French Consulate : Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

KICK-OFF ON MARCH 7TH 2014

concert_image_0

FOR MORE INFORMATION : http://frenchculture.org/

NO PASSPORT NECESSARY

Catch a glimpse of a few photographs from
some of the participants of the

OPEN THE DOOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND WRITTING CONTEST :

Olivier Steiner, Rawan Almallahi, Pablo Gimenez Zapiola, Delphine Humbert, Daniela Galindo, Cesar Aparato and Giovanni Guillen. 

as well as Five of the door sculptures painted by

Gonzo247, Romain Froquet, Patrick Medrano, Tierney Malone,
Anne Maizia, Sylvie Delusseau, Mambo, Rahul Mitra,
Stephanie Topin and Catherine Cartwright

at the French Consul General’s residence

THROUGHOUT MARCH AND APRIL 2014

Tremendous turnout at OBA Think tank, Tuesday December 3rd

What a tremendous turnout we had at our OBA Think tank on Tuesday December 3rd at the Rothko Chapel!

We had over 80 participants from all walks of Houston’s diverse communities including visual artists, curators, musicians, poets, rappers, community members, scholars, students and professors, gathered together to discuss with Monte Laster, the founder of the OBA project, and theTFAA team, how to leverage local creative assets.

HGOco’s director shared this with us:

“I wanted to commend you for the wonderful program last night.  I could not stay for the last ½ hour, but enjoyed myself immensely for the incredible discussion.  Houston has incredible “power” through the arts.  We can be a world leader in how we create programs through collaboration to allow Houston communities to “raise their voice”.

An award-winning film maker, author and interactive multimedia producer added:

“I am so honored to have been a part of last night’s exciting Think Tank and I am thrilled with the possibilities! I am keen to work with your program.”

An esteemed cultural leader in our community echoed these enthusiastic sentiments by saying:

” It was very inspiring to see so many familiar faces as well as hearing about all the great work taking place in communities across Houston and France.”

And these are just a few of the comments we received supporting the potential of this truly original, collaborative and boundary-breaking project.

Stay tuned for more…This is just the beginning.

 

“Open the Door” To Jazz & Blues at Worhals – Saturday November 16, 2013

Open the Door to Jazz and Blues at Worhals

Saturday November 16, 2013- 8:00PM-2AM

2016 Main St 77002

The Texan-French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA) and Harambee Art Gallery invite you to an evening celebrating the past, present, and future of jazz and blues. Two renowned musicians from France, Aymeric Avice and Benjamin Sanz, and famed local Houstonians, including Milton Hopkins, Jewel Brown, Joe Carmouche and Woody Witt will perform in a musical encounter that promises to bring out jazz in all of its colors.  The event will take place at Worhals, one of Midtown Houston’s trendiest hot spots.

The event is part of TFAA’s citywide “Open-The-Door” public art project that was launched earlier this year and includes 60 doors in 19 Houston neighborhoods. Amongst them is Charles Washington and Jesse Lott’s door in Emancipation Park that pays tribute to blues legend Lightnin’ Hopkins and artist Bert Long.

Preceding the evening concert, there will be a symposium on the history of jazz and blues in Houston with a panel discussion led by Milton Hopkins and Jewel Brown. The event will be held at the Harambee Art Gallery, 3903 Almeda St., from 2pm-4pm. Be sure to join us and learn why Houston played such a prominent role in the evolution of jazz.

Meet some of the Artists:

Aymeric Avice is a trumpet player, composer, and founding member of internationally renowned bands Jean Louis, BonyFish, OSSO, Catapulte, Radiation 10, and AVICE DE PROCEDURE. He has collaborated with prestigious musicians such as Christian Vander, Charlie Haden, John Betsch, Fantazio, Luc EX, Andre Minvielle, the HUSSAIN Brothers, Brice Wassy, Denis Charolles and more recently with American experimental rock group, Tortoise.

He received the best soloist “Selmer” award at the 2005 Saint-Germain-des-Pres Jazz Festival, Paris, France. He was also awarded the first prize of the jazz and improvised music department of the CNSMDP, France’s most prestigious music conservatory.

Benjamin Sanz is a drummer and composer who has lead several projects influenced by jazz and African musical forms, such as the Benjamin Sanz Quintet. For seven years he organized and presented a jazz and world music jam session at La Miroiterie (Paris, France), a venue for musical encounters and sharing of knowledge that was supported by great musicians such as David Murray, Bobby Few, Ernest Dawkins, Sabir Mateen and others.

His polyrhythmic styles focus on improvisation and spontaneous creativity, and leans towards strong time signatures and consistency of the overarching sound. His training was strongly shaped by his encounters with accomplished musicians and his travels. He has performed in Europe, Africa and the U.S with musicians such as David Murray, Byrd Lancaster, Roy Campbell, Lobi Traore, Safiata Conde, Oliver Lake and many others. He has just released a hip hop album with New York jazz funk collective Black Rock Coalition called Divine Pocket Bouncers. His extensive knowledge and practice of black music and improvisation have made Benjamin Sanz an increasingly sought-after “sideman”.

Milton Hopkins and Jewel Brown two of Houston’s legendary blues artists. Milton Hopkins was the lead guitarist for B.B King from 1971-1980 and the linchpin of the local blues community for many years. Jewel Brown is a jazz and blues singer who was a part of Louis Armstrong’s ensemble for five years in the early 60’s. They released a joint album in May 2012 under the Austin based label Dialtone “Milton Hopkins with Jewel Brown”.

Joe Carmouche is one of Houston’s most in demand performers. He is a guitarist who has performed for President Obama’s 2013 inauguration day and has performed with Joe Sample, Ronnie Laws, Michael Henderson, Everette Harp and many other established jazz artists. He also teaches music theory and guitar at MacGregor Elementary School in Houston. He was twice nominated Best Jazz Artists at the Houston Press Music Awards and received a certificate of congressional recognition from congress woman Sheila Jackson Lee in honor of his musical accomplishments. He has released three CDs and received the best jazz album award for “A touch of Jazz”.

Woody Witt, saxophonist, is a composer, performer and educator. His fresh ideas and original approach to improvisation and composition have earned him a place to perform with some of the top names in the industry. Woody has established himself as a notable musician in the area and has performed with the Houston Symphony Exxon-Mobil Pops Series backing artists including Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers and Tony Bennett. He is also the manager/artistic director of one of the city’s only jazz clubs, Cezanne. Dr. Witt is a full time instructor at Houston Community College and is an affiliate artist at the University Of Houston Moores School Of Music. Woody holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from the prestigious university of North Texas where he taught saxophone and jazz methods. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston in 2000.

For ticket information, please contact TFAA at: 832 755 1470

Tickets may only be purchased through eventbrite.com:

https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8918580715