Official Launch of Le French Festival Malaysia 2023

We recently attended the launch of Le French Festival 2023 (LeFF 2023) on 25 May 2023 at GSC Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur. LeFF 2023’s rich program for its 21st edition focuses on three areas of French culture. By focusing on modern artists and works, it initially aspires to be contemporary while honouring its cherished foundations, such as classical music and traditional French cuisine. The event’s inherent multiculturalism is also emphasized, bringing a piece of France to Malaysia while also inviting other cultures to participate. Finally, multidisciplinarity is made central by including more and more artistic practices to the foreground.

LeFF 2023 will take place from May 25 to June 25, 2023, and is organized by the two Alliances Françaises in Malaysia located in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, along with the French Embassy in Malaysia. From Western to Eastern Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur will be the starting point for the celebrations, which will then travel to Penang, Johor Bahru, and, for the first time, Kuching in Sarawak.

Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, President of Alliance Française of Kuala Lumpur expressed excitement for the thrilling surprises that await visitors at LeFF 2023.

“What’s amazing about Le French Festival is that there is always something for everyone to enjoy, be it movies, gastronomy, visual arts, performance arts – the diversity of entertainment we provide caters to everyone. And this year’s edition is no exception. In fact, 2023 marks the worldwide celebration of the Alliance Française 140^th anniversary, a huge achievement for this institution dedicated to the promotion of French language and culture.”
Tengku Zatashah

His Excellency Mr Axel Cruau, Ambassador of France to Malaysia

“This year is a year of renewal and we are particularly happy to present an even richer program, around movies, music, visual art, culinary experience. So, I hope you will enjoy it and allow yourself to be surprised, stimulated, and challenged sometimes by its program.”
His Excellency Mr Axel Cruau, Ambassador of France to Malaysia

Ms. Violaine Dupic, Director of Alliance Française of Kuala Lumpur, highlighted this noteworthy aspect of the festival: its desire to create channels of communication between creatives from France and Malaysia, as well as between disciplines. She did this by scheduling a dance performance in an exhibition hall full of large-scale paintings, bringing together two photographers from different backgrounds, and advocating for more cultural content for the young audience.

“In an effort to always go beyond what is expected from it and to constantly serve our audiences with new, compelling content year after year, Le French Festival acts as a platform for discovery and curiosity. We want the public and the artists to appropriate the festival and see it as a way to meet not only with similar-minded individuals, but also with new artistic forms and ways to think and exchange.”
Ms Violaine Dupic, Director of Alliance Française of Kuala Lumpur

LeFF 2023 offers a myriad of performances in visual arts, dance, theatre and music besides its dense movie program.

Some of the activities in the line-up include:

18 recent French films such as the Asian Premiere of the celebrated cloak-and-dagger movie The Three Musketeers: d’Artagnan, The Innocent, an awarded comedy with a unique plot twist, or Father & Soldier, a historical movie starring the talented Omar Sy, as well as The Nannies, which looks at the daily lives of Parisian babysitters with a unique touch of humour and societal critique.
Cercle, a solo dance show by French-Laotian choreographer Olé Khamchanla displaying various cultural influences from the West and the East.
Anti-spectacular: the colours of time passing by – a duo photography exhibition by Lorraine Thiria (France) and Nadirah Zakariya (Malaysia) at Alliance Francaise of Kuala Lumpur.
Unique dining experiences at Nathalie Gourmet Studio for instance, coupling French fine cuisine and cinema with the cine-dinner Délicieux. Baking and pastry workshops by PAUL make French delicacies so easy!
La Fête de la musique – a two-fold musical journey or the joyful at heart starting at The Godown and ending in a lively array of venues in Chinatown to discover a diversity of genres and artists.
“Riquet à la houppe” – a family-friendly performance told by KL Shakespeare Players with mesmerizing projected drawings by the Malaysian illustrator, Michelle Lee.
Around the World brought by Euroasia – a classical ensemble of musicians accompanied by acclaimed soprano Cecilia Yap and a mystery guest musician.

Le French Festival 2023 schedule:

Kuala Lumpur : 25 May – 11 June
Penang : 8 June – 18 June
Johor Bahru : 15 June – 18 June
Kuching : 22 June – 25 June

Le French Festival 2023 is presented by L’Oréal Paris, and includes sponsors such as AGS, Airbus, Bluestar AMG, Cartier, Decathlon, Escatec, PAUL, and Safran. Official partners include Astro Shaw, CCIFM, Champignons, Cinema Online, Delia Wines, Entier, Euroasia, Golden Screen Cinemas, KL Shakespeare Players, Le Gourmandin, Martell, Monin, Nathalie Gourmet Studio, Penang Arts Council, Penang Library, Penang Philharmonic Orchestra, Penang Tourist Guides Association, Perrier, Sarawak Media Group, Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara, Sutra Foundation, The Godown, TVS, UCSI and Unimas.

For more information on other activities, head over to https://www.alliancefrancaise.org.my/alliance-francaise-de-kuala-lumpur/

Tickets for the entire festival’s program are available on the website www.alliancefrancaise.org.my/le-french-festival/

Tickets for the French films at LeFF23 are already on sale via the GSC app, website www.gsc.com.my or through the e-kiosks in participating GSC cinemas.