Love all things French? You’re in luck. Voilah! French Festival returns on 8 April for a six-week showcase of sumptuous cuisine, film screenings and exhibits
It’s that time of the year again, when everything French hits our shores with wild abandon. The annual Voilah! French Festival returns to Singapore from 8 April to 21 May, with a massive lineup of exciting events for everyone.
For foodies and wine connoisseurs, don’t miss Restaurant Week (14 April-23 April) and Wine Weeks (2-14 May). It’s the best time to dig into French cuisine – think boeuf bourguignon, choucroute, escargots – and enjoy the best French wines at major discounts. Culture vultures also have plenty to look forward to, with musical performances, contemporary plays, thought-provoking exhibits and film screenings happening all around town.
Need a quick lowdown on our favourites? Don’t miss these highlights:
Opening weekend (8 April)
Kick off the French festival in style by coming down to the opening night. Catch the unveiling of French photographer Chris Morin-Eitner’s Once Upon a Time Tomorrow exhibit, which spotlights the unpredictability of nature. Also don’t miss the jaw-dropping Red Hearts (Les Rouges Coeurs) performance by Mademoiselle Paillette amongst the Supertrees – we hear there’ll be giant bubbles and stits. To end the night, huddle up for a screening of “The Artist”: a 2011 tribute to silent cinema.
Chris Morin-Eitner’s exhibition opening, 630pm.
Red Hearts performance, 7pm and 8pm.
Open air screening of “The Artist”, 9pm.
For more information, head here.
Opening weekend (9 April)
Make believe you’re in the City of Light with a French-inspired picnic at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Savour French delicacies with pre-ordered gourmet picnic baskets (available here), and relax over a classical music concert, and an interactive show by Mademoiselle Paillette.
Gourmet picnic, 6pm.
Siong Leng Musical Association Concert, 6.15pm
Mademoiselle Paillette Street Art Performance, 7pm.
For more information, head here.
Pictures of imagination
Enter the world of adventure novelist Jules Verne (author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days) with Pictures of Imagination: An exhibit presented through the work of graphic novel artists from the Angoulême International Comics Festival. This is presented in two sequences:
Travel & Heritage exhibition, 12 April-31 May at the East Garden Foyer, The Fullerton.
City & Ocean exhibition, 13 April-24 June, Alliance Française.
For more information, head here.
The Art Behind the Game
This one’s for you gamers. Celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the famed Assasin’s Creed game franchise at this exhibit, which gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the making and creation process. You’ll even get to meet the producers, art directors and designers and learn more about the saga.
Speed drawing session by Senior art Director Mohamed Gambol, 20 April, 630-8pm.
Presentation about the naval technology developed by Ubisoft Singapore by Lead Designer Paul Fu, 2 May.
National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Singapore 188969.
For more information, head here.
Want more stories on art and culture? Read our guide to museums and keep updated on new musicals here.