Shows
La Culture Oui, But Why?Composer and Singer Francis CabrelFrancis Cabrel is a famous French singer, song writer and composer. He has been recognised as one of France most influential artists, his work is influenced by other poets like George Brassens. many of his songs like Petite Marie or Je l'aime A Mourir are considered French classics. Over his 50-year career Francis Cabrel sold more than 25 million albums. He was in residency at the Lycee Francais de New York, composing songs with the 4th graders. 2025-05-3021 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Vous N'aurez Pas La BretagneThe title of the episode Vous n'aurez pas la Bretagne is the title of a play that will be shown in French on May 19 2025 at the Cultural Center of the Lycee Francais de New York and this Summer in France. At the center of the play are two women Anne de Bretagne and Anne de France who both compete for power and for a province, la Bretagne. Sounds familiar? In this episode we met with Director Valerie Delva and Writer Alain Peron who tell this fascinating rivalry part of l'Histoire de France. This play has been made p...2025-05-1322 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?En Francais Oui But Why?In this episode opening season 5, the host Pascale Richard reflects on her work at the Cultural Center of the Lycee Francais de New York and talks about coming events including the fair En Francais oui But Why 2025-04-2610 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 7 French Writer Marie DarrieussecqFrench writer Marie Darrieussecq was in New York for the publication of Sleepless in English. She has been writing for nearly 30 years, since the publication of Pigtales in 1996, and most of her books are translated into English. She came to the Lycee Francais de New York to talk to the students about her book Being Here is Everything: The Life of Paula M. Baker. The episode is mostly in French with some English 2024-04-2116 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 6 Sam Craft from Sweet Crude : Rediscovering Louisiana Frenchhttps://www.sweetcrudeband.com/ Sam Craft is the founder of Sweet Crude, an indie pop and rock band, formed in 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In this sextet, Sam is the violinist and singer. Alexis Marceau is he lead singer and plays percussions. Their songs combine English and Louisiana French, a dialect spoken by singer Alexis Marceau's family members. The band released their debut album, Créatures, early in 2017 and toured in festivals including Les Francofolies de La Rochelle. In 2019, Sweet Crude released their second album and major label debut, Officiel/Artificiel. In 2022, Sweet Crude released th...2024-03-3032 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 5 French Photographer Denis DarzacqFrench photographer Denis Darzacq was born and raised in Paris, a city in which he still lives and works today. He graduated from the ENSAD (French National School for Decorative Arts) in 1986 and started his photographic career following the French rock scene.In 1994, he began a series exploring the nocturnal life of Parisians titled “Only Heaven”, which he exhibited at various photo festivals. In 1999, the French Ministry of Culture commissioned him to work on French youth. The interaction between man and urban space and, more precisely, the suburbs have been a driving force in his recent work.2024-02-0615 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 5 French Photographer Denis DarzacqFrench photographer Denis Darzacq was born and raised in Paris, a city in which he still lives and works today. He graduated from the ENSAD (French National School for Decorative Arts) in 1986 and started his photographic career following the French rock scene. In 1994, he began a series exploring the nocturnal life of Parisians titled “Only Heaven”, which he exhibited at various photo festivals. In 1999, the French Ministry of Culture commissioned him to work on French youth. The interaction between man and urban space and, more precisely, the suburbs have been a driving force in his recent work. 2024-02-0614 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 4 Camille Bertault: Bonjour Mon AmourFrench jazz singer and 2023 Best Vocal Artist Camille Bertault, has released her fifth album. In this episode, she talks about her new work, her musicians, and her projects. She will be in concert on Thursday, January 18 at 6.30 pm at the Cultural Center of the Lycee Francais de New York. She will interpret songs from her new album "Bonjour mon Amour" with her New York musicians Cameron Campbell (piano), Eduardo Belo (double bass), Franco Pina ( percussion), Julién Alour (trumpet) To buy tickets, go to culturalcenter.lfny.org2024-01-1224 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 3 Matthew Caws from Nada SurfMatthews Caws is the lead singer on songwriter for the Rock group Nada Surf which was started in 1995 in New York. Remember their title "Popular"? Nada Surf will be releasing its 9th album in the weeks to come and start touring Europe and the US. Matthews Caws is an alum from the Lycee Francais de New York and has something to say about bilingualism and creativity. He will perform at the Cultural Center of the Lycee Francais de New York on November 18, 2023, at 6 pm. Check here Mostly in English some French.2023-11-1433 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 2 Professor Gerard Saillant on Sports and MedecineFrench Professor of Orthopedic and Trauma surgery, Professor Saillant was dean of the faculty of medicine and head of the department of Orthopedic, trauma, and reconstructive surgery at the hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris. Professor Gérard Saillant is one of the most eminent sports medicine and spine surgery specialists. He is also President of the FIA Medical Commission, President of the collective “For a France in shape” which works with the committee organization of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, for the legacy of the games in France, and co-founder and President of the Paris Brain Institute. He was Pre...2023-10-1315 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 4 Episode 1 Simone Woman of the Century with Elsa ZylbersteinFrench actress Elsa Zylberstein, starring in Simone, The Woman of the Century, is our guest for the first episode (Season 4) of La Culture Oui, But Why? Elsa Zylberstein began her film career in 1989 and has appeared in about 50 films. She won the César Award for Best Supporting Actress for I've Loved You So Long (2008). Recently, she played French politician and Holocaust survivor Simone Veil (13 July 1927 – 30 June 2017) in an Olivier Dahan movie (2022). Simone Veil, Minister of Health in France, played a major role in French history and politics and helped vote for the eponymous law, Loi...2023-09-1413 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 3 Episode 6 Actor Jean RenoActor Jean Reno, (His real name is Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez) was born in 1948 and raised in Morocco, then a French protectorate. Ever since appearing in The Big Blue in 1988, a cult movie by Luc Besson, he has worked in the U.S. and in France and in international productions, including Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, The Pink Panther, Ronin, Les Visiteurs, The Big Blue, or Léon: The Professional, and many more. As a parent at the school, he took some time this year to preside over the Lycee Francais de New York Theater F...2023-04-2321 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 3 Episode 5 Holà Todos! by Aline AfanoukoeEvery morning on France Inter in MusicAline, music critic Aline AFANOUKOE welcomes her audience with her now famous "Holà Todos" and delivers her 3-minute-and-a-half vocal postcard on what is happening on the musical scene. We invited her to the Cultural Center of the Lycee Francais de New York, to emcee a concert of francophone voices that took place on March 20th, on the International Day of Francophonie. Born to Togolese parents, and raised in Paris, Aline is a rising star in French media. We invited her on our podcast la Culture Oui But Why to ta...2023-03-2322 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 3 Episode 4 Cirque du SoleilSeason 3 Episode 4 Annie St Pierre and the Cirque du Soleil The Cirque du Soleil was in residence at the Lycee Francais de New York with our first graders. We decided to interview Annie St Pierre, one of the company's artistic directors who came from Montreal, on this extraordinary company and what it means to work there. Her bio: After ten years of professional study in classical ballet at Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Annie leads her career as a jazz-cabaret-musical dancer to join multiple projects and shows worldwide. She has worked principally as an...2023-03-1024 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 3 Episode 3 Jazz Musician Oran EtkinJazz Musician Oran Etkin was our Artist in Residence at the Lycee Francais de New York with our third graders, together with percussionist Sasha Berliner. Born in Israel, Oran moved with his family to Boston when he was five and started taking instrument lessons. At fourteen, he studied clarinet with Yusef Lateef and George Garzone. He attended Brandeis University and the Manhattan School of Music. He plays the alto clarinet, bass clarinet, and tenor saxophone. Etkin invented a teaching method called Timbalooloo to teach music to children as young as three. Etkin has also been collaborating with musi...2023-02-1625 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 3 Episode 2 Laura Flessel, the Fabric of a ChampionFencing Champion Laura Flessel began fencing at age six and quickly became a very talented fencer. She progressed quickly and became the champion of Guadeloupe. She won her first world stage success in 1995, After her gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and her victory at the 1998 World Cup, she became the eighth French fencer and the first woman to win the Olympic and World Champion titles. She has won the most Olympic medals of any French sportswoman, with five. She was France's flag-bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London, which was her fifth and last Olympics. She was a...2023-01-0314 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Karine Jones, Our New York Marathon RunnerOn November 6, 2022, French-born Karine Jones, mother of 4 and a parent at the Lycee Francais de New York, run her 7th New York marathon. She tells us about her passion, about this 51st edition with high temperatures and humidity, and gives tips and advice to those who want to try it. In French Share your comments by email at lacultureouibutwhy@yahoo.com2022-11-1718 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 3 Episode IntroductionLa Culture Oui, But Why? is starting its third season with a new format. The podcast will sometimes be in French, sometimes in English, depending on our guest's native language. Let me know if you like it or not at lacultureouibutwhy@yahoo.com Image by Serge Bloch Music by Maxime Boublil2022-11-1402 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 10 French Writer Marc Levy on the Power of ImaginationFrench Writer Marc Levy was invited to the Lycee Francais de New York as part of an artist-in-residence project. He spent a week with the 8th graders on the Power of Imagination. Marc Lévy is a French novelist whose books have been translated into over forty languages. He is the most widely read French author in the world. New Yorker at heart, Marc Levy chooses the Big Apple as the backdrop of many of his novels. He talks about his beginnings and writing in a bilingual world.2022-05-2029 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 8 Laura Nsafou alias Mrs.Roots on Writing for ChildrenLaura Nsafou is our guest for this episode. Also known as Mrs Roots, she is a French blogger and author and artist in residence at the Lycee Francais de New York. Founder of the Afrolab workshop, Laura is the author of the eleven-times reprinted picture book Comme un million de papillons noirs (Like A Million Black Butterflies) published at Editions Cambourakis, A mains nues (Editions Synapse), Le chemin de Jada (Jada's Journey, Cambourakis), Fadya et le chant de la rivière (Lunii), La demeure du ciel (Cambourakis). In September 2021 she wrote her first Yound Adult novel NOS JOURS BRÛLÉS...2022-05-1821 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 9 Alum Charles Cohen on ForestryIn this new episode of our bilingual podcast, as we celebrate Earth Day with climate change on our minds, we invited an alum from the Lycée Francais de New York, Charles Cohen (Class 2015) who decided to study forestry at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and now works in the wilderness in Canada. He tells us about his choice, about his life among the trees far from his early youth between Paris and New York. At the Lycee Français de New York, we are organizing a panel talk on "How Important Are Forests" on Apr...2022-04-2223 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 7 France VS US with Rokhaya DialloIn this podcast, French editorialist, book writer, filmmaker, anti-racist and feminist activist Rokhaya Diallo talks about racism in France as well as the idea of race and her interpretation of the concept of laicité as stated by a 1905 law in France. Writing regularly for the Washington Post, Rokhaya has also been invited to join Georgetown University's gender and justice initiative as a researcher in residence. She talks about "les hijabeuses", these young women who are fighting in France to practice sports wearing headscarves. She also compares the situation on race and gender in France and in the US. ...2022-02-1232 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 6 Where is Fashion is Heading with Blandine VelinThe Future of Fashion In this episode, we talk about fashion and its future with Blandine Velin, Director of Insights and Innovation for a major French fashion brand in New York. As the fashion season starts, we look at how pandemics changed the sector by creating another lifestyle. Are fashion shows still relevant? And will the metaverse revolutionize our closets? We also invited Chloe, a student at the Lycee, passionate about fashion, who has prepared the questions for our guest together with other students.2022-01-2925 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 5 Angouleme and The French DispatchWes Anderson's movie, The French Dispatch, was filmed in Angoulême, France. In fact, Angoulême, presented as "a fictional French town in the '50s", is one of the film's main characters. The movie was released in 2021 and French composer Alexandre Desplat who created the music score for the film is one the nominees for the 2022 Golden Globes. We decided to virtually transport ourselves to Angoulême as we wanted to know how the citizens of this city located in the South West of France, in Charentes, had experienced the filming that took place from November 2018 to March 2019. We...2022-01-0713 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 4 The Power of Speaking with Stephane de Freitas"Built from his own experiences, Stéphane has developed the concept of "gathering opposites.” In a French context where social cohesion is increasingly crumbling, he bridges the gaps in the community by activating two powerful levers to peaceful coexistence: dialogue across differences and our desire to help each other."( Ashoka Foundation) Artist, Film Director ( A Voix Haute), Social entrepreneur (Indigo), Stephane de Freitas has been preparing the Lycee students to the grand oral, He talks about his philosophy and gives a few tips. (In French and in English)2022-01-0213 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Season 2 Episode 3 Meet Mahen Bonetti, Founder of the African Film FestivalMahen Bonetti, Founder and Executive Director of the African Film Festival is our special guest of La Culture Oui, But Why? and she also participates in a panel on cinema organized by the Cultural Center of the Lycee Francais de New York on November 9, 2021. Mahen Bonetti was born in 1956 in Sierra Leone to a family that has experienced the ups and downs of post-colonial politics. She talks about the festival, African cinema but also the movement of Black Lives matter and Africa2021-11-0522 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?The Wrapping of the Arc de TriompheAlum from the Lycée Francais de New York and Graduate in Urban Design, Hadrien Cassan is a cultural mediator for the Jeanne Claude and Christo project of the Wrapped Arc de Triomple. He is spending half of his days under the monument welcoming the public. He tells us about the project from the inside. .2021-09-2917 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Director Jules Naudet on Filming 9/11As we are commemorating the 20th anniversary of 09/11, we asked French-American Director Jules Naudet who was the first person, together with a few firefighters, to enter Tower 1 at the World Trade Center, what he remembered from that very special day. Jules and his brother Gedeon were filming a documentary on firefighters and happened to be near the Twin Towers by pure chance. The raw footage Jules was able to capture that day became a documentary in 2002. Fifteen years later, a new documentary New York 9/11 produced by CNN was released. In this podcast, Jules Naudet remembers...2021-09-0217 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Emel Sings to Celebrate la FrancophonieBorn in Tunisia, Emel evokes her childhood and her musical beginnings. Singing in English and in Arabic, sometimes in French, Emel talks about identity as a language of creation. What is it to be a Francophone and belong to this French-speaking cultural world? Her latest album, still in the making, is dedicated to women and among them, the most vulnerable. " I change the story to change History and create a virtuous circle", says Emel. Emel is participating to a virtual concert organized by the Cultural Center of the Lycée Francais de New York and l...2021-03-1924 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Bonus : Interview with Film Director Remi ChayéFilm Director Remi Chayé ( Up North, Calamity Jane), special guest at the Lycee and at Animation First, FIAF Animated film festival (ww.fiaf.org), talks about his works and his latest movie Calamity Jane. He talks in French about his inspiration, and the industry of animated movies in general.2021-03-0214 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Episode 11 FIAF Film Curator Delphine Selles on Animated FirstFrench born Delphine Selles is Film Curator at the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF) in New York. There she co-curates with French cinema consultant Catherine Lamairesse, Animation First, an animated film festival that runs through February. We learn that Director Remi Chayé is one of the special guests this year and that a students jury will elect their favorite movies. Delphine talks about animated movies, French cinema and the future of cinema. More info at www.fiaf.org More info at culturalcenter.lfny.org2021-02-0122 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Episode 10: Benoit Cohen and His Yellow CabFrench producer, filmmaker and writer Benoit Cohen has been living in Brooklyn since 2014. In 2019, we invited him at the Lycée Français de New York to talk about his books. The first one Yellow Cab is about his personal experience: Cohen drove a cab around the five boroughs for a few months, in the perspective of writing a screenplay about a French actress becoming a taxi driver in New York and finally wrote Yellow Cab published in the US by Pointed Leaf Press. His second book Mohammad, Ma Mère, et Moi tells the story of his mother who...2020-12-3118 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Episode 9 On Being A Francophone Writer With Abdourahman WaberiWriter Abdourahman Waberi was born in Djibouti in 1965 when Djibouti was a French colony, and his native language was somali. He came to France in 1985 to study English Litterature. He started his career as an English teacher in Caen in Normandy while pursuing in parallel a career as a writer in French. His first collection of short stories Le pays sans ombre published in France in 1994, was translated in English in 2005 as The Land Without Shadows. So did his novel Les Etats-Unis d'Afrique, In The United States of Africa (novel), published by University of Nebraska Press in March 2009. For that no...2020-11-1325 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Episode 8 Illustrator Herve Tullet : When Children Meet ArtHerve Tullet Born in France, in Avranches, Herve Tullet is an artist, a performer and an author of children books. After 10 years spent in advertising, he started illustrating children books. The first one was published in 1994 and called How Daddy met Mommy. It was an instant success. Since 1994, Hervé has published over 80 books and received many awards. His books are meant for children from all ages. They can be touched, and content can be added: The reader participates to the creative process. Hervé, who sees himself as an artist and is influenced by modern art, sp...2020-11-0123 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Artist Delphine Diallo: Yes, I can!French Senegalese artist Delphine Diallo who is based in Brooklyn talks about her work, her photography and collages. Former assistant to American artist Peter Beard, Delphine Diallo chooses to concentrate on the beauty and strength of Black women's bodies as a way to find her own identity. Established in New York since 2011, Delphine also talks about her love for the city. Delphine is one of the guests for the panel on Culture and Diversity organized by the Lycee Francais de New York Cultural Center on October 6, 2020. culturacenter.lfny.org. She is residence with...2020-09-2317 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Lucie Tiberghien, Founder of Molière in the Park Lucie Tiberghien is a French and American theater director and translator, based in Brooklyn, NY. In 2018, she founded Molière in the Park, the first non-profit in Brooklyn solely dedicated to bringing free theater to Prospect Park on a yearly basis. Last June, she co-presented with French Institute Alliance Francaise, a Tartuffe online that was dubbed "Revolutionary" by the New York Times theater critic. On October 24, 2020, Lucie Tiberghien will direct the School of Wives online, s show co-presented with the French Institute Alliance Francaise She was raised just outside Geneva...2020-09-0925 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Writing Songs For the Digital Age with Alum Maxime BoublilLycée Français de New York Alum Maxime Boublil is a French pop songwriter living in L.A. who has been in the industry for over six years. As a songwriter, he works with music studios affiliated with Warner and Sony as well as independent labels. HIs goal is "to put his heart into artist's songs hoping to find the perfect melody that will elevate and hopefully create the record the artist deserves." He begun his career as a sound engineer on "The Voice" Australia and started composing after that. Both French and...2020-08-2519 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Episode 4 Ronald Guttman and Albert Camus with Alexis LLoyd on The FallBelgian Actor Ronald Guttman performs on August 21, 2020 at Guild Hall in East Hampton a dramatization of novel The Fall by French writer Albert Camus (1913-1960). La Culture Oui, But Why? explores the acting world of Ronald Guttman and invites screen-writer Alexis lloyd who adapted the novel to theater. The monologue will also be performed in October at the French Institute Alliance Francaise in New York. Ronald Guttman, founder and president of HIGHBROW, is also an actor, producer, and art collector. Ronald Guttman's long list of acting credits includes film, television, and theater. Mr. Guttman began his acting c...2020-08-0722 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?The First Name of New York Was FrenchThe French King Francis the First sent the explorer Giovanni de Verrazano to find a road to Asia. Verrazano arrived in New York in April 16, 1524 aboard La Dauphone. He called the bay "Marguerite" after Francis the First's sister and called the land Angouleme as Francis I was also Count of Angouleme. A copy of Verrazano's report sits at the Morgan Library in a secluded room. The report was rediscovered in 1946 by a teacher from the Lycee Francais de New York, a bilingual private school in Manhattan. French movie director Marie-France Brière told this whole story in her documentary f...2020-07-0812 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?French Artist Beatrice CoronToday we are meeting French artist Beatrice Coron. She creates cut out silhouettes. Beatrice can talk at length about this art form invented in China and later came to France where Etienne de Silhouette, Minister of Finance under Louis XV, introduced the first portraits à la silhouette; She is present these days at the The New York HIstorical Society with an exhibition called Hi Five! : Stories of the Five Boroughs until September 2020.2020-07-0809 min
La Culture Oui, But Why?Lucien Zayan at the Invisible Dog in BrooklynBorn in Marseille from an Egyptian family, Lucien Zayan, spent most of his working life in theater and music, working as producer in France for famous cultural hubs like le théâtre de l'Odéon in Paris or the Festival d’art lyrique in Aix-en-Provence to name a few. He arrived in New York and landed in Brooklyn. He fell in love with the Invisible Dog, a former factory that made invisible leaches for invisible dogs, and created a cultural center with working studios for artists. With COVID, Lucien is looking at ways to help artists. In this episode we als...2020-07-0710 min