The East comes to Chinon Pt 2: Glorious Animation

There was one piece of animation scheduled in the festival this year, with two showings. As it turned out there was a surprise addition yesterday afternoon.  Both were just superb.
As I mentioned in Part 1, the animations were shown as part of the partnership with Fontevraud Abbey, which for the last eight years has given particular support to animation projects, encouraging directors and designers, through master-classes and forums.

The participation at the Chinon film festival is for a second year. But in fact the spread of venues covers a much wider area of the Centre and Poitou-Charentes as well as the Pays-de-la-Loire. Throughout October different animateurs will have their work shown publicly in Angers, Bourgeuil, Loudun, Poitiers, Thouars, Tours, Tours Nord and Saumur. Chinon of course is the beginning of the run.

Flocon de neige - The Snowflake was quite magical. Created by Natalia Chernysheva, it tells the story of a little boy in Africa who has received a letter. You first see him running back excitedly to his home, which is quite isolated and near to the African bush. Once inside he opens it up and discovers a large snowflake - something he has never seen before.The link is to the trailer, which gives as it should a great idea of the quality of the work. Flocon de neige is close to six minutes long. Where the trailer ends is where the little boy's dream begins, with all the animals being covered in snow, and coming back to his hut to get warm by the fire. It ends with a colourful bird who the boy rescued, leaving a golden wing feather inside the hut, which the boy then puts into an envelope and sends back. Natalia Chernysheva was at Chinon on yesterday afternoon to explain a little about her work. Here's another gorgeous piece of work.

Gloria Victoria - the surprise showing, was one of the most superb animations we've ever seen. I was nervous about putting in the link as it really needs to be seen on a big screen and the opening is dark. But then it opens up.  I'm not sure if the full impact will come across on computer screens. Regardless, Gloria Victoria is a powerful anti-war animation, which was produced in Montreal through the Canadian Film Board. Huge cheers to them for supporting such talent. The link is to the full length version which runs at just under seven minutes.

Bravo to all!

The East comes to Chinon - pt 1

We are in the middle of a superb film festival L'Est, Du Nouveau. It began last Wednesday and runs until tomorrow, Monday 29 October. All the films for Chinon's 7th festival come from the Eastern bloc meaning Russia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Rumania, Serbia and Czechoslovakia. In all there are sixteen films and an animation, which is being shown in partnership with Fontevraud Abbey, where animation is a key element of the cultural programming. So far we have seen nine films.

The film festival here, as always, is really something. It's very well organised by Cinéplus, which locally means Roselyne Chouvy and Philippe Prat, who throughout the year co-ordinate Art House films, shown in Chinon every Thursday and then in September, the six day film festival.

L'Est du Nouveau is the fourth film festival we have been to. Each year has a different theme. The films (as every Thursday) are shown in their original language with French subtitles. Last year's film festival showed films from the East - China, Korea, Cambodia etc. 2012 had an American theme. The first festival we went to in 2011 was a German celebration.

The quality of the film making in L'Est, du Nouveau, the writing and the powerful interpretations has so far proved an extraordinary experience. It was also a brave choice of films. The countries providing the focus, contain societies where political corruption and violence is endemic. This is reflected in every film, some of which met with resistance in being made and distributed. From the youngest to the oldest, man, woman or child, the police, the military, politicians, someone somewhere is going to commit an act of aggression against another individual. There's been nothing gratuitous, and frequently off-screen. Whilst the act itself may not be seen, but it is clearly implanted in the imagination. We're left with the impression that it is impossible to break the cycle.

Voyages en Guitare - a very musical weekend

Forty-three gigs this year in Chinon, over two days. It's really quite a piece of organisation, with different groups appearing at different times and in 26 different places - if I've counted them up correctly. Requires a huge amount of co-operation. All sorts of music were wafting their rythmns across town - classic, blues, jazz, world, rock, swing. Some were totally instrumental, others vocals and instrumentals. A terrific mix, alongside which were special exhibitions: a display of state-of-the-art guitars that were really minimalist in design, accompanied by photos of some of the artists from previous Voyages en Guitare. The contemporary art gallery inside at the top of Chinon town hall hosted a terrific exhibition. The subject is art and the machine across the 20th century and it is in fact a three-parter, each section being displayed in a different venue.The other two being the Art and History Museum (exhibition curation) and the St.Radegond Chapel, which is high up over-looking the town and which you walk to from Chinon. Steep path, but you get great views and the place itself is fascinating.

Saint Mexme is always the venue for the two main gigs of the festival. Saturday Piers Facciini was playing, along with a pianist and someone else on xylophones. He is Anglo/Italian, but has lived in France for quite some time, which probably accounts for him having tapped into the French love of Chanson. He has a gig coming up in Paris at the Théâtre Bouffes du Nord.  The other gig was tonight - from which we've just got back- which wound up the festival. This time it was Titi Robin, a French composer and improvisor, whose work is rooted in the Mediterranean world - the confluence of Gypsy, Oriental and European cultures. He composes all the music he performs and plays guitar, buzuq and 'oud. Tonight he was accompanied by a superb percussionist and an accordion player. His daughter who sings and dances appeared in the second half. Can't find anything on you tube for him unfortunately. 

Found it strangely uninspiring.  Part of that had to do with feeling trapped in the space.There was an over-sale on tickets to space capacity - a problem when you have a theatre/arts venue production manager's brain, as I do. Can't switch it off. Took me years to be able to go to the theatre and not notice when the lighting cues were late. 

Voyages en Guitare is a great idea which we like to support. Saint Mexme is a good space, with an outside area for refreshments. The seating is informal and unallocated. Basically it's a very steep rake of hard benches. The popularity of this year's gigs meant punters were jammed in on each bench. It was due to start at 6.30pm. Some audience with tickets didn't turn up till 7pm, some had been outside drinking till 7pm. So the gig started late. A lot of people arrived for 'doors open' at 5.45, which meant they were waiting an 1h15 before the gig started, instead of 45 minutes. Late-comers being allowed in meant people sat anywhere, no option by this time, which included right across the central and narrow staircase, which provides the only means to enter and exit the space. If anyone was taken ill, there was no way they could get out of the space, particularly if they were up at the back. Completely dark up there. It was the same last night as well. Production managers usually think about this sort of thing.   

 
Voyages en guitare coincides with European Heritage day, with buildings that are normally closed to the public offering special openings over the weekend.  Really like the two events happening at the same time. Draws more people into town. There was an excellent photographic exhibition in the Maison du Patrimoine about the timber framed house in Chinon. Made a really good subject, with some fascinating close-ups.

We were at the cinema on Thursday to see Clint Eastwood's film Jersey Boys - all about Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, which emerged from the stage production. The music is still so good. Impossible to sit still. Really pleased we went to see it. At same time we bought our passes for the Film Festival which starts this week. Eastern block films. Can't wait. Bravo Cinéplus!

Davy and the Hailstones . . .

Sounds like the perfect line-up for the Voyages en Guitare music festival which is on in Chinon all over the weekend.  It coincides with the French equivalent of 'Open House'. So as well as all sorts of music and exhibitions in all sorts of venues, particular buildings and gardens are open which we otherwise don't get to see.

Davy and the Hailstones as you might suspect don't actually exist. It's an idea that popped into my head this morning. Partly Mike's fault, who announced that, the Saint's Day in France on 20 September is for a martyred English saint - Saint Davy. Given that it was world pirate's day yesterday, I thought I was being thrown one of Mike's little wheezes. Note - I'm still suspicious after all this time!! But in fact there is a Saint Davy, no matter how unlikely it sounds. Definitely a Davy and not a David. He was martyred with eight other monks in London in 1537 for refusing to recognize Henry Vlll as the spiritual head of the English church. Saint Davy was béatified in 1886. This seems to be during the reign of Pope Leo Xlll. 

Yesterday afternoon we were treated to a storm of cherry tomato sized hailstones-just what every wine producer needs as the harvest period begins. Fortunately it didn't last too long. The noise was unbelievable. The white stuff is the hail. Had more thunder and lighting with some rain early evening. Inevitably there's been some damage. This is due to be a vintage year, so hoping desperately, that this is the last of it.

Indian Summer

Someone is being kind to the wine producers this year. We've had a glorious few weeks. No rain. Normally a lack of the wet stuff causes consternation, but until the vendange is completed it would be good if the weather could stay like it is now. Perhaps with very very light showers, but nothing more that that.

We watched a very depressing documentary on Channel 3 last night, Vino Business, about wine production in France. Particularly the impact that attitudes in and around Bordeaux are having. Foreign investors are spending big in France and buying up estates. An increasing pattern in that region and probably elsewhere. Wine is purely a commodity, enabling extraordinary prices per bottle. The snobbism and greed and indifference being perpetuated is equally extraordinary. Smaller estates within the same region, who up until last year were Premier Cru, the most important of the wine classifications for red wine, suddenly find they've lost that accreditation and with it, the value of their wine and the land has been demolished. 

Two particular wine connoisseurs/advisors have positioned themselves as the most knowledgeable so that now, unless red wine meets their brief and therefore their approval, it's out. Accreditation isn't just about the wine, it's now also about adequate car parking and all the peripheral stuff, which these days is part of the marketing mix. Not everyone has the means, as last night for example, to spend another extraordinary sum on a huge, elaborately decorated electric bell, that can play the national anthem of most countries. So when a particular group of guests arrive, a number is punched in on the key pad for the appropriate anthem. The only ap-peal that I'm  interested in is the effect on my tastebuds. Begs the question what % costs of a bottle from this producer is actually for the wine.

The period the programme covered was the season leading up to the harvest in 2013, which was a very bad year weather-wise. Vino Business showed a particular producer visiting his vines after a dreadful hailstorm. We know of some in Vouvray, who last year lost their entire harvest after a horrendous hail storm. In last night's programme, the producer lost 70% of his crop.

Vino Business interviewed/followed a range of producers. A few independents are hanging on to their estates for the family and don't want to sell out. But as was asked the end of the programme -  for how long? 

We took our Dutch friends Annemiek and Thjis for a couple of wine tastings in Cravant last Friday. They were making a quick visit and then going home. We know both producers well - one of them particularly - so were able to phone up at the last minute and fix a time to go round. It was a really good afternoon. Lots of tastings and discussions, of white and red particularly. Terrific experience and an interesting one for our friends, with a few cases sold to take back to Holland.  Wine production is undoubtedly a tough and demanding business. How lucky are we then to be surrounded by such superb producers.

A blogging catch-up: Pt 2 - Celebrating the fruits and the land

The day after we got back from St. Clémentin, our friends Martin and Julia arrived for a couple of days, which was lovely. Squeezed in a wine tasting, a visit to Château d'Islette and dinner at La Part des Anges in Chinon. We all went to the market Thursday morning, for croissants and coffee and it was from there that they took off for their next stop in France. Saturday afternoon we were in Chinon, helping for a couple of hours on the stand for one of our Anglo-French groups, at the Forum des Associations in L'Espace Rabelais, for which Mike had done the posters. The Forum is an annual event and shop window for all the local groups and associations in Chinon, of which there are quite a few. We belong to several now, most of which were there. So there were quite a few people around who we knew.

Early evening we went with our neighbour Monique to Jacqueline and Norbert's house,  just round the corner for an apéro. Other neighbours came as well, then we all went down to the sports field, for the annual Sanglier à la Broche, where we met up with some other friends. Must have been about 300 people there. As usual superbly organised. Tickets had been bought in advance. This for us is the real village party. It's such fun. Lots of work for the two committees who organise it, but it is so good. Not sure how many marquees, but they'd been fixed together to create two covered sides as a seated eating area with a good sized dance floor in the middle. We were leaping about all over the place. Fab dinner as well. The wine flowed. Think we left about 2am, with sore feet.

Sunday morning we were up at 7am as we were going for an 8k walk round Saint Louand which is just the other side of Chinon, as part of the Vignes Vins and Randonées event,  held every year across the Indre et Loire region. Jacqueline and Norbert came with us. We picked them up at 8am and then headed off. 

Himself heading towards a tasting!

It was an easy walk which took about 3 hours, with various stops at various places for wine tastings. Eight wine producers in all, on four sites and fifty people in our walking group. A particular wine that was really very good was from Pascal and Isabelle Sourdais - Chino Boisé. Gorgeous day for a walk, although by mid morning it was getting pretty warm. V.V.R. is a two-day event - Saturday and Sunday. There are different trails available for bikes, horses as well as walkers. The daughter of our neighbour opposite took her horse on the 30k ride on Saturday and loved it. A completely different perspective, which I wouldn't mind trying one time. It was all thoroughly enjoyable, with occasional chats with fellow walkers along the way.

By the time we got back in around 12.30, we were both shattered. We'd wanted to go to
a concert over in Richlieu which began around 5pm. But we fell asleep and didn't wake up in time! 

We're now expecting Dutch friends for a couple of days, who we haven't seen for about six years or so. So lots to catch up on in a short space of time.

A blogging catch up: Pt 1 - Celebrating the word

We have had and are having an incredibly busy time. At the end of August, we stayed for a long weekend in a village called St. Clémentin in the Deux-Sèvres département, for a three day bi-lingual (and bi-annual) Literature Festival.

What a fabulous event. It was memorable for many reasons. We were so lucky to find out about it. A short while ago through a mutual contact, we met Sally and David Pearson, who told us all about the festival. They are both very involved and are part of the team who help organise and run it. Being book lovers and literature festival enthusiasts, the idea of going to such an event in France was for us, irresistible.

We stayed at a chambre d'hôte - a family run farm - just outside St. Clémentin, arriving on the Thursday evening and leaving Monday morning. The village is only about 1hr 30 by car, but with some of the events we were wanting to go to, startingat 9.30am, it was easier to stay over. Two other couples who were helping with the festival, were staying as well.   

The overall coordinaters are Gordon and Jocelyn Simms  who plan the whole festival with a committee and team of helpers. Lovely people, dedicated and enthusiastic. Both are published writers and teachers, who have fostered creative writing for over twenty years. 

The festival launch was on the Thursday evening at the salle de fête, which we went to, listened to the speeches in French and English, had a glass of something, and then wandered into a super photographic exhibition by Howard Needs. He doesn't have a website. Not sure if architecture is his speciality, but what he was showing was a series of religious frescoes, from various churches and chapels, including Chinon. Excellent work and quite fascinating.

We had dinner Thursday night and every night at Chez Didier, a bar and restaurant in the centre of town. Simple food, but very well done and the family were so welcoming. Chez Didier supplied all the lunches and dinners during the festival. Lunches and our first meal there were a choice of various salades composite. Effectively a starter, main and cheese course on the same plate. A great idea, and for the numbers they were feeding, made the catering totally manageable. Friday and Saturday evening, there were themed evenings, with a special dinner to go with. Chez Didier excelled themselves.Terrific.

The three days were very individual, in content as well as presentation. Quite remarkable. We've both been involved with festivals over many years, of varying shapes and sizes, and know full well what's involved. The St. Clémentin LitFest 2014 was the second to take place, the first being in 2012. Because of the contacts and reputation of the organisers, they manage to attract highly regarded writers, who along with the spectators, really enter into the spirit of the event.

Friday - everything was in English, Saturday - events were half in French and half in English and Sunday, everything was in French. Friday morning at 9.30am, we'd booked to hear Beatrice Colin, reading from her latest novel set in Paris, and from The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite. 10.30am we listened to Ian Mathie drawing on his notebooks spanning thirty years of living and working in the African bush. 11.15 we were with John Eliot, whose idea for a LitFest kick-started the festival  in 2012. Individually they were quite superb. Friday afternoon at 3pm, we were treated to readings by Michèle Roberts from a selection of her novels and short-stories, followed at 4.15 by Leigh Russell who introduced her best-selling psychological crime series. At 6.30pm we went to the launch of a new anthology compiled by the festival's organiser, Gordon and Jocelyn, with readings generously given by other writers at the festival. It was a wonderful day.

Saturday kicked off for us with the incredibly dynamic John Hudson. Just a joy, followed by Blake Morrison, former literary editor of The Observer and the Independent on Sunday, who gave an interview with readings. Superb. A change of programme next, after someone was taken ill. So at very short notice, the Mayor of the next village who like the original speaker, is an historian, amazed all of us with a riveting hour long presentation - note free - on births, deaths and marriages in the area. Fascinating stuff. Totally compelling. Next came  a double interview with authors Bertrand Gilet and François-Xavier Cerniac. Straight after we listened to Katherine Gallagher present an anthology of poetry reflecting childhood experiences in the Second Word War. Nine poems in English and French, read by a range of voices. At 5.30pm there was a wine tasting, sampling Chenin Blanc. Great way to ease into the soirée dinner at Chez Didier, which included a presentation of poems and stories from the Segora Writing competitions of 2014. 

Sunday. Our morning began with the wonderfully amusing Terry and Monica Darlington - Narrow Dog to Carcasson - along with their whippets Jim and Jessie. Then went to an intimate one woman show, a presentation of songs and stories in English, French and Spanish, performed by the superb Chloé Martinez. Mesmerising. That afternoon there was a superb interview with writer, poet and prix Goncourt 2013 recipient, Charles Juliet. A real highlight. The last event we went to, was a workshop about Shakespeare with readings. Very well done.

After that there was a glass or two with nibbles and speeches to bring the festival to a close, during which an announcement was made that a grant application had been successful. A superb weekend. We loved every minute of it. Huge congratulations to all concerned. Here's to 2016.

How ridiculously unobservant

We were with friends at L'Auberge - our local - for lunch the other day, which was good as always. Not sure how this cropped up in the conversation, but Chinon is the only town of its size in France, without traffic lights. Without traffic lights? Yes, it is true. There are no traffic lights in Chinon. We've only been driving around the town for the last six years, and not noticed! Traffic flow is controlled by a mix of mini roundabouts, speed bumps, varying speed limits and a partial one-way system. The more we've thought about it, the more impressed we are. What's more it works.