Organised by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macao, in collaboration with the Alliance Française, and with the support of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, Le French May has been highly praised as one of the leading annual arts festivals in Hong Kong and Macao. The 20th edition of Le French May will be officially launched on 28th March, 2012 at Felix, The Peninsula Hong Kong, presenting the widest selection of French cultural programs, taking place across the cities of Hong Kong and Macao from 12 April to 24 June.

During the press conference, Mr. Arnaud Barthélémy, The Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macao, Mr. Raymond Young, JP, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, HKSAR, together with the major sponsors of this year’s highlight program, "Picasso: Masterpieces from National Picasso Museum, Paris", including the representatives of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, LVMH Group, BNP Paribas and Mr. Cheung Chung Kiu are going to unveil the key visual of this Picasso painting “Jeune fille assise”.

Exquisite programs ranging from visual arts, opera, classical and modern music, ballet, contemporary dance, theatre, cinema, multi-arts performances to Le French Fashion May, as well as culinary arts with Le French GourMay – including around 50 performances, 20 exhibitions, and 50 movie screenings. Tickets go on sale from Thursday 29 March.

Celebrating 20 years of French Friendship with Hong Kong

Mr. Arnaud Barthélémy, The Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macao said, “2012 will be the occasion to celebrate the 20th edition of Le French May. Thanks to the strong and constant commitment of our partners in the promotion of French arts and culture, we managed to turn this French festival into a renowned rendez-vous truly acclaimed by the public. I am very proud of what has been achieved and feel more than enthusiastic about this coming edition, which will present an ambitious program in order to celebrate 20 years of French excellence. May this very special occasion also be an opportunity for me to invite new and old friends to share our common will to develop French cultural exchanges with Hong Kong and Macao.”

This year’s programs will increase its focus on the visual arts, held in indoor and outdoor spaces, museums and galleries across Hong Kong and Macao, including the contemporary art exhibition “My Way” by the world renowned French artist, Jean-Michel Othoniel in Macau Museum of Art showcasing the artist’s early works of the 1980s to the latest monumental installations. Amazing monumental sculptures from the French artist Nathalie Decoster will be exhibited around Hong Kong.

Paying tribute to icons of international movie stars, a selection of 30 of the most beautiful portraits by the young and talented French photographer, Jérôme Bonnet, will be exhibited on Avenue of Stars. Organized by Alliance Française, the photographic exhibition “Playgrounds: French Contemporary Photography” featuring Stéphane Couturier, Alain Bublex and Gilbert Garcin will also be exhibited on Avenue of Stars, which demonstrates the contemporary landscapes where reality, fiction and abstraction overlap.

Crème de la Crème is definitely the largest-ever Picasso exhibition featuring the master’s 48 oil paintings and 7 sculptures including some of the artist’s most famous works “The Barefoot Girl”, “Woman in Red Armchair” and “Portrait of Dora Maar”, which will be showcased in Hong Kong Heritage Museum. These works characterize Picasso’s various artistic styles and celebrate each notable period of the artists eight decade career including the Blue period, the Rose period and his iconic cubism.

The 20th edition will also showcase a world class line up of performances which are significantly acclaimed in France and abroad, including the French Opéra “Carmen” presented by Opera Hong Kong with the Philippe
Arlaud’s acclaimed staging backed by a cast of French and international renowned artists. Bordeaux Opéra Ballet, being part of the French heritage since the reign of Louis XIV, will present renowned classical pieces as well as French contemporary creations. Last but not least, The Zingaro Company is back in town again with an intimate and poetic show named “Le Centaure et l’Animal” featuring men and horses.

Following the success of last year’s cinema retrospective “NOIR”, Le French May 2012 will continue a cultural dialogue between Hong Kong and Paris via a series of screenings of Hong Kong and French films portraying the cityscape. Paris and Hong Kong, both are strongly represented in movies, whether as the subject or the backdrop, they are essential to the plot that takes place there and contribute to mixed atmospheres of unique culture, history, luxury and crazy rhythms. Let’s draw the parallel of these two cities – a world of its own.

In 2012 Le French May welcomes you again - ‘Bienvenue’

The Festival also offers different activities to involve the audience and invite them to meet the artists through workshops and master classes, Le French May lets the audience get closer to the topics, to learn the techniques, and to develop their artistic sense.
Please feel free to check out the full programs of Le French May Arts Festival 2012 at www.frenchmay.com.
Tickets will go on sale from Thursday 29 March, available online at www.urbtix.hk and