Asia-Europe Cultural Festival: Cultures Connect

The Asia-Europe Cultural Festival titled Cultures Connect is a multidisciplinary arts festival taking place on 26 & 27 November 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. A public arts festival, Cultures Connect, is co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the European Union.

This year, the festival will present a programme comprising a film screening, music performance and dialogue forum at the Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar. We are honoured to have the support of Casa Asia (Spain) and the Ministry of Culture & Fine Arts of Cambodia in presenting this edition.

Book your tickets on Bozar's website here.

Over the last two years, the global uncertainties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic paused the possibility of physical interactions. These times of global change have underscored the importance of cooperation and mutual understanding between Asia and Europe. In the spirit of enhancing cultural connections between Asia and Europe, the Asia-Europe Cultural Festival aims to promote people-to-people connectivity between Asia and Europe in the field of arts and culture, thereby enhancing cultural partnership through deeper connections and meaningful collaborations.

Programme

Festival Venue:
Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar, Studio Hall
Rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels

Day 1 - Sat, 26 Nov 

7.00 pm - Film screening of The Perfect Motion 

About the film: 
From 1906 to the present day, from Auguste Rodin’s sketches to the creation of a new show for a French tour, from the glory hours to the darkest days, Cambodia’s Royal Ballet has survived and upheld its unique body language. 

The film follows the creation of a show called “Metamorphosis” and the history of the Royal Ballet since 1906, when Rodin tried to capture through his drawings the essence of this art he had just discovered. The conception and preparation of the new show, as well as the performances across France lead to a journey of discovery of the Ballet’s incredible odyssey. Alternating between past and present, we see the ballet’s movements and postures take us to a world of mystery and splendour, gradually becoming the key to reconstructing national identity and a source of fascination for international audiences. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the film director.  

Duration: 1h 30min

Credits: 
Film Director: Xavier de Lauzanne 
Film Writers: Xavier de Lauzanne, Pierre Kogan 
Advisor: HRH Prince Tesso Sisowath 
Producer: Aloest Productions 

Day 2 - Sun, 27 Nov 

4.00 pm - Public Forum: What Future for Arts Festivals?  

About the Forum: 

This forum will bring together 5 speakers from Asia & Europe - including festival directors, artists, producers, cultural practitioners - for a discussion on the current status of arts festivals given the impact of the pandemic, how newer trends such as slow mobility influence the model of arts festivals, how can festivals address the need for deeper cultural exchange and what arts festivals would look like in the future. 

Duration: 1h 30min

Moderator & Speakers: 

		Siddarth CHADHA - Moderator  Lecturer Uppsala University, Sweden  Department of Informatics and Media  (Sweden/India)
		Natalie HENNEDIGE  Director Singapore International Festival of the Arts  (Singapore)				Ratri ANINDYAJATI  Director Indonesian Dance Festival  (Indonesia)
		Roberto CASAROTTO  Co-Director Aerowaves  (Italy)				Stéphane NOËL  Independent Producer  (Switzerland)

7.30 pm - Music performance: Improvisuals 

About the performance: 
Sitting on the piano bench and improvising means, for Vignesh, an act of looking into a mirror: not knowing sometimes how to put words to what goes on inside oneself, an intrapersonal abstraction is created out of these improvisations. 

The originated pieces are preserved the way they were, since they encapsulate that very moment, and they help recognize, without words, feelings that may seem abstract but that can make anyone of the listeners feel identified with. 

The style can be described as minimal and transcendental music of various musical genre influences: from Indian classical music to western classical piano, modal jazz, atmospheric pop and Catalan music. 

Duration: 45 min

Credits: 
Singer and Musician: Vignesh Melwani (Piano) 
Musician: Carla González Ferrer (Double bass) 

The Asia-Europe Cultural Festival: Cultures Connect is a public arts festival, co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the European Union. Stay up to date with culture360.ASEF.org on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest info on the festival!