June 16, 2021<\/p>\n
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This year, festival-goers and the organization are preparing another way to celebrate the 39th edition of the Franco-F\u00eate de Toronto, with a fully virtual 2021 program lineup. This formula will extend the traditional weekend event to a month-long celebration, from July 8 to 29. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00ab Regardless of what the future may hold for us, it is important that the Franco-F\u00eate de Toronto be able to pursue its efforts to bring together the Greater Toronto\u2019s francophone community around La Francophonie. We hope that with this 39<\/i>th<\/i> edition, which will once again be virtual, we will get to bring our celebrations to an even wider audience, who will join us next year to celebrate La Francophonie in Toronto\u2019s Yonge-Dundas Square<\/i><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00bb<\/span>, <\/span><\/i>noted newly appointed Franco-F\u00eate de Toronto President Vincent Rocheleau.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n DISCOVERING TOGO <\/b><\/p>\n Just as 2020 highlighted the Haitian culture, this year\u2019s Franco-F\u00eate moves to Africa, to introduce everyone to another one of La Francophonie\u2019s magnificent countries, Togo. And what better way to celebrate the Togolese community than to have ABEL<\/span> MAXWELL<\/b>, a native son of that West African country, headline the festival ?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n VIRTUAL PROGRAM LINEUP – <\/b>4 EVENINGS – 4 ARTISTS – 4 SHOWS<\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n Every Thursday between July 8 and 22, at 5:30 p.m. sharp, an artist from La Francophonie will give a free 20-minute show on our Facebook page! The artists will also be available for live chats with the audience during those shows.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n FESTIVAL LAUNCH \u2013 Thursday, July 8, 2021 \u2013 5:30 p.m. \u2013 FFT Facebook Live<\/b><\/p>\n ABEL MAXWELL\u00a0 presented by AEFO <\/b><\/p>\n Author, composer and performer Abel Maxwell became a UNESCO-sponsored artist, and later a Canadian best-selling author. He has recorded four (4) albums, and attracted close to one (1) million followers through regular appearances on his social media platforms. Abel is becoming increasingly well known on the French Afrobeats music scene, reaching young people and encouraging them to remain resilient through these difficult pandemic times.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thursday, July 15, 2021 \u2013 5:30 p.m. \u2013 FFT Facebook Live<\/b><\/p>\n MELANIE BRUL\u00c9E – presented by CHOQ-FM 105,1 <\/b><\/p>\n In what will not be this artist\u2019s first appearance at FFT, M\u00e9lanie Brul\u00e9e integrates her mother tongue on stage as naturally as she weaves through different musical genres. Since launching her first album in 2015, she has lent her voice to the French version of Ontario\u2019s official anthem \u201cO\u00f9 l\u2019on se tient\u201d<\/i>, received three Trille Or Award nominations and won a Stingray-Galaxie Rising Star. Her second release in 2018 launched her into the limelight, with appearances from the Francofolies de Montr\u00e9al to SXSW in Austin, Texas. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Thursday, July 22, 2021 \u2013 5:30 p.m. \u2013 FFT Facebook Live<\/b><\/p>\n JULIE KIM – presented by OLG <\/b><\/p>\n An ever-popular presence on the Franco-Canadian scene, music artist Julie Kim collaborated for years with slam poet Yao and was part of the retro-swing trio Chiclettes, which won Contact Ontarois\u2019 Coup de foudre award in 2010, leading to their 2011 tour through Ontario and the Maritime provinces with their show \u201cDe Wawa \u00e0 New York\u201d<\/i>, and winning the hearts of French audiences. After more than 250 shows with a wide range of musical genres, she decided to take her career solo. She released her first album, \u201cPortrait<\/i>\u201d, a true to life account of the artist and the woman she became, in which she explores different issues, such as identity and self-image <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n CLOSING PERFORMANCE – Thursday, July 29, 2021 \u2013 5:30 p.m. \u2013 FFT Facebook Live<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n YAO – presented by Unis TV<\/b><\/p>\n A Franco-Ontarian from Togo, Yao has charmed us with the warm universe of his gentle poetry and his artistic daring. After making a name for himself on the Franco-Canadian scene with his album \u201cPerles et Paraboles\u201d<\/i>, in October 2015, Yao received the SPACQ foundation\u2019s \u00c9dith-Butler award. His latest project, \u201cLapsus<\/i>\u201d made it to 24th place in the Top 200 of new French creations on iTunes Canada, in the French\u00a0Pop category. In 2019, with seven nominations at the Trille Or Awards Gala, he won the top three awards, for Best Solo Artist, Best Live Show and Media Favourite. Being just as active off the stage as on, in November 2018, he received a Commemorative Medal of the Senate for the 150th anniversary of the Senate\u2019s first sitting to acknowledge his achievements in the community through his art and his efforts to promote cultural diversity across the country. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00ab<\/span> For the performing arts industry, it is no secret that this year presented more challenges than usual. Fortunately, in our industry, adapting to the unexpected is what we do best. We have learned a lot, and audiences have always been keen, which, when all is said and done, is what we all want. This year, we want to offer them a way to personalize their FFT experience, namely by encouraging local merchants who have also worked so hard to reinvent themselves and try to find other ways to serve the public<\/span><\/i>\u00bb, explains Michel-Olivier Matte, general director of the event.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n THE FFT2021 EXPERIENCE <\/b><\/p>\n This year\u2019s FFT will not be taking place in Yonge-Dundas Square but rather in YOUR home! And don\u2019t think that just because we can\u2019t be on site that we can\u2019t enjoy the full FFT experience!!! As it happens, we created <\/span>a page<\/b><\/a> on our <\/span>new Web site<\/b><\/a>,<\/span> where we offer festival-goers some ideas on how to make the most of the Franco-F\u00eate experience, even at home. Whether to enhance your listening area during shows, add a gastronomic component to your experience, or simply get into a festive mood by whipping up a cocktail proposed by our local merchants, you\u2019ll find more than enough to release your inner party animal and vibrate to the music of our four (4) guest artists in the comfort of your home.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A TEASER: THE FFT2021 PLAYLIST<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n