Published on March 25, 2026 at 8:30 PM
A great opportunity to learn more about the French language in Rouen (Seine-Maritime), the International Festival of French Languages is back at the Dramatic Center of Rouen for its eighth edition! From Monday 23 to Sunday, March 29, 2026, authors and artists from around the world showcase the richness of our language through innovative theatrical forms!
“I initiated this gathering here at the CDN eight years ago,” recalls Ronan Chéneau, playwright, and programmer. Since then, the event has established itself as “a festival open to all French languages around the world.”
An invitation to listen to French differently
For this eighth edition, the program illustrates this ambition. Authors from “around the world” are invited, forming “a constellation of nationalities.”
And the audience is responding. “We will be close to a thousand spectators this year!” rejoices Ronan Chéneau. A progression linked in particular to the increase in the number of performance days and to the free admission.
The festival revolves around a major objective: to offer all artists a space to develop their texts, create, and test their desires! “We are a theater of pure creation.”
The project also relies on strong partnerships. “RFI radio has been with us for years,” emphasizes the programmer. He mentions the journey of Haitian author Gaëlle Bien-Aimé, “she came to play with us and the following year she won the RFI Theater Prize.” Since then, “a strong bond has been created,” notably with a drama school in Haiti, in partnership with the CDN.
A living language shaped by the world
Through performances, readings, and stagings, the public is invited to discover how French is transforming.
From Quebec to Madagascar, passing through Chile or Lebanon, the words, accents, and expressions tell different realities. A linguistic diversity that becomes an artistic wealth here.
The texts presented to the public during the week explore various registers, each offering a unique perspective on the contemporary world, its tensions, its legacies, and its hopes!
A new generation of authors to discover
Among the highlights, the staging of “Clipping,” the 2025 RFI Theater Prize-winning text, written by Congolese author Israël Nzila, will be presented this Wednesday, March 25, under the direction of Havre’s Anne-Sophie Pauchet.
The festival continues with other highlights, including the “Etel Adnan reading” by Karima El Kharraze and Agathe Charnet’s text around the questions that youth ask.
More than just a festival, this week is an invitation to listen. To listen to the variations of a common language, to better understand those who speak it differently, and to be surprised!
At the heart of this approach, a simple belief: “to transmit the love of words through these texts” and to make the richness of French languages in all their diversity heard.
Paul Gaudin
Practical Information
Information and reservations: International Festival of French Languages
At the Marc-Sagnier space, at the Foudre theater, the Two Rivers, and the Labo Victor Hugo
Free on reservation at 02 35 70 22 82 or by email: [email protected]
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