It’s April, but there is no need to say goodbye to the month of the Francophonie yet — much of the content on the RVF website is available all year long.
For example, Vanessa Lisabelle and I interviewed Francophones, Acadians and Francophiles from diverse cultural, community and entrepreneurial backgrounds for the RVF’s Balados Franco (Franco podcasts).
Vanessa’s podcasts, done in French, feature comedian Mona De Grenoble, graphic novelist Benjamin Boutin, president of the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française, Simon Thériault, and many other cultural leaders. She has a lively and engaging hosting style that makes for great listening.
I interviewed eight bilingual and multilingual people (in English) about their relationships to French and their linguistic journeys. My interviewees included Shelley Robinson, former Executive Director of the National Campus and Community Radio Association; Francella Fiallos, Program Officer and Communications Director at the Community Radio Fund of Canada; and Dr. Claire-Marie Brission, host of the North American Francophone Podcast and a Preceptor in French at Harvard University.
Fans of Francophone music may want to check out this year’s RVF Francophone Discoveries music playlist. Curated by the Association des Professionnels de la Chanson et de la Musique and the Dialogue Foundation, the playlist includes music from many genres and artists from all over Canada. Some of my new discoveries include Entre le mort et moi by Fransaskois singer-songwriter Étienne Fletcher, Si l’amour n’existait pas by Winnipeg-based Kelly Bado, Si tu veux tout savoir by Franco Ontarian Céleste Lévis, and Nelson-based Véronique Trudel, with her gorgeous ballad, Appelle-moi.
What will you discover?
Image: Victoria, BC – Julianna Damer
Catherine Fisher, blogger
