“Nothing teaches you how American you are more than moving to another country.”
– David Sedaris
New York, April 27, 2019- For the first time ever, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy will release a bi-weekly podcast, The Thing About France, in which Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor to the United States, will interview distinguished American cultural figures with notable connections to France about their experiences in both countries.
As part of the Cultural Services’ mission to facilitate exchange between the United States and France, this podcast explores the relationships between French and American artists and institutions, and the long, complex cultural and political relationship between the two countries. Guests like musician Dee Dee Bridgewater, writer David Sedaris, Whitney Museum director Adam Weinberg and novelist Claire Messud will discuss everything from the politics of race to the funding of cultural institutions, and the challenges and benefits of living and working in another culture and language. Guests also give insider tips on their favorite spots in France.
The podcast allows interviewees to speak candidly, sharing personal anecdotes and opinions on the interplay between our two countries. By hearing the personal stories of artists, filmmakers, authors, and other cultural figures, listeners will discover how people in France and the United States influence each other in today’s world.
Tune in every other Friday to hear new, compelling stories about people who have lived and worked in both French and American cultures. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes to stay up to date on the newest releases, and check out our website, www.thethingaboutfrance.com, for more information.
The Thing About France is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and at www.thethingaboutfrance.com.
ABOUT
The Cultural Services of the French Embassy promotes the best of French arts, literature, cinema, digital innovation, language, and higher education across the US. Based in New York City, Washington D.C., and eight other cities across the country, the Cultural Services brings artists, authors, intellectuals and innovators to cities nationwide. It also builds partnerships between French and American artists, institutions and universities on both sides of the Atlantic. In New York, through its bookshop Albertine, it fosters French-American exchange around literature and the arts. www.frenchculture.org
Music for The Thing About France was designed by Sixième Son and the visual identity was designed by Force Majeure.
Media Contact:
Camille Desprez, Cultural Services of the French Embassy, camille.desprez@diplomatie.gouv.fr, +1.212.439.1417