REYKJAVIK, UNESCO City of Literature ( 2011)
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In 2019, visiting an extremely interesting cinema not so far from HÖFN: "CINÉMA l'ALHAMBRA"
The 29th of October 2019, Hilmar Oddsson, « our » Icelandic filmmaker resident at that moment (for a whole month), was invited to visit the "CINÉMA l'ALHAMBRA",,
a very important cultural place for us all, young and old alike, living in the neighbourhood, 15 minutes driving from HÖFN (in a charming district called Saint Henri).
William Benedetto, head of the cinema, received Hilmar, (as well as Hilmar’s wife, Guðlaug Matthildur Jakobsdóttir - president of the Alliance Française in Reykjavik) who had joined Hilmar for a few days in Marseille).
William Benedetto took time at first to tell us the history of this cinema (which did exist, in very different form and purposes of course, but quite similar in its external aspect since the… 1920’s),
from a fairly (and extremely interesting) political point of view (how this very place/cinema became in the sixties a very important cultural issue between the communists - numerous and powerful then in the Northern districts of Marseille and Saint Henri - and the town council.
William insisted as well a lot on one of the major ambitions of the Alhambra to-day (and for about 30 years already!): to make it a place where the youngest (from 3 to 18 years old!) may learn what cinema has been and can be :
- programming for them old black and white, silent films, very contemporary cartoons, fiction films from all over the world, making them used to sub-titles rather than dubbed movies…
- organising after the screenings workshops involving together teachers, pupils, parents...
- offering older pupils preparing a special option having to do with audio-visual instruction for their « baccalaureate » (high school diploma in France) to work with professional film makers or film technicians…
We had had a look, just before meeting William Benedetto, at the single HUGE and fairly peculiar place where the audience watches the movies :
peculiar because it has got, just there before the screen a large stage (allowing for instance concerts before, during or after the screenings),
because the seats and curtains are rather colourful (!), and because it’s extremely steep, making you, spectator, if you choose to be in the lowest part of the tiers of seating, sort ot « inside » the movie,
or if you choose to be much higher, to get a very whole and dominant view of the film… We just had time for a glimpse of the vewing room few minutes before the screening started.
At this time of the afternoon (about 3 pm) (as well as in the mornings), the cinema Alhambra is primarily open to the young audience. A Japonese animated film was to be shown then.
The Alhambra is mainly (but not only – it depends also on William Benedetto’s choices, researches and encounters) an arthouse/repertory cinema open to grown ups in the evenings.
After we had sat for a little while listening to the « Alhambra’s tale » in the welcoming hall with William Benedetto, he showed us around… Here few photos to share with you this « visit »... Many and warmest thanks to William Benedetto!
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In 2017, a Nordic festival : LES BORÉALES, 20-25 November , in CAEN (Normandy)
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HÖFN received the 14th of November 2016 a message from Hildur Loftsdottir, a journalist who writes for the Icelandic dayly newspaper MORGUNBLAÐIÐ
She was asking Dominique Poulain, the Association coordinator and manager, whether she would be ready to give an interview about HÖFN, its history, its purpose, and its development.
The interview did happen, at 4 pm (in France), on Skype, between France and America, Sunday the 20th of November. A long interview!
The article, a very long one (!), of course in ICELANDIC, gave a very good idea about all that was said during the interview;
it came out Tuesday the 29th of Novembre, with many photos that Dominique had agreed to send to Hildur.
Here a translation in English: files/tradarthildang.pdf of the article (by Dominique Poulain), a good way to have an overall idea about HÖFN!
Thanks again to Hildur Lofsdottir!
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In March 2016, Dominique Poulain HÖFN coordinator was for 3 weeks in Iceland.
She met then key people in Icelandic cultural and artistic life that could be important partners for HÖFN...
Here some articles and photos from Dominique, related to each appointment: different associations or federations, different persons, different places...
To-day , the 14th of March 2016, I had, as HÖFN coordinator, an appointment at GUNNARSHÚS ,
headquarters of Rithöfundasamband Íslands (the Writers' Union of Iceland)..
Kristín Helga Gunnarsdóttir, head of the Writers' Union, was not in Reykjavik at the time of this appointment,
but Ragnheiður was there, welcome me warmly, and gave me plenty of time to try and explain all (or almost all!!) about HÖFN.
Hoping and believing this meeting at GUNNARSHÚS will be fruitful for all!
I could not but enjoy the peaceful, deeply still atmosphere of the place, something about it which seemed for ever belonging to the Fifties... may be out of time...
I took some photos... Somehow was not sure whether they should be black and white, or colour pictures...
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To-day, the 15th of March 2016, I had got another appointment, again as HÖFN founder and coordinator...
Well ... it was no that formal, since I met at Màl og Menning Cafe...
(Margrét) - Magga Örnólfsdóttir, a playwright and screenwriter, (a musician as well by the way) but ALSO head of the Icelandic Dramatists' Union (Félag Leikskálda og Handritshöfunda) ,
an independent organisation of playwrights and scriptwriters in Iceland.
Its main purpose is the protection of the artistic, moral and pecuniary rights of its members, and the promotion of contemporary Icelandic playwriting (having to do with Theater, Television, Radio, Cinema).
Magga is ALSO a friend from the old days!!
I enjoyed this meeting... It was a "professional" one though!.
We did talk a lot about the cultural situation in Iceland, and in France nowadays, I did try and present HÖFN, how our residence works,
but this meeting of course had to do as well with a long lasting subtle friendship, and discovering how we had both and each of us developed in... more than 20 years!
I am very curious about the links we might create between HÖFN and the Icelandic Dramatists' Union in the future, may be (?),
and would be overjoyed to welcome some day more Icelandic playwrights and screenwriters at HÖFN...
On my way to Màl og Menning, and Magga the 15th of March 2016
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To-day, the 16th of March, I, still and always HÖFN founder and coordinator, had got another appointment...
I went this time to SÍM : Samband íslenskra myndlistarmanna, The association of Icelandic Artists ...
A very pleasant and interesting meeting with Ingibjörgu Jóhönnu Gunnlaugsdóttir .
She described the many and various residences that Iceland, -in Reykjavik as much as everywhere in the country- offers artists from all over the world,
I told her about HÖFN... Once again, I cannot but hope and believe this new bound will open doors, bring Icelandic artists to Marseille and HÖFN, and French artists to Iceland...
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I went to my last very professional appointment in Reykjavik the 18th of March.
I really wanted to meet the head of /Félag kvikmyndagerðarmanna (FK), the Association of Icelandic Filmmakers: Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir i- Hrabba - (who is as well a... filmmaker), and a very busy and active girl.
It took me more than a week to finally meet her, it became some sort of a breathless pursuit...
Got the feeling I was engaged in a film that I could call (a remake) "The Chase"... Just joking!
We finally did not have much time then, that Friday at Noon (the 18th of March), neither she, nor I.
I even declined the offer of a very mouthwatering lunch there, Skulagata 30...
Still, even though I feel to-day frustrated not to have learn much about the Association /Félag kvikmyndagerðarmanna (FK) ,
its purpose, its actions - it's probably my own fault:
I took too long a time describing HÖFN, and the specificity of our residence...
Still, I do believe some interesting links will be forged in the future, between FK and HÖFN , Icelandic and French filmakers;
(Vera Sövadottir opened the ball already last summer, as a resident at HÖFN, and member of the Jury at the "Festival tous courts" in Aix in November 2015)),
AND between two great cinemas: one in our Northern districts of Marseille: L'Alhambra, the other up North in Reykjavik: Bíó Paradís.
(... Here some photos I took, walking and walking along the sea, along Skulagata until I found the number 30, this extraordinary window, as a cooking scenery, just above the door, and those mysterious shoes, on the doorstep...
And after the appointment, I actually walked by the cinema Bíó Paradís...
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The HÖFN association invites you
WEDNESDAY THE 17th of JUNE 2015,
FROM 6.pm to 10.pm,
lecture hall of the "école supérieure d’art d'Aix en Provence"
Icelandic Short Films Screening / Discussions / Debate
IN VERA'S BAGGAGE...
As she is at the moment a resident at HÖFN, carrying on her work and writing on a film project, Vera Sölvadóttir, young Icelandic film maker, will present during this one and only evening 7 short films that she personnally chose as much from her own filmography, as other young Icelandic film director's...
For more details: files/programmedetailsanglais.pdf
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TÍMARIT (Mals og menningar 1. 2015) has published in Iceland a poem by Saint Paul Roux : "Ave Massilia" (1904).
Mörður Árnason translated it while in residence at HÖFN with Linda Vilhjàlmsdóttir (September-October 2014).
Many good rememberings about this great time of linguistic exchange between Mörður and Dominique Poulain (coordinator of the Association "HÖFN").
To see Saint Paul Roux's poem and its translation (in French): The Residents Leave a Trail (2014 18 et 19. Eighteenth and nineteenth residents)
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Berglind Ásgeirsdóttir was in Marseille between Monday the 3rd and Wednesday the 5th of November 2014
It is first of all the Ambassador of Iceland to France (in Paris) that M. Guy Chambon, Consul of Iceland in Marseille, welcomed,
as she was invited as such by the Mayor of Marseille,
eventhough this is not her only title (and function);
she is also Permanent Representative of Iceland to the UNESCO and to the Council of Europe.
During those very few days in Marseille, Berglind ÁSGEIRSDÓTTIR took the time to pay a visit to HÖFN!
One should say in such a case that it has been an honour for us to receive her. No! It has been before all a great pleasure!
Here, a narrative of this first meeting: files/BerglindMarseilleEng2.pdf
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The HÖFN Association invites you
FRIDAY the 26th of SEPTEMBRE 2014, from 7pm until 10 pm
for an French-Icelandic encounter-once again
but at CAP 15 this time
To know more about our 4 Icelandic guests,
to know about the evening program (with Icelandic documentary screening)
to know the main topics we 'll broach together after the screening,
to know about all practical details, as, for instance, the way to be part of it...
click HERE: files//event26spt2014.pdf
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TO PREPARE YOUR PALATE BEFORE STARTING WALKING WITH HÔTEL DU NORD IN 2014
The association HÖFN, (Dominique Poulain, coordinator)
The association A toutes les sauces, (Zohra Adda Attou, wild plants picker/cook)
AND Hitomi Takeda, visual and graphic artist
invite you, Sunday the 20th of April to join us for a rather intimate and experimental workshop:
The urban flora : we'll pick it, we'll cook it... she will draw it.
TO KNOW ALL ABOUT IT (registering, price location... and more):
click HERE: files//infosCCD.pdf
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AT LAST!!...
... Almost two years went by since the Association and Writing Residency HÖFN gathered, the15th of April 2012,
about 40 guests for a friendly buffet lunch followed with a public conversation between two translators: Friðrik Rafnsson and Brice Matthieussent.
(See: Very Specific Events: TWO TRANSLATORS MET AT HÖFN... the 15th of April 2012)
We wanted to share, above and beyond the 40 persons invited then,
this very special moment, public BUT intimist,
which allowed us to compare two points of view by way of two personalities, two native tongues (Icelandic and French) speakers
highly concerned with translating...
François Parra , sound artist,
HÖFN unfailing friend and partner since the very beginning,
offers us, to-day, the 24th of March 2014, AND FROM NOW ON, an almost uncut recording
which will give you a chance to discover HÖFN sound atmosphere thhat very day
and make your way into the maze of questioning that those two translators are submitted to,
as they do not really "do their job" but develop a neverending passion.
LISTEN: link
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SCREENINGS OF FRÉDÉRIQUE LAGNY'S FILM: À QUI APPARTIENNENT LES PIGEONS?, IN PARIS
Frédérique Lagny let us know about ne screenings,in Paris, of her film: À qui appartiennent les pigeons?
Dear friends, I am happy to give you news about my work, in March 2014:
Deux screenings of my film À qui appartiennent les pigeons ? ,
one happening as part of a reflection about the relations between Theater and Cinema (Shortcuts),
the other as part of a visual anthropology seminar directed by Jean Paul Colleyn, head of the African Research Center (EHESS-IRD).
Looking forward to meet you there. Frédérique.
Wednesday the19th of March; 07 pm (I will be present),
Short Cuts #05.
'Olivier Fournout and Michaël Bourgatte inviting,a session animated by Sylvie Balland,
at Telecom Paristech, Amphi B310, 46 rue Barrault, 75013 Paris.
Thursday the 20th of March from 01 pm to 03 pm (I will be present),
Visual Anthropology Seminar (EHESS-IRD).
Jean Paul Colleyn, head of the African Research Center, organising,
Room 8, 105 boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris.
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VERNISSAGE DE L'EXPOSITION Le Pont AU mac , LE 24 MAI 2013
HÖFN is a member of the Northern districts of Marseilles' inhabitants' cooperative: HÔTEL DU NORD.
Our association is more and more becoming an active partner in many actions the cooperative develops.
Le Pont ("The Bridge"), huge art exhibition project within Marseille-Provence, European Capital of Culture programmation
that the mac ( Contemporary Art Museum of Marseilles) has set up
called for HÔTEL DU NORD and its members to recieve, guide throughout The Northern districts of Marseilles,
inform and assist in many ways two artists: Stéphanie Nava et Jårg Geismar.
HÔFN,(among other HÔTEL DU NORD's members, individuals or associations) followed and supported enthusiastically the developement of their task,
which produced two works totally or partially located in "our" districts: : BEL VEDERE and from_me_to_you.
Here above, some photos taken on the opening day of "Le Pont", at the mac, , showing mainly Stéphanie Nava and Jårg Geismar's intallations.
entrance, through the gardens of the mac (and a work by Mona Hatoum)
map/itinerary within the Northern districts of Marseilles
highlighting beautiful viewpoints and places where Stéphanie Navas's drawings are exhibited 3 posters by Stéphanie Nava
Détails of Stéphanie Nava's posters, and photos of the places which originated them Stéphanie Nava, at the end, and few HPOTEL DU NORD's members
in the middle, detail of the poster dedicated to HÖFN, and a photo of the street which leads to HÔFN
at the mac, Jårg Geismar's installation
on the right, Jårg Geismar
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SCREENING OF FRÉDÉRIQUE LAGNY'S FILM: À QUI APPARTIENNENT LES PIGEONS?
THE 18th of MAY 2013
at SÈTE, Centre Régionald'Art Contemporain Languedoc-Roussillon
at 6pm et 8.30pm, with the artist FRÉDÉRIQUE LAGNY,
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Augmented Window 03 : Marseille
Designed and directed by artist and curator Thierry Fournier,
Augmented Window proposes an interactive “window” on a landscape as a protocol for a collective exhibition.
A camera live streams a precise view of a landscape. Several artists and authors are invited to submit
works by using this view as a starting point: videos, interactive works, drawings... These works are
then positioned on the video of the landscape which is broadcast live on a large touch screen: viewers
explore this "window" in the depth of the image to discover them.
Augmented Window 03's artists: Benjamin Laurent Aman, Marie-Julie Bourgeois, Grégory Chatonsky,
and a collective with Christine Breton, Jean Cristofol, Thierry Fournier et Jean-François Robardet.
Exhibition : Friche de la Belle de Mai, rez-de-chaussée Tour Panorama
41 rue Jobin, 13003 Marseille
From the 11th of May untill the 31st of December 2013 from 10am untill 07pmh / Entrée libre
Opening the 10th of May at 07pm
Discussion about and around the exhibition
Friche de la Belle de Mai / Rez-de-chaussée Tour Panorama, the i 18th of May, from 11am untill 01pm
with Emil Sennewald (critic), Benjamin Laurent Aman, Christine Breton, Jean Cristofol, Thierry Fournier (artists and authors)
Augmented Window is an itinerant series: each landscape gives rise to new invitations and specific creations.
After the Pompidou Centre in 2011 and Prats-de-Mollo (Pyrénées Orientales) in 2012,
the project is deployed for a third exhibition in Marseilles at the invitation of ZINC and Friche La Belle de Mai
for the Marseilles Provence European Capital of Culture 2013 event.
The works are created by taking the landscape of Marseilles' northern districts as their starting point:
set on Arenc Silo, the camera focuses on the North-East of the city.
This view deliberately ignores the major urban operations of the very center,
to look to a landscape without monument and still in transformation, alongside the official events.
The Augmented Window installation is exhibited at Friche La Belle de Mai on the ground floor of the Panorama Tower.
Production Fenêtre augmentée 03 :
ZINC, Friche de la Belle de Mai, Silo - Ville de Marseille, avec le soutien de Höfn / Dominique Poulain et de Hôtel du Nord, coproduction Marseille Provence Capitale européenne de la culture 2013. Production déléguée : ZINC.
Production projet Fenêtre augmentée :
Région Languedoc-Roussillon - Région Ile de France - Pandore Production - Bipolar Production - Aquilon / Orphaz - Recherche co-développée avec le laboratoire EnsadLab de l'Ensad (programme Diip / Surfaces Sensibles) et le Medialab Sciences Po.
- Site Fenêtre augmentée link
- Zinc / Friche de la Belle de Mai :link
- Diffusion Fenêtre augmentée : link
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Ultima Thulé
séries of 4 video installations, 2013
Christine Breton, Jean Cristofol, Thierry Fournier et Jean-François Robardet
Creation within Augmented Window 03
Exhibitionn : Friche de la Belle de Mai, Marseilles / on the ground floor of the Panorama Tower
From the 11th of May until au the 31st of December 2013 de 10am - 07pm / Entrée libre
It is only because the viewer (spectator) maintains his hand on the Window surface that he can get into the depth of the image.
He will in this way progressively join the 4 video loops (hand-held camera shootings in Marseilles North districts)::
the "Ravin de la Viste" , the "Castellas Oppidum", the Holy Tower ("Tour Sainte") ; the Lyons and Zoccola streets, with the Coptic Church and the flea market's street peddlers.
The physical resistance that this specific device applies, somehow keeps the landscape at bay:
the spectator can only momentarily get into the video loops (the artist's peculiar scrutinizing of those areas).
Ultima Thule is, in 320 BC, the name that Pytheas, a greek explorer from Marseilles, gave to unknown Northern Islands, beyond Great Britain.
Since Virgil, and until the Middle Ages, the word refers to the ends of Europe, and, by extension, the furthest possible lands to get to.
- Production Zinc, Friche de la Belle de Mai, Silo - Marseilles City, Marseille-Provence European Capitale of Culture 2013
- Supported by Dominique Poulain / Höfn and Hôtel du Nord
- more details about : Ultima Thule
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SCREENING OF FRÉDÉRIQUE LAGNY'S FILM: À QUI APPARTIENNENT LES PIGEONS?, AT La compagnie, THE 2ND OF APRIL AT 7.PM
A JOINT INVITATION BY THE ARTIST FRÉDÉRIQUE LAGNY, La compagnie, and the association HÖFN
Some photos about that evening at: Évènements Très spéciaux
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The 28th of February 2013, Margrét Elisabet Ólafsdottir (see: The Residents leave a Trail: 12. Twelfth resident) sent us a message (translation in English):
Got it ! The defense (or « viva » in UK) went quite well.
I got my PHD with summa con laude and first class honours.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Magga
We have a fairly clear idea about hours, weeks, months at HÖFN (but not only... before as well, and after !!) that Magga spent working on her thesis.
WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR AND LET ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS SUCCESS... THAT WE HAD NO DOUBT MAGGA DESERVED, however having a slight idea how doubts overwhelmed MAGGA HERSELF while working...
Her passion and persistence despite all the obstacles (between October-November 2011, and from April to June 2012 at HÖFN)
stay with us as a bold example of a writing process which was as much a FIGHT FOR IDEAS AS MUCH AS AN HISTORICAL, POLITICAL AND AESTHETIC VISION.
CONGRATS, MAGGA !!!!
Magga, June 2011, up into the hills of Marseilles North Districts, walking about with HÔTEL DU NORD cooperative's partners from the" Verduron Oppidum" to "La Cloche Oppidum"(Celtic-Ligurian sites) .
She still took some time for resting from work!...
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SPRING 2011: the visual artist, photographer, videast Frédérique Lagny, resident at HÖFN between April and June 2010,
went back, (and will again in July) to Burkina Faso.
The association HÖFN supports her new project"A qui appartiennent les pigeons?"
Snapshots here: link
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Some news about Annie Toussaint, our resident at HÖFN from November 2010 until March 2011:
following the thread of her work: Voix d'écrivains,
she met, interviewed, and recorded the young writer (from Marseilles) DIDIER da SILVA,,
who has been invited as well at the bookshop "A l'encre bleue"
the 28th of January 2011 as his two last books: Une petite forme and L'automne Zéro Neuf were published.
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Thomas (Ordonneau)
SHELLAC Distribution,
François (Parra),
CAP 15
Dominique (Poulain)
HÖFN,
organize a BBC evening (Big Barbecue and Cinema of course!),
the 26th (a Saturday) of June 2010
at
Cap 15
The program of events features:
- between 7.30 pm and 8 pm, opening for a:
- greening, grinning and grilling party
then, around 10 pm,at night fall, beginning of the:
- screening of the short film (19 mn) "Þingdarafl" ("Gravity") link
by a young Icelandic director: Logi HILMARSSON link
This short just got a price, the 9th of June 2010, during the Reykjavik short film days.
- screening of the feature filme(124 mn) "Violent Days", by the director Lucile CHAUFOUR. link
Film distributor: SHELLAC Distribution. link
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Frédérique Lagny is happy to announce the projection of "Vanishing Point",
for the first "Nuit de L'Instant" ("Instant Night") event in Marseilles, Friday the 2d of April
CENTRE BAUSSENQUE
34 rue Baussenque
13002 Marseille
Au plaisir de vous y rencontrer,
Frédérique
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A Nordic festival: LES BORÉALES ,17-30 November 2008, in CAEN (FRANCE-Normandy)
"Deux semaines en Islande" - "Two weeks in Iceland"