Debra Li debra_lidan@163.com FOR the first time since its debut in 2006, the annual Festival Croisements kicked off in Shenzhen on Friday. More than 200 guests gathered at the Horizon Hall at the Shekou Seaworld Culture and Arts Center to witness the opening ceremony, where Shen Teng, a beloved Chinese comedian, announced the festival’s launch via video message. Between April and July, the French cultural festival will present 320 events across more than 30 Chinese cities, including theatrical performances, concerts, film screenings, exhibitions, and other forms of cultural exchange. Some of the exhibitions will last into October. French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary said it was wonderful to host the event’s opening by the sea in Shenzhen, a city dedicated to the preservation of oceans. As France and Costa Rica are co-organizing the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, in June, Lortholary said the launch event in Shenzhen may also draw people’s attention to and raise public awareness of the environmental challenges faced by humanity. “This day, two years ago, the Alliance Fran?aise de Shenzhen, the 14th such institute on the Chinese mainland, was inaugurated at Shenzhen University to promote the French language and cultural exchanges,” the ambassador said, adding that the former French passenger liner Ancerville, built in 1962 and better known as Minghua in China, will reopen as a new cultural center in Shekou after refurbishment. The opening show of the 19th Festival Croisements is a theatrical adaptation of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” French author Jules Verne’s groundbreaking 1870 sci-fi novel about a submarine adventure. Commissioned by the 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival, the stage show helmed by Christian Hecq and Valérie Lesort brings to life a fantasy oceanic world full of incredible creatures through the imaginative use of puppetry and black-light theater techniques. It tells the tale of a marine biologist, his loyal servant, and a daring whaler who are swept into the sea, only to be rescued by the enigmatic Captain Nemo and his submarine — the Nautilus. After first mistaking the submarine for a monstrous sea creature, they embark on a thrilling underwater odyssey. Following its two-night run in Shenzhen, the show will tour Shanghai, Nantong, Nanjing, Chengdu, and Beijing. Another highlight of the festival is “The Cherry Orchard,” a Chekhov play directed by Tiago Rodrigues and led by actress Isabelle Huppert. Featuring modernist music, dazzling choreography, and an imaginative stage set, the play is touring Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing this month. This year — the 61st since China and France established diplomatic relations — symbolizes the start of a new cycle, according to Nicolas Pillerel, minister counselor for culture, education, and scientific affairs of the French Embassy in China. “Each year we renew our program and reach new geographies,” Pillerel said, noting that French culture becomes more accessible to a bigger audience with Festival Croisements. “The National Orchestra of France will return to China after six years of absence… We offer new content through new technologies, such as a virtual reality experience in several cities including Shenzhen, which is called ‘A Night With Impressionists.’ It will be a fantastic opportunity for audiences to travel back in time and discover how the impressionist movement formed in France over a century ago. “There will be a cinema festival and art exhibitions, such as the one featuring classical impressionists in Shanghai, and a contemporary show in Foshan featuring artist Nathana?lle Herbelin. So as you can see, there will be something for everyone,” Pillerel said, adding that he hopes more people will come and see these shows and exhibitions and discover French culture. Launched in 2006, Festival Croisements is the largest French cultural event outside of France and the largest foreign cultural festival in China. | 