During the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF), one of the biggest comics festival of North America, which will take place from May 11^th until May 13^th, four French authors will be part of the guests : Lewis Trondheim, Brigitte Findakly, David B. et Yvan Alagbé.

The bibliography of Lewis Trondheim, born in 1964 in Fontainebleau, is prolific. Precursor of the OuBaPo group (“Ouvroir de Bande dessinée potentielle”, in French), he does not draw in a conventional way, but often uses animals. Scriptwriter and cartoonist, he publishes albums, series, collective books and magazines. He received a lot of rewards, including the Grand prix de la ville d’Angoulême in 2006.

His wife, Brigitte Findakly, born in 1959 in Mossoul, is a colorist and a scriptwriter too. She works with magazines such as Pif Gadget, Le Journal de Mickey and Spirou. Together they wrote the noteworthy Coquelicots d’Irak (L’Association, 2016), which is relating to Brigitte’s childhood in Iraq and her family exile in France. This fourhanded story, full of sensibility and humour, takes us in the heart of a colorful country, dealing with a hard actuality. The English translation Poppies of Iraq was published in September 2017 by Drawn & Quarterly.

David B., with whom Lewis Trondheim created the publishing house L’Association, was born in 1959 in Nîmes. He is the author of numerous albums, including a collection of six books about his older brother’s epilepsy ((L’Ascension du Haut Mal, L’Association, 1993-2003). He takes part in collective publications and magazines. His last publications, Hâsib et la Reine des serpents (2 volumes, Gallimard, 2015-2016), are available in English by NBM Publishing. Lively and vibrating, this adaptation of the Arabian Nights is perfect for both children and adults.

Yvan Alagbé, born in 1971 in Paris, founded with the author Olivier Marboeuf Dissidence Art Work in 1991, and the publishing house Frémok in 2002. After having contributed to fanzines about contemporary art and comics magazines, he publishes graphic novels. Nègres Jaunes et autres créatures imaginaires (Frémok, 2000) is translated into English by New York Review Books.

 

Public Events :

– Thursday, May 10th, 8.00 pm : Public meeting with Yvan Alagbé, Lewis Trondheim, Brigitte Findakly & Julie Rocheleau – Québec (discussion will be moderated by Genevieve Oger), followed by a signing session. At 7.00 pm, another public meeting will gather the European authors invited for the TCAF : David B., Bianca Bagnarelli – Italy, Stephanie Wunderlich – Germany, Wauter Mannaert – Belgium, et Nino Naranjo – Spain (discussion will be moderated by Thomas-Louis Côté).

Place : Alliance Française de Toronto, 24 Spadina Road, Toronto

– Saturday and Sunday, May 12th & 13th, from 9 am to 5 pm : Toronto Comic Arts Festival, with public meetings, exhibitions, signing sessions, workshops…

Places : Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto
The Marriott Bloor Yorkville, 90 Bloor Street East, Toronto
The Masonic Temple, 888 Yonge Street, Toronto

http://www.torontocomics.com/

Yvan Alagbé, Lewis Trondheim and Brigitte Findakly will be in Calgary on May 15th (public meeting at the Alliance Française, at 6 pm) ; in Edmonton on May 16th (signing session at Happy Harbor Comics from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm, public meeting at the Alliance Française at 7 pm) ; in Vancouver for the VanCAF, on May 19th & 20th.

More information : http://www.vancaf.com/

https://www.afcalgary.ca/cultural-events/afc-events/180515-comics/

http://af.ca/edmonton/fr/evenements-activites/evenements-20172018/festival-de-la-bd-francophone/