The Voilah! France Singapore Festival marked its return last Nov. 3, 2021, with the theme "Feel Good," which highlights France and Singapore's bilateral partnership on one hand and celebrates hope and joy on the other.

The festival, which runs until Dec. 10, has 50 programmes in store for the public, all of which celebrate the link between the city-state and France through several exciting and unique exhibits, feasts, screenings, and more. Voilah! 2021 likewise aims to be the first zero-net festival ever in the city-state by offsetting carbon emissions, so the public can expect programmes in the festival dedicated solely to the issue of climate change and sustainability.

Here are our recommendations on what not to miss to get you started!

Feasts

Fine Dining Experience Around Sustainability – Nov. 17, 7-10 PM

Ever experienced a sustainable meal? This dinner prepared by chef Thibault Chiumenti, executive chef of The St. Regis Singapore, places sustainability and responsible consumption at the heart of the table in the form of a four-course menu. Enjoy French caviar from Sturia, Crystal blue prawn, and the iconic Impossible Foods, and more in this unique dinner, which only costs S$120 without wine.

Iconic French Feast – Nov. 15-18, 2:30-8:15 PM

What, exactly, is an iconic French feast? This limited edition four-course set menu at Angelina answers that question for you, which will leave you with a deeper understanding of the French way of life. Indulge in a traditional French onion soup for starters, followed by chilli crab pasta with capellini noodles, crab meat, caviar, and deep fried mantou, topped off with an emblematic Mont Blanc chocolate, and a cup of coffee or tea. This set menu costs S$59.

Wine Dinners: When France Meets Singapore – Nov. 16, 23, and 30, 7 PM

Engage in a themed wine dinner with a Singaporean-French fusion menu at the Origin Grill Restaurant in Shangri-La Singapore on Nov. 16, 30, and 23. The "Tour de France" dinners on the 16th and 30th will have you discovering the best of French vineyards, while the dinner on the 23rd is a friendly battle between the Bordeaux and Burgundy wine regions.

You can glimpse the full menu at the time of booking or, better yet, choose to be surprised!

Exhibits

‘Oh My Island in the Sun’ – Nov. 20-21; 11 AM-12 PM, 2-3 PM, 4-5 PM

"Oh My Island in the Sun" is a group exhibition by artists Eddie Botha, Emi Avora, Christian Lukey, Gilles Massot, and Andy Yang at the Kinloss House within the EHL Campus. It comprises selected paintings and photographs that celebrate and are inspired by Singapore. The exhibit is free admission, although only up to 25 persons are allowed per tour.

‘Mapping the World: Perspectives from Asian Cartography’ – Dec. 10, 2021-May 8, 2022; 10 AM – 9 PM

View rare historical maps across Asia in this exhibit at the National Library of Singapore starting Dec. 10, with a display of more than 60 cartographic treasures from French institutions like the Musée Guimet, École Française d’Extrême-Orient, and Bibliothèque nationale de France, among others. Admission for the exhibit is free.

Screenings

37th French Film Festival – Nov. 11-28

The 37th French Film Festival presents the best selection of recent French films and a retrospective of the late French filmmaker Agnes Varda, known as the godmother of the French New Wave.

Organized by the Embassy of France in Singapore and local and French partners, the festival has a boatload of screenings in store for the public, from recently released titles in France to movies from the Cannes selection, documentaries, and a special programme dedicated to Varda. For the full lineup of films and ticketing information, go here.