After months of wild rumours, the Paris 2024 opening ceremony showed the world four hours of unique, inventive and spectacular performances set against the backdrop of Paris, with the Seine replacing the usual location of an Olympic stadium. Directed by Thomas Jolly, this ode to the rich history of France and its position as a cultural crossroads also paid tribute to the diversity and vibrancy of French speaking cultures. Relive the five most memorable Francophone moments of the night.
Who better to kick off the festivities than the French football legend, stunning Jamel Debbouze in an allusion to Asterix at the Olympic Games: “Zizou Christ!” And the cinematic references didn’t stop there – spectators couldn’t hide their delight watching Zidane and the Olympic flame weaving through traffic in Paris, a nod to the musicals of Jacques Demy and depictions of the capital in the films of Jacques Tati.
On the banks of the Seine, a pair of legs in black tights emerged from an enormous plume of feathers… Only to reveal Lady Gaga! Never one to shy away from a challenge, the American singer kicked off the Olympic Games with a rendition of Mon truc en plumes (my thing with feathers) – a reincarnation of the French music hall entertainment of the 1960s. It was a joyful and eye-catching tribute to the French dancer and singer Zizi Jeanmaire.
Haiti surely wins the vote for the best-dressed athletes of the competition, tying with Mongolia. Their elegant attire is the brainchild of Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean, who paid tribute to her country by creating outfits based on pieces by Haitian painter Philippe Dodard. The female athletes were kitted out in chambray shirts made with traditional blue cotton, while the male athletes donned field jackets inspired by Haitian Guayabera shirts.
Proudly performing in front of the Académie Française, the French‑Malian singer – the most-listened to Francophone artist worldwide – reinvented Charles Aznavour’s classic For Me Formidable, accompanied by an inscrutable Republican Guard, and danced to her hit song Djadja. It was a magical moment that we can’t stop rewatching!
For this magical evening, the Passerelle Debilly bridge was transformed into a dancefloor over the Seine to celebrate the diversity and talent of dancers – such as the French-Congolese figurehead of “waacking”, Princess Madoki, Quebec’s krump prodigy Adeline Kerry Cruz, French‑Algerian Bboy Haiper, who overcomes his disability by breakdancing, and the breathtakingly elegant principal dancer Germain Louvet.
The French Canadian superstar made a triumphant return after a four‑year break from performing. Overlooking the capital from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, Céline was radiant in a white dress by Dior, moving the whole world with her beautiful and powerful rendition of Edith Piaf’s L’Hymne à l’Amour.
While French is often described as the language of love, it is often forgotten that it is also a language that can make you laugh (a lot). This series of videos reflects the very essence of Francophone humour. Feel free to binge-watch!
Making a Better World, the Francophonie Festival joined forces with the Francofolies in La Rochelle and 1 Hebdo to organize song dictations from 11 to 13 July.
On the sidelines of the Villers-Cotterêts Summit, organized jointly by France with the International Organisation of La Francophonie, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is launching a trade fair for innovation in French, FrancoTech, on 3 and 4 October. The General Secretariat of the Francophonie Summit entrusted Business France with its organization, in close partnership with the Alliance of Francophone Employers. The event, which will help to illustrate the Summit’s theme “Create, innovate and do business in French”, will be held in Paris at the world’s largest start-up campus, STATION F.