Annecy

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) is one of the most renowned philosophers of the Enlightenment. The author of "The Social Contract" and "The Confessions" has been inspiring intellectuals for 250 years, from Kant to Marx, from Habermas to the French anthropologist Lévi-Strauss. For the latter, Rousseau questions the transition from nature to culture. The inventor of the term "bourgeois society" also encouraged his contemporaries to travel to distant lands to "study, not always stones and plants, but once in a while men and customs." The debate continues. In the face of past and emerging totalitarianisms, should we, with Rousseau, "meekly bear the yoke of public happiness," or, for example, take advantage of the debate on colonialism to question the potentially racist nature of Enlightenment writings... and thereby permit ourselves to throw Rousseau into the gutter?

Pastel by Quentin de la Tour (1753) © Public domain

For 60 years, every June, Annecy has hosted the greatest directors of animated films, both feature-length and shorts. The festival showcases a diverse array of styles and techniques. Intimate stories or adventures, strange fantasies or comedic epics, often francophone or silent, enchant cinephiles of all ages with creations from around the world. Conferences provide opportunities to attend cinema lessons, question creative choices, or learn more about the history of animated film. Producers gather in the salons of the International Animation Film Market, held concurrently. Lastly, the free outdoor screenings are particularly popular; remember to bring your folding chair and a warm jacket, as we are in Savoie. This is the most important festival of its kind in France, a place to go with eyes wide open. And if you know how to make paper airplanes…

Outdoor screening. © Festival d’Annecy/Trillot