Called French May Arts Fest, Hong Kong’s annual showcase of French culture takes place over several months. This year the festival kicked off in March, with the opening of Picasso for Asia – A Conversation at M+, while the Designing Jewels: 200 Years of French Savoir-Faire (1770-1970) exhibition at the University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG) of the University of Hong Kong runs through Oct 5. In between, Hong Kong’s connoisseurs of French culture can enjoy over 60 shows spanning art, photography, cinema, music, dance and gastronomy.

Over the last few years, French May has enhanced its Cantonese-language component and facilitated a number of joint ventures involving French and Hong Kong artists.

For example, the 2024 edition of French May saw the premiere of new plays Good Fortune and Pas de deux à Hong Kong — results of a two-year collaboration between playwright-directors Wu Hoi-fai and Nicolas Kerszenbaum, with residencies in both Hong Kong and Paris. This year’s festival highlight concert will see a coming together of Cantopop superstar Jay Fung and Joyce Jonathan, a French singer popular with the local audience for her performances on Chinese reality TV shows. A jazz concert featuring Hong Kong pianist Joyce Cheung and French singer-pianist Sarah Lancman is also on the menu.

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Fostering lasting cultural exchange between France and Hong Kong is at the heart of Le French May’s ambition. “The rich array of artistic and cultural programs creates unique emotions for the public, but the festival is also an opportunity for meaningful encounters between artists, which can lead to new forms of cooperation,” says Christile Drulhe, consul general of France in Hong Kong and Macao.

“The festival serves as a cross-cultural conversation, bringing together French and Hong Kong talent to create a unique experience for the local audience,” says French May Executive Director Xavier Mahé. “While we consider local tastes, we also aim to surprise the audience with unexpected and unusual programs.”

His predecessor, Julien-Loïc Garin, resonates with Mahé, drawing attention to the fact that while the festival “has significantly contributed to art education and appreciation in Hong Kong by showing major artists and movements such as Picasso, Monet and Surrealism”, it has also exposed Hong Kong audiences to “less-known or unexpected programs, like Renaissance music, hip-hop and street performances”.

“It’s no longer a ‘French’ festival, but a truly Hong Kong event, deeply rooted in the city, with a unique blend of programs,” he says.

Right from the time of its launch in 1993, French May has been seen as an instrument of soft power. “France possesses numerous assets that allow it to extend its influence through its culture and its artists — what is commonly referred to as cultural diplomacy,” says François Drémeaux, author of Hong Kong, French Connections: From the 19th Century to the Present Day. “Initially, the vision was grounded in the idea of sharing expertise, without any expectation of reciprocity from Hong Kong. Today, however, the festival reflects a more inclusive form of diplomacy, one that is increasingly rooted in cooperation and mutual exchange.”

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UMAG Director Florian Knothe agrees that the festival has come a long way in deepening its ties with Hong Kong’s cultural institutions, artists and creative industry professionals. “It presents French — and by extension European — art and culture in countless visual and performing art events, to which many of professionals in the local art scene also love to contribute. The festival’s significance thereby grows with the strong participation of renowned institutions from France and tailor-made delivery in Hong Kong by specialists who create the communication and engagement that lead to its unparalleled success.”

It’s only a matter of time before French May reaches the Chinese mainland. “We have already extended the festival’s promotion to the mainland and initiated partnerships with the mainland media,” Mahé says. “In the coming years, the festival will work more closely with the French Embassy in China and mainland partners to create synergies and host events in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”