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Department of French and Italian

Department of French & Italian

The Department of French and Italian at Tulane University offers a comprehensive program of study that reflects our commitment to cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approaches. Our Department builds on the historical identity of New Orleans as a center of Francophone and Caribbean culture and as the hub of one of America's oldest Italian communities.

Featured Event

Meet Awarded Author & Villa Albertine Resident
Nicolas Mathieu

Location: 404 Newcomb Hall
Date / Time: September 26th at 4:00 pm

Directors and Advisors

Fayҫal Falaky, Department Chair
Thomas Klingler, Director of Graduate Studies
Alexandra Reuber, Director of Undergraduate Studies, French 
Charles Mignot, Director of French Language Program
Annette Sojic, Director of Professional French Program
Michael Syrimis, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Italian
Elena Daniele, Director of Italian Language Program
Sanela Frasch, Executive Secretary

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Mark your calendars: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Eva Doumbia’s Autophagies (Self-Eaters) will tour for a two-city engagement, culminating at Ashé Cultural Arts Center’s Powerhouse Stage on March 2-4, 2023. Doumbia’s extensive research into New Orleans’ rich history and traditions of cultural expression through food, connected both to its peoples’ oppression and liberation, has created a timely and tasty performance. Autophagies (Self-Eaters) employs the use of dance, text, video, music, and even a chef cooking live on stage to tell stories about food’s history and migratory pathways, and the people whose lands, cultures, and lives have been exploited along the way. We are what we eat, and even our local food traditions have global implications. Through a socio-political lens, audience members journey with the performers to learn about the history of sugar on Réunion Island, the history of rice cultivation in the south of France, cocoa production in the Ivory Coast, and much more. Autophagies (Self-Eaters) features Eva Doumbia and French actors Olga Mouak and Angélica-Kiyomi Tisseyre, performing alongside Ivorian dancer Bamoussa Diomande, and French musician Lionel Elian. New Orleans native Karen-Kaia Livers will be joining the cast for its American tour. At the conclusion of this “documentary eucharist,” audience members are invited to share the meal prepared on stage by Chef Alexandre Bella Ola, owner of two acclaimed restaurants in France. Autophagies (Self-Eaters) was produced by La Part du Pauvre/Nana Triban. Eva Doumbia founded La Part du Pauvre/Nana Triban in 2000 in Marseille, France. Since September 2019, La Part du Pauvre has been in residence at the Théâtre des Bains Douches in Elbeuf, Normandy, France. Ashé Cultural Art Center’s innovative programming is designed to utilize culture in fostering human development and civic engagement. As ecosystem builders, Ashé delivers programming and direct services that support, leverage, and celebrate the people, places, and philosophies of the African Diaspora.