Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt Stars In MONSIEUR IBRAHIM AND THE FLOWERS OF THE KORAN At FIAF Next Thursday!

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York's premiere French cultural center, is thrilled to welcome internationally renowned dramatist, novelist, and director Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, who will star in a performance of the theatrical adaptation of his beloved novella Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran on Thursday, May 3 at 7:30pm in FIAF's Florence Gould Hall.

Set in Paris in the 1960s, the play tells the story of Moses, a wayward teen whose distant father is haunted by memories of the Holocaust. When he's caught stealing from Monsieur Ibrahim's neighborhood shop, Moses develops an unlikely friendship with the Sufi shopkeeper.

As funny as it is poignant, this touching coming-of-age story has been performed in more than twenty-two countries, published in thirty-nine languages, and taught in countless schools. Actor Omar Sharif won a César and a Lion d'Or for his role in the Golden Globe-nominated 2004 film adaptation. For one night only in New York, this stirring tale will be brought back to life by its very own author.

In French with English supertitles

90 minutes. No late seating.

About Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

In two decades, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt has become one of the most widely read and performed French-language authors in the world. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, his plays have won several Molières and the French Academy's Grand Prix du Théâtre. His books have been translated into 45 languages, and his plays are regularly performed in over 50 countries. According to recent statistics, he is now one of the most studied authors in elementary and middle schools.

Schmitt first made a name for himself in the theatre with The Visitor, a play that posits a meeting between Freud and-possibly-God. The work soon became a classic and is now part of the international dramatic repertoire. Further successes quickly followed, including Enigma Variations, The Libertine, Between Worlds, Partners in Crime, My Gospels, Sentimental Tectonics, and Oscar and the Pink Lady.

Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran is part of Schmitt's Cycle de l'Invisible, six tales about childhood and spirituality. The stories have met with great success as both novellas and staged productions. Schmitt has also published acclaimed collections of short stories, opera libretti, and graphic novels.

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt has performed his own works in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, and Canada, and has acted in French-language performances throughout Europe. He acquired the Théâtre Rive Gauche in Paris with Bruno Metzger in 2012 and became the theatre's artistic director. In 2016, he was unanimously elected to the jury for France's prestigious Prix Goncourt literary award. The Royal Belgian Academy of French Language and Literature awarded him Seat 33, previously occupied by Colette and Jean Cocteau.

www.eric-emmanuel-schmitt.com

About FIAF

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) is New York's premiere French cultural and language center. FIAF's mission is to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures. FIAF seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression. www.fiaf.org