FIAF to Host ENGAGING REALITY Conversation with Rimini Protokoll Collective Today

As part of the 2013 Crossing the Line festival, FIAF's acclaimed interdisciplinary festival of contemporary arts, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), the Segal Center at CUNY, and the Goethe-Institut New York, in collaboration with The Graduate Center's James Gallery present Engaging Reality: Conversation with Berlin's Rimini Protokoll Collective tonight, Oct 7 at 6:30pm at the Segal Theatre Center, 365 Fifth Ave at 34th Street.

Join us for an evening conversation with the legendary Berlin-based collective Rimini Protokoll. Moderated by Frank Hentschker, Executive Director of the Martin E. Segal Theater Center at CUNY and Gideon Lester, Director of Theatre Programs, Bard College and Co-Curator ofCrossing the Line, this talk will look at the highly individual performance work of artists Helgard Haug, Stegan Kaegi, and Daniel Wetzel, who together make up the multi award-winning collective.

Screening from 3-6pm
Prior to the talk, there will be free screenings at the Segal Center from 3-6pm of excerpts from recent major works, including Wahl Kampf Wallenstein, Prometheus in Athens, and the "100% series."

About Rimini Protokoll: Rimini Protokoll creates participatory documentary theater experiences in which real people, or "experts," share their own stories, voice their own opinions, and illustrate their own circumstances. Recognized as pioneers in the alternative theater scene, the truly international collective has been commissioned by major festivals in Europe and elsewhere. Recent works have explored such topics as Egyptian muezzin, Muslim criers who lead the call to prayer, resisting the consolidation of their profession (Radio Muezzin); Athenians grappling with the Greek economic crisis (Prometheus in Athens); and jet-setting children of corporate executives who feel most at home while in transit (Airport Kids).

For more information, visit: www.fiaf.org/crossingtheline/2013/2013-talks.shtml.

About Crossing the Line 2013: Crossing the Line is the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF)'s annual fall festival presenting interdisciplinary works and performances in New York. The festival explores the dialogue between artist and public, and examines how artists help re-imagine the world as critical thinkers and catalysts for social evolution. Crossing the Line is initiated and produced by FIAF in partnership with leading cultural institutions. The festival's seventh edition takes place this year from September 19-October 12, 2013.

Since its inauguration in 2007, Crossing the Line has cultivated an increasingly large and diverse following, and received numerous accolades in the press. The festival has been voted "Best of 2009," "Best of 2010," and "Best of 2012" by Time Out New York, Frieze, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Events at the festival have won several Bessie awards, and 2012's Habit received an Obie award for creators David Levine and Marsha Ginsberg. The New York Times states, "For terrifically unusual, unpredictable, unnamable performance, we've come to expect a lot from ... the curators of the French Institute Alliance Française's interdisciplinary festival," and Time Out New York says, "This interdisciplinary festival...is one of the season's great joys ... Forget about categories; this is a whirlwind of art." fiaf.org/ctl

About the French Institute Alliance Française (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. fiaf.org

Crossing the Line 2013: Engaging Reality
Conversation with Berlin's Rimini Protokoll Collective
Monday, October 7 at 6:30pm
Segal Theatre Center
365 Fifth Ave at 34th Street, NYC
Admission: Free and open to the public
Seating is limited. First come, first served
Information: fiaf.org/ctl | 212 355 6100
Transportation: Subway: B, D, F, N, R, and Q to 34th Street; Bus: M4, M10 South, M10 North, Q32 to 34th Street