Franco Festivities to be shown at Bates

Franco Festivities, a documentary about Maine’s Franco American culture by Maine filmmaker Francis Gagnon, will be shown in the Bates College Olin Arts Center May 17 at 1 and 3:30 p.m. The 30-minute color film examines Lewiston’s Festival de Joie and Biddeford’s La Kermesse to reveal the strength of Maine’s Franco- American communities and their eagerness to celebrate and share their heritage with others. Gagnon will introduce each showing with his insights and observations about the filmmaking process. Admission is $3 and tickets are available at the door only. For more information call 207-782-0386.

A program of live music and dance will follow each screening, featuring jigs and reels played by Group de Joie and traditional French and Irish dancing by Cathedral School Folk Troupe, a multinational ensemble of fifth- and sixth-graders from Portland. Montreal dance master and musician Benoit Bourque will perform following the 1 p.m. show.

Organized by the Franco Folk Arts Cooperative and sponsored by the Bates College Department of Classical and Romance Languages and Literatures, the film opening is the next event in Lewiston-Auburn’s ongoing Renaissance Series of community cultural events.