Être aux oiseaux

In a world searching for meaning, where uncertainty grows each day, we need gentleness to keep going. And sometimes, it’s enough to simply look up. Birds, in the way they inhabit the sky, remind us that it is still possible to be light, even in the midst of headwinds. Their freedom is not naive. It is an act of trust. A way of saying: let’s go anyway.

It is this movement that I wanted to keep at the heart of this 18th edition of FIAMS. To be like birds is not to flee reality; it is to offer ourselves another perspective. One of art, of free thought, of a viewpoint that lifts us up, balancing lucidity and poetry.

Artists around the world often create in fragile conditions, yet their commitment brings audiences together. Their vision is sharp, their inventiveness essential. They contribute fully to today’s performing arts. Puppetry, in its many forms, is a fertile ground for invention: from miniature or oversized creations to intimate or political narratives, object theatre, material theatre, street or shadow theatre, it opens doors between reality and imagination.

At a time when tensions are rising, when social, climate, and political crises challenge our ways of living, these performances bring us back to what connects us. They address, with sensitivity, what makes us vulnerable while reigniting our capacity to think and act differently. They resonate with our current realities and open perspectives on what may come.

This year, FIAMS celebrates its 35th anniversary. Thirty-five years rooted in Saguenay, and just as many years of openness to the world. For this 18th biennial, for six days, Saguenay will once again transform into a vibrant stage for puppetry from here and abroad: giant, miniature, bold, digital, and eclectic. Over 200 performances, around thirty shows, exhibitions, a festive cabaret to gather us each evening, a professional program rich in encounters, and an outdoor site filled with free activities designed to foster unexpected meetings and the joy of being together.

The 2025 program navigates through curiosity cabinets, street theatre, contemporary forms, and documentary or experimental approaches. It gives voice to what disturbs, surprises, and inspires wonder.

On behalf of the entire team, I warmly welcome the artists, companies, presenters, and journalists who have come from near and far. Welcome also to festival-goers from here and abroad who have come to experience this 18th biennial with us. The people of Saguenay, who have embraced puppetry for over three decades, remain at its heart. And to the elected officials of the City of Saguenay, thank you for continuing to make puppetry part of our regional identity.

In this anniversary year, I wish to express my deep gratitude to the artistic directors who preceded me and who shaped FIAMS with passion and vision: Dominique Violette, Marthe Adam, Louise Lapointe, Pier Dufour, Éric Chalifour, Benoît Lagrandeur.

So this year, let’s meet again. In theatres, in the streets, in local shops… Let’s celebrate together the vitality of puppetry arts. And if, at times, we feel the urge to dream higher, like birds, it is a sign that it is time to look up, together.

Dany Lefrançois
Artistic Director