The Ministry of Culture (MOC) and the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences co-hosted the 28th Taiwan-France Cultural Award ceremony on Sept. 8, presenting the honor to Jean-Marc Therouanne, co-founder and artistic director of the Festival International des Cinémas d'Asie de Vesoul (FICA), and Benson Tsai (蔡博丞), choreographer and artistic director of B.DANCE.
Minister of Culture Li Yuan, President Jean-Robert Pitte, and Perpetual Secretary Bernard Stirn of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, and other distinguished guests attended the ceremony.
For Minister Li, this marked his inaugural attendance at the ceremony in France. He expressed his gratitude to cultural workers in Taiwan and Europe, noting that the 52 laureates recognized over the past 29 years have contributed to fostering deep dialogue between Taiwan and Europe through film, literature, performing arts, academic research, and more. To further strengthen cultural ties between the two nations, Minister Li signed an agreement with Perpetual Secretary Bernard Stirn to extend the partnership for another five years (2026-2030).
Jean-Marc Therouanne and his wife co-founded FICA in 1995, which has grown into one of the top ten film events in France and the longest-running Asian film festival in Europe. Over three decades, he has organized nearly 80 Taiwanese film programs, reaching more than 800,000 audience members.
One of Taiwan’s most prominent choreographers, Benson Tsai founded B.DANCE in 2014. That same year, he received the Gauthier Dance/Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart Production Award and Audience Award for “Floating Flowers.” In 2020, he was named “Best Emerging Choreographer of the Year” by the France National Board of Performance Arts.
The Taiwan-France Cultural Award, established in 1996 and held annually since, recognizes institutions and individuals who have made remarkable contributions to promoting Taiwanese culture in France, Europe, and Taiwan.
