THE INTERVIEWS
In this podcast, I have also chosen to adopt the interview format to explore diverse and varied subjects in depth through the stories of the people who come behind my microphone. Interviews offer us a unique opportunity to enter into direct dialogue with experts, witnesses, researchers and influential figures, thus deepening our understanding of History and its ramifications in the contemporary world. Whether by discussing with renowned historians, committed artists, survivors of significant events or social activists, each interview allows a new and unique perspective on past events and their impact on our current society.
Together, we discuss a wide range of topics, from key moments in world history to the most pressing contemporary issues. Through these conversations, we seek to stimulate thought, spark debate, and encourage a deeper awareness of our past and present.
Discover the episodes of this sound collection
The Silence of the Birds, meeting with Cathy Giovanini and Corinne Chauvet
I invite you to discover a remarkable artistic project: The Silence of the Birds , a traveling exhibition that combines sculptures and stories to address the delicate theme of the Shoah through the eyes and words of a child.
To present this magnificent project to you, I had the privilege of speaking with two exceptional women behind this storytelling exhibition: Cathy Giovanini, a children's author passionate about the stage and writing, and Corinne Chauvet, a talented sculptor who shapes clay to express deep emotions.
During this interview, the three of us discuss together the motivations and sources of inspiration that drove these artists in the creation of this unique exhibition, while addressing the challenges and reflections that marked their artistic journey.
À travers les sculptures expressives de Corinne Chauvet, les émotions se matérialisent dans l'argile, capturant la douleur, la résilience et l'espoir. Chaque pièce raconte une histoire, évoquant les souvenirs et les récits de survie de ceux qui ont vécu l'Holocauste.Les contes poétiques de Cathy Giovanini complètent les sculptures, offrant une voix aux personnages silencieux de l'exposition. À travers les mots, les visiteurs sont transportés dans un voyage émotionnel, invités à réfléchir sur les horreurs du passé et à célébrer la force de l'esprit humain."Le Silence des Oiseaux" est bien plus qu'une simple exposition artistique. C'est un témoignage vivant de l'histoire, un hommage aux victimes de l'Holocauste et un appel à la mémoire et à la réflexion. Cette exposition itinérante parcourt différents lieux, offrant à un large public la possibilité de découvrir et de s'immerger dans cette expérience artistique unique.
Yellow my Awakening, meeting with Jonathan from the podcast Des mots Suspendus
"I wanted to get out of this emotionality because I didn't want to fall into the trap of polarizing positions where we accuse one side to defend another, where there are victims and executioners, I wanted to try to trace a third way which is in fact that of my podcast generally and this third way is really the search for a universality but not the one we were given at school."
In this new episode of Arts et Mémoires, I invite you to discover the literary universe of Jonathan Nguyen, the passionate creator of the podcast Des mots suspendus, launched in May 2021, through one of his audio texts written and performed by Jonathan himself, Jaune, Mon Eveil. With his expressive voice, the author shares his literary creations with the world, offering an immersive and moving experience to his listeners.
Jonathan invites us to discover the behind the scenes of this emblematic text of his podcast, revealing the context in which it was thought and written. He gives us the pleasure of sharing his creative process, his intimate relationship with history and collective memory.
Société d'histoire Nord-Africaine (SHNA), rencontre pour le Podcasthon avec Camil Kermoune
Today, in Memento, I have the pleasure of presenting a special episode, broadcast in the middle of Podcasthon week, an event that brings together more than 300 creators to highlight an association and its values.
For this special occasion, I have chosen to present to you the remarkable work of Camil, at the origin of the creation of the association La Société d'Histoire Nord-Africaine , an initiative born on December 13, 2022 and announced to the public on January 12, 2023.
This association, established under the statute of 1901, is the result of a passionate commitment of researchers, historians and lovers of North African culture. Brought together by their common interest in the history, archaeology, geography and anthropology of North Africa, they joined forces to create The North African History Society . Its main objective is to highlight the often neglected or misunderstood riches of North African communities and cultures, thus revealing a deep history and a teeming cultural diversity of which we are not always aware. Through its actions, The North African History Society strives to raise public awareness of the vital importance of knowing and preserving the cultural and historical heritage of this region. By highlighting forgotten stories, ancient traditions and often unrecognized contributions, it seeks to promote a deeper understanding and renewed appreciation of the rich cultural diversity of North Africa. By promoting intercultural dialogue and encouraging mutual understanding, this association plays a more than major role in promoting peace, tolerance and solidarity between peoples, thus helping to forge stronger links within the global community.
Memory is our homeland, meeting with Jonathan Kolodziej Durand
No one can claim to simply "read our history in books," because true history often goes beyond what written pages can contain. History lives in living stories, in shared memories, and in the personal testimonies that bring it to life, here and now.
After years of meticulous investigation in archives scattered around the world, interviews with eminent historians and precious exchanges with his grandmother, Kazia, who passed on to him an extraordinary life story, Jonathan Durand delivers to us in 2018 "Memory is our Homeland" , a documentary film that is both personal and universal, a true masterpiece that enriches official history and collective memory.
In an old photograph, weakened faces emerge, silent witnesses of a past marked by oblivion and desolation. Their gazes, frozen in time, seem to seek to affirm a presence that History has tried to erase. The image, damaged by the ravages of time and the torments of history, transports us to a forgotten space, that of Africa, a refuge for these people whose memory struggles to find its place.
Jonathan Durand, through his poignant film "Memory is our Homeland" , tells us the moving story of the Poles deported in 1940, at the time when their native land was invaded by the Soviets, then allies of the Nazis. However, beyond this heartbreaking story, the real starting point of the film lies in its absence from official narratives, its disappearance from the pages of history. Jonathan Durand himself openly expresses this reality in his film: the story that his Polish grandmother told him finds echoes nowhere other than in family conversations. He even highlights the skepticism of some, like one of his university professors, who doubted the existence of these events.
Through this intimate and revealing exploration, Jonathan Durand gives a voice to those whose history has been marginalized, forgotten, or even denied. His work goes far beyond the simple restitution of a family memory: it exhumes buried stories, thus restoring dignity and recognition to those who lived through these tragic moments in history.
Language of Women, meeting with Suzanne Nakache, the co-founder of the association
In this new episode, I have the privilege of presenting you with a truly fascinating exchange with Suzanne Nakache, one of the co-founders of the association Langage de Femmes . A former pharmacist, Suzanne devotes her energy to the fight against racism and anti-Semitism on a daily basis. Alongside Samia Esabaa, an English teacher and co-founder of the association in July 2017, they unite women from all walks of life in a common approach.
In this episode, Suzanne details the actions carried out by Langage de Femmes, where each initiative is a stone added to the edifice of collective memory and unity in the face of indifference. From organizing trips to Auschwitz or the slavery museum in Nantes, to establishing dinner meetings and artistic evenings, to the annual reading of names for Yom HaShoah, each project is designed to revive consciences and bear witness to the crucial importance of remembering.
À travers ces événements culturels et ces rencontres, Langage de Femmes érige des ponts entre les générations et les cultures, rappelant aux participants que la mémoire collective est un héritage fragile mais essentiel. En s'engageant activement dans la préservation de cette mémoire, l'association défend l'idée que chaque voix compte, que chaque histoire partagée contribue à tisser une trame commune de compréhension et de solidarité.
La Mallette Verte, meeting with Perrine Sokal, director of this sound series
The family is much more than a gathering of people related by blood. It is an intimate sanctuary where the tenuous threads of memory and history are woven. In this familial melting pot, generations succeed one another, perpetuating immutable traditions, transmitting stories filled with wisdom and revealing the legends that shape our heritage. It is here, within this timeless unit, that each person's personal history is developed, shaped by the anecdotes of elders, family rituals and values instilled for generations. Family memory, like a buried treasure, contains the keys to our deep identity. It is the guardian of the deep roots that anchor us in the past, of the founding values that guide our actions and of the ancestral customs that punctuate our daily lives. Through the stories passed down from generation to generation, it offers us a living connection with our ancestors, allowing us to situate ourselves in the vast web of human history.
After the death of her grandfather, Perrine Sokal finds herself in possession of an enigmatic green briefcase. This fortuitous discovery plunges her into the twists and turns of a hidden family history: that of her great-grandfather, Emil Sokal, a Jewish art dealer established in Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century. Thus begins for her a captivating journey, a quest to unravel the secrets buried in the folds of family history, intertwined with the tumultuous upheavals of world history.
In this episode, Perrine Sokal gives us the intimate outlines of her personal story, her origins, and the strange mystery surrounding this green briefcase, a catalyst for profound questions and overwhelming emotions. She reveals her unique relationship with history, her fascination for the links between the past and the present, and takes us on her journey of more than a year and a half, between meticulous research, poignant testimonies and revealing discoveries.
Memory in the Veins, meeting with Alexandra Routhiau-Mikaëlian, director of this documentary film
Amidst the horrors of the Armenian Genocide, an often overlooked chapter of this unthinkable tragedy emerges: that of the 300,000 Armenian women forced into Islamization. In the darkness of mass killings and brutal deportations, these women faced a fate of unimaginable cruelty, subjected to unspeakable violence and trauma.
Today, it is our duty to pay tribute to these forgotten women, to recognize their pain, their courage and their sacrifice. This is the noble and decisive mission that Alexandra Routhiau-Mikaélian, a French director of Armenian origin, has given herself through her poignant documentary entitled "La Mémoire dans les Veines".
When she discovers that her great-grandmother was among these women forced into exile and that she had had to abandon her daughter in Turkey before emigrating to France in 1928, Alexandra is struck by the brutal reality of the silence surrounding these tragic stories.
Yet today, thousands, if not millions of Turks could carry the blood of Armenian victims in their veins. Driven by her passion for images and her quest for truth, Alexandra then decides to dive into the heart of the darkness of history, braving obstacles and taboos, to retrace her family's journey in a country where the Armenian genocide remains denied and hidden.