Photo : Thomas Jean-Henry
Koulounisation
Some words have the power to rewrite history simply by where they are placed on a bookshelf. This compelling performance explores how language shapes our reality through the lens of a deeply personal and enlightening investigation. Grab a seat for a thought-provoking session that digs into the hidden meanings behind the stories we tell ourselves.
Hors les murs
About
Discover Koulounisation, a compelling theatrical performance by Salim Djaferi that explores the power of language and the historical weight behind the words we choose. Triggered by a personal experience in an Algerian bookstore regarding the terminology of the Algerian War, the Franco-Algerian director examines how language defines our reality and creates divides. This production, suitable for audiences aged 15 and over, is wheelchair accessible and takes place in various off-site venues. Experience a poignant investigation into how personal narratives can reclaim history and challenge the vocabulary imposed by official records through an intimate and thought-provoking stage journey.
Discovering Algiers, Salim Djaferi explores bookstores in vain: no shelves on the Algerian War. Until a bookseller points out to him: "Books on the Algerian War are in the Revolution section." Obviously: in Algeria, it was a revolution, not a war!
Who chooses the words? For whom? Do they cover the same facts? From this realization, the Franco-Algerian director conducts a fascinating investigation into the power of language, and the divides it creates between people who do not all possess the same mastery of it. Through encounters and anecdotes, Koulounisation draws on intimate stories to restore the full value of words confiscated by history.
Our take on this event
Koulounisation invites you to follow Salim Djaferi’s investigative journey into the nuances of language. The performance stems from the artist's realization that the terminology used to describe the Algerian War varies significantly depending on the perspective, revealing how words can both conceal and shape historical facts. By sharing personal anecdotes and encounters, Djaferi examines how the mastery of language affects our relationships and collective memory.
Designed for viewers aged 15 and up, the show is fully wheelchair accessible. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with history through a contemporary lens that emphasizes individual experience over state-sanctioned narratives.
The event takes place at off-site locations from June 1 to June 4, 2027. Showtimes are as follows: Tuesday, June 1, from 19:00 to 20:10; Wednesday, June 2, and Thursday, June 3, from 20:00 to 21:10; and Friday, June 4, from 14:30 to 15:40. Tickets are available for prices ranging from 9 to 27 euros.
