The French Embassy in the Philippines and the Quezon City Government, together with the Alliance française de Manille and the Niepce Museum in France, are organizing a photography and video exhibit to be held at the Quezon Memorial Circle, a landmark formerly known as Kilometer Zero. The exhibit is part of FrancoPhil, the 2011 French cultural season in the Philippines.

Giant photo installations featuring the work of Filipino photographer Jake Versoza and French photographer Charles Freger will be placed throughout the park for an entire month, from May 4 until June 4, 2011. Versoza will exhibit black and white portraits of the women of the Kalinga tribe dressed in their traditional costumes and displaying the extensive traditional tattoos of their tribe. Freger, on the other hand, will showcase the bright colors and energetic dances of the Filipino performers at this year’s recently concluded Sinulog festival. Filipino director Raya Martin is also slated to show a short silent film revolving around the fitness theme.

The Mayor of Quezon City, Hon. Herbert M. Bautista, and the Ambassador of France to the Philippines, His Excellency Mr. Thierry Borja de Mozota, will be hosting the cocktails to be held on May 4, 5 p.m. at the pylon (tower) area of the Circle. RSVP to 857-6916 or presse.ambafrance.manille@gmail.com.

As a public park that attracts around 10,000 visitors on weekdays and 20,000 on weekends, the Quezon Memorial Circle is the perfect venue for bringing artistic photography to the general Filipino public, and to raise awareness of the richness and variety of local cultures. Different echos of the project will take place all around the City.

Quezon Memorial Circle is the heart of the park system of Quezon City, as envisioned by the City’s planners. It is a 25.37 hectare national park first reserved as the central park by a proclamation of President Elpidio Quirino in 1949, at the time when the plan was to make Quezon City the capital of the Philippines. Now, QMC is best known as home to the shrine, museum and remains of the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth and founder of Quezon City, Manuel Luis Quezon, and his wife, Aurora Aragon.

Aside from the Quezon City Government, other sponsors of the FrancoPhil cultural program include Total, Air France KLM, Daniel Hechter, L’Oréal Philippines, VEOLIA Water, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Supply Oilfield Services, Marithé François Girbaud, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Philam Life, ROS Music Center, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Chameleon Association, Rustan’s, Sinulog Foundation, Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino, Fashion Watch and Jewelmer, as well as official media partners Manila Bulletin, Sense & Style, and Net 25.