The FIMU 2021 in COVID mode barely finished in mid-September this year, which we are already planning on that of 2022. The 35th edition returns next year to its usual dates of the Pentecost weekend at the beginning of the month of June. But the big news, announced this Thursday to the press, is the abandonment of the festival on bank holiday Monday! The event remains over 3 days but from Friday to Sunday. The organizers realized that the holiday Monday did not attract enough people, much less than the other days. Hence the decision to start with a full program from Friday evening. For this 35 edition, Lebanon will be in the spotlight with as godfather, the Franco-Lebanese musician, Bachar Mar Khalife.
Less crowded on Monday
Delphine Mentré, assistant for culture and heritage at Belfort town hall, justifies this choice to no longer extend the FIMU until bank holiday Monday “This is not a decision taken lightly, we have seen it in recent editions, Monday, there are fewer people, the public had already taken advantage of Friday to Sunday, as long as it rains , there was no one on Monday, we sometimes had artists playing in front of an audience that was not very present, and when we bring people in from far away, it’s a bit of a shame … and then, a lot of foreign groups had to go back to their countries on Sunday because Monday is not a public holiday for them, which made it difficult to offer a complete program on Monday “ assures the chosen one.
Friday bet
The FIMU 2022 will therefore take place from Friday to Sunday “We also realized that people came on Friday evening, we started that a little this year in September to compensate for the lack of public holiday” explains Delphine Mentré. “And Friday, it works well, so we said to ourselves, we replace Monday by Friday with the 16 open stages, and the first concerts from 6 p.m., or even before, the schedule is still being considered, but for that spectators really arrive on Friday to really launch the festival (without forgetting the “off-piste” on Thursday evening).“
Lebanon in the spotlight …
After Brazil as guest of honor this year, it will be the turn of Lebanon in 2022 with the multi-instrumentalist Bachar Mar Khalife as godfather. “It’s an artistic choice, it’s a country with a crazy musical wealth, and we want to go beyond popular imagery about Lebanon, and show the full extent of the strength of this country. In addition, we have strong links with Lebanon, with festivals being created there, which share the same values. “ comments Mathieu Spiegel. The director of FIMU also says he is happy to find a festival like before the COVID “We will have three full days, from Friday to Sunday, where we can really celebrate the closing night on Sunday unlike the bank holiday Monday which prevented us from really finishing in style. And then, we will come back to more than a hundred groups, more than a thousand musicians from all over the world, around 200 concerts on our 16 stages. ”
… and return from an “ordinary” festival or almost
About fifteen foreign groups, which could not come this year because they were not vaccinated, are already on the bill for FIMU 2022 while the call for applications is launched until January 3, selection panels will then appoint the lucky winners, the final program will be announced in the spring. The health pass in force this year could nevertheless still be imposed for the 2022 edition. since the deputies have restored the possibility of using it until July 31st.