All English events of the 16th edition

Oro Anahory-Librowicz, Mike Burns, Selina Eisenberg, Shayna Jones and Kim Kilpatrick
The English opening night gala of the Montreal Intercultural Storytelling Festival will celebrate our elders through story and affirm the importance of the connection between generations. The pandemic cast a brutal light on the way our culture treats older people and on the breakdown of the pathways of transmission between the generations. Ranging from stories of African and African diasporic traditions told by Shayna Jones to stories from Morocco, Ireland, Eastern Europe and more, the evening will bring people together to celebrate our elders and trace a way forward towards healing and justice after a year of trauma and isolation.
Maison de la culture Notre-Dame-de-Grâce – Botrel
Passes available at the, Maison de la culture

Shayna Jones
You never know just what you will get in this lighthearted yet deeply meaningful mix of Afro-diasporic traditional lore. FolkPlay: Wisdom Tales of Africa & Her Diaspora is a smorgasbord of wise words, rhythm, song, and movement that weaves together humor and play with poignant windows into our humanity. Come prepared to travel deep into a village of mice haunted by a wily feline or find yourself planted in the middle of a contest between the fiercest animals of an African jungle. Audience participation lovingly required! Packed with suspense, humor, thought-provoking themes, and a whole lot of fun, FolkPlay: Wisdom Tales of Africa & Her Diaspora is a delight for listeners of all ages.
Victoria Hall
Free admission (ages 5 and up)

Shayna Jones
The sun has set and a handful of black slaves gather round a steaming pot of beans in a ramshackle cabin after a hard day’s work. Just as the night is drawing to a close, Big Mama opens up her mouth and spins a breathtaking tale full of wild happenings, magic, and signposts to Freedom. Hambones & Redfish Don’t Lie brings to poignant life Afro-diasporic folklore, folk history, rhythm and song where strength and healing reveal themselves in the most unexpected places and by the most unexpected means.
Eleanor London Côte St-Luc Public Library
Reservations mandatory at reference@cotesaintluc.org

Shayna Jones
The sun has set, and a handful of black slaves gather round a steaming pot of beans in a ramshackle cabin after a hard day’s work. Just as the night is drawing to a close, Big Mama opens up her mouth and spins a breathtaking tale full of wild happenings, magic, and signposts to Freedom. Hambone and Redfish Don’t Lie brings to poignant life Afro-diasporic folklore, folk history, rhythm and song where strength and healing reveal themselves in the most unexpected places and by the most unexpected means.
Pierrefonds Library, on-line event by ZOOM
Registration mandatory: programmation.pfdsrox@montreal.ca

Mike Burns, G. Scott MacLeod
Screening of two short animated films that are the product of a collaboration between Irish storyteller Mike Burns, film director/animator/illustrator G. Scott MacLeod and The National Film Board of Canada recounting the dramatic stories of Irish immigrant experiences in Canada in the 1800s as well as an unlikely alliance with First Nations inhabitants that saved a group of 19th century Scottish immigrants from certain death.
A conversation with the two artists will occur after the screening.
Cinémathèque québécoise, salle Fernand-Séguin
Admission $ 10

Shayna Jones
Grandmama Speak is a kaleidoscope of Afro-centric folklore and fact, old wives’ tales and history. With song, rhythm and fine movement infused throughout the telling, Shayna Jones mesmerizes her listeners with tale upon interlocking tale pieced together from the diverse traditions of the African Diaspora. Love and loss, pride and pain, hambones and redfish take center stage in a show packed with bold vocal and physical dynamism. Listeners will be left laughing, sighing, and lingering over the age-old wisdom of Grandmama Speak.
Maison de la culture Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Passes available at the Maison de la culture,

Kim Kilpatrick
Flying in the Dark is an autobiographical tale about living and thriving as a blind person in a sighted world. With humour, wit, a deeply felt sense of the ridiculous and considerable courage, Kim Kilpatrick guides her listeners through the experiences of a fiercely independent blind child. She shares her boundless enthusiasm for acquiring the skills she needs to be self-sufficient, chronicling the process of becoming an adult with new potentials opening and new complexities revealed. Is there darkness? Yes, but it comes mainly from others: those who patronize her, who will not accept her competence. In response, she has created Flying in the Dark as a deep, funny, but gentle adventure. Through her show, she brings her audiences an evening of insight and entertainment.
Théâtre Sainte-Catherine
Contribution volontaire; réservations