How Stitch overcame Tom Cruise at the French box office
Also, did you know that one in three French people have tattoos, with even higher numbers in Spain and Italy? Tattoos are at the heart of a major new exhibition in Marseille, exploring the history and artistry behind this vibrant cultural phenomenon.
Finally, for the first time ever, Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum honours an African artist, showcasing John Madu's striking works inspired by Vincent van Gogh's masterpieces. Don't miss this exciting episode of arts24 with Eve Jackson – your passport to the world of art, culture and cinema.
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LeMonde
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'Here, you can dress however you want': Women-only parties make crowds feel freer
In the back room of the club, near the smoking area, awash in seductive red light, Allison (people mentioned by their first names did not wish to share their full name) paused for a moment. With one leg propped up on the bar, the 21-year-old accounting student stretched her muscles, which were already sore after an hour of uninhibited dancing. "I tried to do the splits, caught up in the heat of the moment," said Allison. She said she found it impossible to hold back her joyful energy on the dance floor where, on this May evening, she felt freer than ever to let loose, without worrying about intrusive stares or inappropriate gestures. Allison also felt free to wear whatever she wanted: a shirt tied up above her navel and a short plaid skirt. "Normally, I would never dare go to a party with my stomach so exposed," said the young woman, who sported a long afro haircut. Yet that Thursday night, she approached the event, held in a downtown club in the southern French city of Toulouse, in a new way. The party was for women only, and, along with their coats, guests were invited to leave their self-censorship at the cloakroom. "Girls only!" read the warning on the site when booking a ticket for a "Bringue," a series of women-only parties that have sprung up across France and Belgium. The idea began when a young Parisian woman in her 20s wanted to go dancing but had no friends available to come with her. Clarisse Luiz posted a tweet inviting other women, all strangers, to join her: in the end, a group of 10 women got together and had a great ladies' night out. A social media manager by profession, she wanted to repeat the experience, and thus La Bringue was born in 2019. It is now present in about 10 cities, with women as both partygoers and DJs – only the venue staff is, at times, men. In the post-#MeToo movement context, the concept of a party without men has found a wide audience. So much so that other companies have entered the market, such as "mom parties" aimed at mothers.
