With lyrics full of claims, committed activism and a solo but powerful presence, Swane Vieira from Clermont-Ferrand captured the jury’s attention and pocketed their place in the European final of Europavox Campus to be held on April 26. It would be a shame to miss the songs from their forthcoming EP “Theory Marry Me?” which they will perform for the first time at the event. As the final will be held in Clermont-Ferrand, their city of life and inspiration, they advise us on what to do, see, eat or watch… while waiting for their performance at home.
< Get your tickets for the finale ! >
The library
Which book could you read a hundred times?
“Fiévreuse Plébeienne” by Elodie Petit. I could read excerpts from this book every morning as an angry dyke energy booster. It’s a book that can be read aloud in protest, alone or with others as erotica, as poetry. A sapphic TPG (queer) manifesto that unsettles the everyday and overturns icons with its language.
Is there a book that you discovered during your studies that has had an impact on your life?
There are loads of them! Many have toppled the standards I thought I had to meet. In fact, books have taken on a major role in my visual and musical work. I like to quote authors, I like their writing, and I like the freedom you find in them. I think of the first time I (finally) read “King Kong Theory” by Virginie Despentes. It had been out for a long time and was already outdated in certain parts. But it made me realise that you could write outside of political correctness and the boxes that we have been put in from the start. I had the same feeling some time later when I discovered “Devenir Perra” by Itziar Ziga (with a preface by Virginie Despentes – she’s never far away).
The reading list (obviously, those mentioned above, but also):
Sortir de l’hétosexualité – Juliet Drouar
Play Boy/Love Me Tender – Constance Debré
Les enragé-es – Valérie Bah
Conflict Is Not Abuse – Sarah Schulman
Viendra le temps du feu – Wendy Delorme
Cosmétique du chaos – Espedite
Les Guerrières – Monique Wittig
The Last One – Fatima DAAS
The canteen
What is your favourite dish of all time?
It’s not easy to name just one favourite dish, but generally speaking I like simple, comforting food. There’s nothing better than something like a bowl of macaroni cheese to comfort you.
Could you describe a traditional dish from your country?
I grew up with Mediterranean cuisine, especially daube, a stew from Provence, which is a dish marinated with meat (in my family often beef) and wine. It’s a recipe that belongs on the comfort food list, and the good news is that there are plenty of delicious vegetarian alternatives!
Do you have a cheap and easy recipe to recommend for students?
I’m going to stay on the Southern side with the pissaladière: a pizza dough base, caramelised onions, and a small salad on the side. You can also make a homemade pizza version if you don’t like onions, replacing them with a tomato sauce base, a few slices of mozzarella, and herbes de Provence!
< Discover the 3 other finalists >
The movie theatre
What is your favourite international film of all time?
I admit I’m not a specialist in cinema, but there are certain films that really made an impression on me, in particular the documentaries Black Fish and The Cove, which ignited and awakened a real need to document cetaceans (and the ecological situation threatening the oceans more generally). They are more than ten years old, but still highly relevant.
Which film from your country is an absolute must-see?
Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is a very important and necessary romantic drama. The film is ultimately a sapphic one, seen by someone who belongs to the community, far from the male-gaze objectifying our relationships, our bodies and our struggles.
Which film best represents the student days?
I don’t think I know of any film that truly represents the student days. At least not my student days. Just type in “student film” on the internet and all you get are films that are completely hetero-normative, full of sexism for the most part, and trying to deal with the subject of “sex” that is rarely depicted as consensual.
I would have liked to have been guided by teenage films, and then student tpg/queer films. Films that did not romanticise violence, and that normalised consent as the basis of all relationships (whether sexual, romantic, amicable or otherwise).
So I hope that films like those of Céline Sciamma or Alexis Langlois will increasingly become available, more accessible, and more visible so that in a few years it won’t be so difficult to answer this question.
Around the campus
Tell us about your favorite restaurant or bar in Clermont-Ferrand?
La Grange Africaine has really delicious food as well as great, reasonably priced cocktails. For those on a budget, Gozlemes (less than 5 minutes away) offers great value!
What is the most important cultural site to visit in Clermont-Ferrand?
La Tôlerie ! At the moment there is the superb exhibition “Ring my Bell: it’s raining, the house is burning and the phone is ringing” with pieces by Valentine Gardiennet and Arslane Smirnov from Ateliers Wonder.
How would you describe your city?
Clermont-Ferrand is an accessible city in constant development (especially the art and music scene), with many events (shows/drag shows) accessible to the everyone, with open pricing!
And what about your university?
I am in art school and this study space lets me have time to develop, deploy and deconstruct knowledge and standards. I can experiment with visual forms as well as sound, even music. For me, it is also an important space for meetings, discussions and struggles. A space in which I seek to campaign through forms.
