News Digest

France’s Angoulême comics fest to celebrate Charlie Hebdo cartoonists’ work

The Angoulême International Comics Festival in France, one of the world’s largest comics festivals, opened Thursday under tight security in the wake of the terror attacks on the Charlie Hebdo offices three weeks ago. The festival this year will feature several special commemorations, including a one-off Grand Prix honouring the history of the satirical magazine and the inauguration of a new “Charlie Award for Freedom of Expression.” The prize will this year go to the cartoonists killed in the attack, and in the future will be awarded to artists fighting for free speech around the world.

The 2015 festival will be a time for remembering but we also want to show that life goes on.

Franck Bondoux, festival director

The festival organisers have also collected over a thousand contributions from artists around the world in homage to Charlie Hebdo and a special album entitled “Comics are Charlie” is being prepared with the help of 173 artists. Graphic novel writers, press cartoonists and animators will be among the stars in attendance, which this year features special displays on Asian cartoons and Jack Kirby, creator of “Captain America,” “Hulk” and the “X-Men.”