Press Review

From September 19 to 28, 2025, Charleville-Mézières is set to experience a magical moment: the World Festival of Puppet Theatres welcomes 80 international companies, including the Bordeaux-based La Boîte à sel. With its immersive show Bad Block, Nouvelle-Aquitaine showcases itself as a territory of artistic innovation. Dive into the unique universe of this festival where tradition and modernity meet.

Since 1961, the World Festival of Puppet Theatres (FMTM) has transformed Charleville-Mézières into the world capital of puppetry. For its 23rd edition, from September 19 to 28, 2025, the event brings together artists, researchers, and 155,000 festival-goers around an eclectic program. Among the highlights, the Bordeaux company La Boîte à sel will present Bad Block, an audacious creation supported by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and the OARA.

An exceptional festival, between tradition and avant-garde

Every two years, Charleville-Mézières becomes the beating heart of puppetry arts. This year, the FMTM honors Baltic creation and welcomes artists from 23 countries, from Bangladesh to Taiwan. With over 400 performances, the festival confirms its status as the largest gathering dedicated to this art, blending artistic rigor and conviviality.

Organized by the International Puppet Pole – Jacques Félix, born in 2025 from the merger of the Petits Comédiens de Chiffons and the International Puppet Institute, the FMTM perpetuates the legacy of Jacques Félix. "This festival is a symbol of brotherhood and cultural openness," recalls Pierre-Yves Charlois, director of the Pole. The program alternates between indoor shows, street performances, and meetings with artists, offering an experience accessible to all.

La Boîte à sel, ambassador of Neo-Aquitaine innovation

Among the 80 selected companies, La Boîte à sel stands out with Bad Block, an immersive and interactive sound objects show. The audience is invited to manipulate translucent cubes that come to life, creating a collective experience between theater, digital arts, and puppetry. This project, supported by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region (€29,000 in operational aid) and the OARA (€50,000 in co-production), embodies the artistic vitality of the territory.

“Bad Block is an invitation to play together, to listen differently, and to marvel,” explains Céline Garnavault, co-founder of the company. The show, co-produced by several regional stages (Théâtre d’Angoulême, Carré-Colonnes, Espace Jéliote, etc.), will be presented from September 24 to 26, 2025. An English version is in preparation for international distribution, with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

The FMTM is a showcase for contemporary creation. The presence of La Boîte à sel illustrates the diversity and quality of the projects supported by Nouvelle-Aquitaine, emphasizes a representative of the OARA.An immersive and hybrid show

Bad Block combines sound arts, digital, and puppetry. Spectators, equipped with connected cubes, become actors in the show by co-constructing soundscapes. “These technological objects create dialogue and emotion,” specifies Thomas Sillard, sound artist of the company. The show, praised for its innovative approach, has already captivated several festivals in France and abroad.

Charleville-Mézières, ephemeral capital of puppetry

For ten days, the city will come alive to the rhythm of shows, workshops, and meetings. Place Ducale will host a playful and free program, while conferences (“Conversations under the linden trees”) and exhibitions will complement the offer. “The FMTM is a place of sharing, where professionals and festival-goers meet around a common passion,” summarizes an organizer.

With artists from around the world, this edition celebrates cultural diversity and creativity. “In an international context marked by tensions, this festival is a breath of optimism,” confides a volunteer. The puppets, “queens of the city,” invade theaters, streets, and public spaces, transforming Charleville-Mézières into a giant puppet stage.

An inheritance and a future

Created in 1961 by Jacques Félix, the FMTM is now carried by the International Puppet Pole, which brings together training, creation, and research. “Our ambition is to make Charleville-Mézières a global reference for the arts of puppetry,” explains Pierre-Yves Charlois. The festival is also a springboard for young artists, thanks to residencies and workshops.

In 2025, the FMTM reaffirms its role as a bridge between cultures. “Puppetry is a universal language that transcends borders,” emphasizes an international puppeteer. With artists from Iran, Chile, or the United States, the festival offers a living snapshot of contemporary creation.

Why is this festival unmissable?

The FMTM is much more than a festival: it is a laboratory of ideas, a space for dialogue, and a popular celebration. In 2025, it reminds us that puppetry, an art that is both ancestral and resolutely modern, has the power to unite and move. “It’s an event where art becomes a vector of peace and understanding,” concludes a loyal spectator.