Eastern to host 'Becoming a Woman' series exploring complexities of womanhood
Inspired by the work of Nobel Laureate Annie Ernaux, project kicks off Oct. 9
Willimantic, CT (10/06/2025) — Eastern Connecticut State University will hold a special project this October and November on what it means to be or become a woman. Kicking off Oct. 9 with an opening reception, "Becoming a Woman" is a series of art, film, and literary events inspired by Nobel Laureate Annie Ernaux. Regarded as one of France's most important 20th-century authors, Ernaux's body of work examines and uncovers the lives, decisions, and experiences of ordinary women.
The project is envisioned by Eastern French Professor Michele Bacholle, an accomplished scholar of French literature and one of the world's foremost specialists on Ernaux. "Becoming a Woman" is intended to spur dialogue on campus and within the wider community about the complexities of womanhood - what it feels like to be a woman, how women are represented, the challenges women face, the notion of sisterhood, and more.
All events are free and open to the public:
Art Exhibition: Becoming a Woman: Reflections Around Annie Ernaux
- Oct. 9 - Nov. 28: The Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Art Gallery will host the exhibition "Becoming a Woman: Reflections Around Annie Ernaux." Curated by Art Gallery Director Julia Wintner, the exhibition brings together contemporary artists whose works resonate with Ernaux's themes of gender identity, women's rights, and societal expectations of women.
- Oct. 9 from 4-6 p.m.: An opening reception in the Art Gallery with remarks by Michele Bacholle, professor of French, and Cheryl Wilson, provost and vice president of academic affairs. Light refreshments will be served.
Feature Film Screenings
Two international films will be presented in Webb Hall 110:
- Oct. 15 at 4 p.m.: "Four Daughters" (2023), an award-winning Arabic-language documentary (English subtitles) by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania. The film examines womanhood in a conservative patriarchal society through the story of a mother and her four daughters. Following the screening, Nicole Krassas, professor of political science, will lead a discussion.
- Nov. 5 at 4 p.m.: "Girlhood" (2014), a French-language film (English subtitles) by Celine Sciamma, explores adolescence and identity in contemporary France. A discussion led by Bacholle will follow.
Documentary Premiere and Panel Discussion
- Oct. 23 at 4:45 p.m.: The original documentary "Voices of Women at Eastern" will premiere in the Student Center Theater. Co-produced by Bacholle and Brian Day, professor of directing and film, the documentary captures the voices and perspectives of women in the Eastern community. A panel discussion featuring Eastern professors, administrators, and students will follow
Visiting Artist Talk
- Oct. 27 at 4 p.m.: Local artist Blanche Serban will present "The Practice of Painting" in the FAIC Art Gallery. The event, organized in collaboration with Afarin Rahmanifar, professor of art and art history, and Julia Wintner, will include a discussion of Serban's work "The Abortionist's Studio," inspired by Ernaux's seminal text "Happening." A Q&A session will follow.
Theatrical Reading of "Happening"
- Nov. 14 from 7-9 p.m.: A performance reading of Ernaux's "Happening" (2000), adapted and co-directed by Bacholle and Zoe Calhoun '25, will be staged in the FAIC Delmonte Bernstein Studio Theater. The theatrical adaptation brings to life Ernaux's intimate account of a college student's illegal abortion in 1960s France.
In addition to these events, the J. Eugene Smith Library will feature the literary works of Ernaux and other influential, international women writers from Oct. 9-Nov. 28 on the second floor.
Bacholle devised "Becoming a Woman" in relation to two upcoming book projects - one on violence and rebellion in French women's autofiction and one on Ernaux's works. "I thought of different events in the spirit of Annie Ernaux, who has used her own life experiences to address societal issues and whose life experiences echo what so many women and men have gone through," said Bacholle, pointing to subjects including cancer, grief, relationship challenges, sexual desire/consent, and more.
###
Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
Media Attachments
Event calendar, Becoming a Woman