A night where Chennai dreams in colour at La Nuit Blanche 2025

As twilight falls on 11 October, the Alliance Française of Madras (AFM) will stay awake until dawn for the third edition of La Nuit Blanche, Chennai’s most anticipated all-night celebration of art and culture. Inspired by the iconic Parisian festival, the event will unfold across six vibrant spaces from 1 pm to 3 am — a marathon of performances, installations, and conversations designed to dissolve the boundaries between art, performance, and community.

Inside Chennai’s all-night celebration of art, culture and collaboration

This year’s theme, Moulin Rouge, promises an evening steeped in crimson glamour and theatrical energy. “In 2023, to celebrate our 70th anniversary, we introduced Chennai’s first-ever La Nuit Blanche,” recalls Dr Patricia Théry Hart, Director of AFM. “The first edition welcomed over 2,500 visitors, while the second transformed our campus into The Opulence of Versailles. This year, we return with even more vibrancy, balancing contemporary, traditional, and experimental forms to spark connection.”

Across AFM’s campus, over 30 events will come alive — from theatre, dance, and folk music to immersive digital art. The Espace 24 – La Galerie Immersive will host The Red Dream, a video art performance by Cursorama and Omnivoid Labs that reimagines the cabaret’s wild Parisian nights through light, sound, and AI-generated visuals. “Technology acts as the thread connecting sound, space, and motion,” says Cursorama. “It reinterprets classic French art styles through a futuristic lens.”

Meanwhile, contemporary dancer Preethi Athreya’s Rubber Girl brings sharp wit and social commentary to the stage. “The cabaret body has a history of protest and freedom,” she says. “It exposes society’s own weaknesses — but with humour and gentleness.”

The programme also highlights Tamil Nadu’s folk traditions, from Villuppattu and Bommallatam to the electric beats of the all-female rap collective Wild Wild Women and the Carnatic fusion of Thisram Band. Theatre lovers can look forward to Maakadikaram by Thedal Theatre Arts, a fantastical yet thought-provoking take on science versus superstition.

For Dr Théry Hart, La Nuit Blanche is more than a festival — it’s a dialogue. “I hope every visitor feels they were part of something unique — a reminder that art and culture are powerful tools for intercultural communication and shared joy.”

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.