France crowns seagull cry champion at quirky Dunkirk carnival

In front of several hundred people, contestants in feathered costumes take turns screeching into a banana-shaped mic. Some come from nearby towns, others from much farther away. Everyone invents a character.

This year’s shield went to Laurie Duhaudt, aka “Maître Mouette et Chandon”, dressed in pearls, heart-shaped sunglasses and full gull plumage. The jury, made up of past winners and carnival regulars, rewarded timing, tone and commitment.

YouTuber Raphaël Carlier joined in too, while his partner David Coscas watched from the crowd. It is silly, noisy and oddly precise, and it now ranks among Dunkirk’s key carnival moments.