The Best International Writers in Zagreb – The International Literature Festival

In Zagreb and in Split from 3 to 9 September the 5th International Literature Festival will be held.

As well as numerous literary programmes, discussions, lectures and round tables, the festival this year too includes discussions on graphic novels and comic strips and films based on literary works, as well as an exhibition based on motifs from literary works.
The festival is intended to be a platform which will gather the best writers from Europe and around the world and set up dialogue with the best Croatian writers, both in discussions and at round tables. This year literature from the German-speaking world is in focus so the greatest number of guest are coming from Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

The Festival will have its grand opening on 3 September with one of the biggest stars of contemporary European and world literature, an Austrian and a German but above all a world citizen, Daniel Kehlmann. As well as him, of the great stars of the German-speaking world one of the most significant Swiss writers Christian Kracht will be a guest, as well as possibly the greatest living German-language editor and poet Michael Krüger. There will also be young upcoming star of the graphic novel Ulli Lust, the greatest expert on the works of Thomas Bernhardt Manfred Mittermayer and award-winning writers Marjana Gaponenko and Richard Schuberth.

French writer Philippe Claudel, Nigerian writer Chigozie Obioma, Spanish writer Clara Usón, one of the best new Latin American writers Eduardo Halfon (Guatemala) will also be coming, as well as the well-loved married couple of writiers Rita Monaldi and Francesco Sorti who will open the part of the festival held in Split.

They will be joined by the leading forces of the Croatian literary scene: Pavao Pavličić, Marina Vujčić, Franjo Janeš, Dubravka Ugrešić, Olja Savičević Ivančević, and from the region Vladimir Tabašević, Ognjen Spahić and as a special guest, one of the greatest stars of the contemporary Austrian and European “crossover” Jelena Popržan, viola player, singer and performer who together with one of the greatest interpreters of Bosnian Sevdalinka Damir Imamović will present her new project.

As well as all of this it is worth noting that the work of the Festival with the Croatian PEN Centre will result in the guest appearance of poets from Italy and Portugal.

This year too in the run-up to the Festival, on 31 August an exhibition of portraits of Festival participants was opened in the Josip Račić Gallery. Thanks to the Goethe-Institut, a series of films will be screened, some of which will have their Croatian premieres in Zagreb and in Split.

The Festival also continues with its work in encouraging reading among young people, with pupils from Zagreb’s secondary schools, grammar schools and other secondary school students selecting contemporary authors and presenting one work by each.