Festival: Live Literature, lively and enthusiastic

Lucie Campos, director of the Villa Gillet, acknowledges that the title of the event, Littérature Live, has sometimes been criticized. But there is no question of changing it; the word “live” is English, but it has this double meaning that corresponds to the event. Everything takes place live , in a permanent exchange between the public, the writers, the organizers, and the many students, middle schoolers, and high school students involved. Moreover, the event demonstrates how much the invited authors are in tune with the world, how much literature remains alive and contemporary. Above all, as Lucie Campos expresses it: “ Where writers are targets, where they are on the front line.” It is for this reason that Littérature Live will be particularly interested in Algeria, thanks to the presence of Kamel Daoud. The Franco-Algerian writer, winner of the 2024 Prix Goncourt for his novel Houris , is expected to express his support for his colleague and friend Boualem Sansal, who is still being held in Algerian jails, in a major interview. “ The entire Littérature Live team is in solidarity,” says Lucie Campos.

Other countries in difficulty, which Littérature Live is focusing on: Ukraine, with a meeting that will bring together writer and activist Inna Shevchenko, journalist Artem Chapeye (remotely), and poet Haska Shyyan. As well as Lebanon, with an evening entitled “Seen from Lebanon: Investigation, Poetry, and Memory,” during which Marwan Chahine, author of Beirut, April 13, 1975 (France Lebanon Prize 2024), will speak. Focuses will also target “contemporary Africa” and Brazil (especially the Amazon).

It is obviously impossible to list here all the great dialogues, performances, concerts, readings in which more than fifty authors, critics and translators from all over the world will participate. On the various stages of the Villa Gillet, the Subs, the Célestins, the Musée des Confluences and within the media libraries, bookstores and high schools partnering with the event. In the French delegation of guest writers, in addition to Kamel Daoud, we note the presence of Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, Olivia Rosenthal, Lola Lafon, Grégory Delaplace but also great writers from Lyon such as Étienne Kern, Wilfried N'Sondé or Dalya Daoud (who is not related to Kamel Daoud). Among the initiatives that have made the success and uniqueness of previous editions, you can find the festival's web radio, Villa Voice, hosted by students of the Master's program in Book and Publishing Professions at Lumière Lyon 2 University.

All projects and publications are available at www.villagillet.net/villa-voice.fr