Inizjamed Blue White@0.5x
Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta Malta / Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival
2017 edition

2017 edition

Version in English – Verżjoni bil-Malti iktar ‘l isfel

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Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 August 2017 | Fort St Elmo, Valletta. 8.00pm

John Aquilina (UK/Malta) | Asja Bakić (Bosnia Herzegovina) | Mourid  Barghouti (Palestine) | Lilia Ben Romdhane (Tunisia) | Mark Camilleri (Malta) | Immanuel Mifsud (Malta) | Jean Portante (Luxembourg) | Alfred Sant (Malta) | Zoë Skoulding (Wales)| Ma Thida (Myanmar) | Arvis Viguls (Latvia) | Gjoko Zdraveski (Republic of Macedonia)

The XIIth edition of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival organized by Inizjamed will be held on Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th August 2017, at Fort St Elmo, in Valletta, at 8.00pm. The pre-Festival events start on Sunday 20 August. Entrance to all events is free.

Twelve writers from nine countries are reading at the festival, which also features Maltese and foreign poetry films, Maltese jazz bands, a book stall, a book binding stand by Kotba Calleja, drinks and a selection of food provided by Migrant Women Association Malta.

The authors participating in this XIIth edition are Asja Bakić (Bosnia Herzegovina), Mourid  Barghouti (Palestine), Lilia Ben Romdhane (Tunisia), Jean Portante (Luxembourg), Zoë Skoulding (Wales), Ma Thida (Myanmar), Arvis Viguls (Latvia), Gjoko Zdraveski (Republic of Macedonia), and John Aquilina, Mark Camilleri, Immanuel Mifsud, and Alfred Sant from Malta.

Readings will be mostly in Maltese and English, but some short works will also be read in their original language.

This year’s festival is part of a three-year Cultural Partnership Agreement between Inizjamed and Arts Council Malta. This is an important agreement because it offers concrete support in terms of training and financial resources to three editions of this independent festival and allows Inizjamed to plan ahead with peace of mind. The Festival is also part of the Literary Europe Live platform funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and managed by Literature Across Frontiers.

Thursday 24th August 

The writers reading on Thursday 24th August are the Maltese poet based in London, John Aquilina, whose debut book of poetry won the National Book Prize; Tunisian poet and performer Lilia Ben Romdhane who writes in the Tunisian dialect; poet Gjoko Zdraveski from the Republic of Macedonia; and Maltese novelist Alfred Sant, who will be interviewed by writer and translator Mark Vella.

This first evening features the premiere of one of two Maltese poetry films commissioned by Valletta 2018 Foundation and Inizjamed and introduced by film director and lecturer Kenneth Scicluna. The film of Maria Grech Ganado’s poem “Relazzjoni” is by Nicky Aquilina and Lyanne Mifsud.

Live music on Thursday will be provided by the internationally renowned jazz guitarist and artistic director of the Malta Jazz Festival, Sandro Zerafa, accompanied on the bass by Oliver Degabriele.

Friday 25th August

On Friday 25th August, the writers invited to read are Maltese crime novelist Mark Camilleri; the French-language poet and novelist from Luxembourg Jean Portante; the Bosnian poet and short story writer Asja Bakić; and the celebrated Palestinian writer Mourid Barghouti, author of poetry and prose, including the memoir I Saw Ramallah, who will be interviewed by Norbert Bugeja.

This second night features the premiere of the poetry film of Victor Fenech’s work “Fuq Għoljiet Dingli” by artist and academic Trevor Borg, which will also be introduced by Kenneth Scicluna. Live music on Friday will be provided by the duo made up of John Bartolo on drums and Jimmy Bartolo, who plays on Brikkuni’s latest album, on guitar.

During the readings on Friday (8.00pm – 11.00pm), children are being invited to attend an open workshop in Maltese and English on story writing and building papier-mâché models for festivals and other outdoor activities. This parallel event, which is part of the Oħloq Kultura programme, is being organized by More or Less Theatre in collaboration with the Valletta 2018 Foundation. Parents who would like to enrol their children for this workshop are to write to info@moreorlesstheatre.com, indicating what time they will be attending.

Saturday 26th August

The writers reading on Saturday 26th August are Welsh poet Zoë Skoulding; renowned Maltese poet and novelist Immanuel Mifsud; Latvian poet Arvis Viguls; and Burmese prose writer and political activist Ma Thida, who will be interviewed by writer Clare Azzopardi. Her most recent book, the prison memoir Sanchaung, Insein, Harvard was published in English worldwide with the title, Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps through Insein in 2016 (Silkworm, Thailand). This third and final evening also features the screening of “Off the Trail” (2015) by Jacob Cartwright and Nick Jordan, winner of the 2016 ZEBRA Prize for the Best Poetry Film, donated by the Haus für Poesie. The film is based on the poem “Endless streams and mountains” by Gary Snyder and will be introduced by Noel Tanti. Live music will be provided by John Bartolo on drums and Jimmy Bartolo on guitar.

Some of the literature read during the festival might require an adult audience.

Pre-Festival Events

The writers will be in Malta throughout the week of the festival to take part in the Malta LAF Literary Translation Workshop led by Keith Borg and Nadia Mifsud. They will be translating each other’s works, and reading some of these translations during the festival.

The pre-Festival events featuring the invited authors and festival organizers from the Literary Europe Live platform are being held on Sunday 20th August, Tuesday 22th, and Wednesday 23th, all starting at 8.00pm. There are also two events at Fort St Elmo that start at 7.00pm on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th.

On Sunday 20th August, at 8.00pm at Blitz, 68 Triq Santa Luċija, Valletta, journalist Ramona Depares will moderate a roundtable discussion in English about “High Literature / Pop Culture,” with the participation of writers Immanuel Mifsud, Arvis Viguls and Asja Bakić.

On Tuesday 22th August at 8.00pm, poet Antoine Cassar will be interviewing poets and performers Lilia Ben Romdhane, Zoë Skoulding and Gjoko Zdraveski in English about “Poetry as Public Space”, at Malta School of Art, Casa Brunet, 106, Old Bakery Street, Valletta VLT 1458.

Wednesday 23 August at 8.00pm, Inizjamed presents a special festival edition of its monthly multilingual Open Mic (Palk Ħieles) sessions coordinated by Jean Paul Borg, at Maori Bar, Triq il-Lanċa, Valletta. Writers and singer-songwriters are welcome to present their work.

On Friday 25 and Saturday 26, at 7.00pm at Fort St Elmo, before the start of the festival evenings, Inizjamed and LEuL present two special events. On Friday, two Portuguese publishing consultants from Booktailors, Luis Coimbra and Paolo Ferreira, will give a presentation about promoting writers and works called “The Double Agent: Literature for Sale”.

On Saturday 26 at 7.00pm, again at Fort St Elmo, the Festival is hosting a session called “Speed Dating: Face to face with Literatures in Europe”, in which representatives from European literary organizations and institutions have 5 minutes to share information about opportunities in the field of literature and publishing with those who visit their stand. After the bell rings, the audience has to move to a different stand. The representatives from Literary Europe Live taking part in this session are Alexandra Büchler and Sian Williams from Literature Across Frontiers and Literary Europe Live; Mika Buljević from Kulturtreger|Booksa, Zagreb; Juta Pīrāga from the International Writers and Translators House, Latvia; and Judit Böröcz from the Petöfi Literary Museum, Budapest.

In the weeks leading up to the Festival, other literary events involving the invited Maltese writers are being held, including an Open Mic session in Qala Gozo, in the San Vinċenz de Paul Residence and in a summer school.

The 2017 edition of the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival and the Malta LAF translation workshop are being held in partnership with Arts Council Malta and Literature Across Frontiers, and with the support of Valletta 2018 Foundation, Heritage Malta, Għaqda tal-Malti – Università, the volunteers of Tal-Kultura, and Studio Solipsis. The MMLF is the recipient of the EFFE, Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe label.

The new Festival logo and other promotional material were designed by artist Pierre Portelli.

More information is available on Facebook on pages of Inizjamed Malta and the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival 2017 and at inizjamedmalta.wordpress.com.


 

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Il-Ħamis 24 | Il-Ġimgħa 25 | Is-Sibt 26 ta’ Awwissu 2017, il-Forti Sant’Iermu, il-Belt Valletta, fit-8.00pm

John Aquilina (Ir-Renju Unit/Malta) | Asja Bakić (il-Bosnja Ħerżegovina) | Mourid  Barghouti (il-Palestina) | Lilia Ben Romdhane (it-Tuneżija) | Mark Camilleri (Malta) | Immanuel Mifsud (Malta) | Jean Portante, il-Lussemburgu) | Alfred Sant (Malta), Zoë Skoulding (Wales) | Ma Thida (Myanmar) | Arvis Viguls (il-Latvja) | Gjoko Zdraveski (ir-Repubblika tal-Maċedonja)

It-tnax-il edizzjoni tal-Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta’ Malta organizzat minn Inizjamed se tittella’ l-Ħamis 24, il-Ġimgħa 25, u s-Sibt 26 ta’ Awwissu, fil-Forti Sant’Iermu, il-Belt Valletta, fit-8.00pm, bis-sehem ta’ awturi ewlenin minn tmien pajjiżi, fosthom ir-rumanziera minn Myanmar Ma Thida, l-awtur Palestinjan Mourid Barghouti, u l-awturi ewlenin Maltin Immanuel Mifsud u Alfred Sant.

It-tnax-il edizzjoni tal-Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta’ Malta organizzat minn Inizjamed se tittella’ l-Ħamis 24, il-Ġimgħa 25, u s-Sibt 26 ta’ Awwissu, fil-Forti Sant’Iermu, il-Belt Valletta, fit-8.00pm. L-attivitajiet ta’ qabel il-Festival jibdew il-Ħadd 20 ta’ Awwissu.

Se jieħdu sehem awturi ewlenin minn disa’ pajjiżi, fosthom ir-rumanziera minn Myanmar Ma Thida, l-awtur Palestinjan Mourid Barghouti, u l-awturi Maltin Immanuel Mifsud u Alfred Sant.

Minbarra l-qari ta’ novelli u poeżiji minn 12-il awtur u awtriċi, se jkun hemm mużika, kotba għall-bejgħ, films tal-poeżija Maltin u barranin, l-illegar artiġjanali tal-kotba minn Kotba Calleja, u xorb u ikel magħmul mill-Migrant Women Association Malta.

L-awturi mistiedna għall-edizzjoni ta’ din is-sena tal-Festival huma Asja Bakić (il-Bosnja Ħerżegovina), Mourid Barghouti (il-Palestina), Lilia Ben Romdhane (it-Tuneżija), Jean Portante (il-Lussemburgu), Zoë Skoulding (Wales), Ma Thida (Myanmar), Arvis Viguls (il-Latvja), Gjoko Zdraveski (ir-Repubblika tal-Maċedonja), u John Aquilina, Mark Camilleri, Immanuel Mifsud, u Alfred Sant.

Id-dħul għall-attivitajiet kollha huwa b’xejn u kulħadd jista’ jattendi. Xi kitbiet jistgħu jkunu maħsuba għal udjenza matura. Il-qari se jkun l-aktar bil-Malti u bl-Ingliż, imma jinqraw ukoll xi xogħlijiet qosra b’lingwi oħrajn.

Il-Festival ta’ din is-sena huwa parti minn Cultural Partnership Agreement għal tliet snin bejn Inizjamed u l-Kunsill Malti għall-Arti. Dan il-ftehim jagħti stabbilità finanzjarja u taħriġ lil Inizjamed fit-tmexxija ta’ dan il-festival indipendenti. Huwa wkoll parti mill-pjattaforma Literary Europe Live iffinanzjata mill-programm Ewropa Kreattiva u mmexxija minn Literature Across Frontiers.

Il-Ħamis 24 ta’ Awwissu

Il-kittieba li se jaqraw il-Ħamis 24 ta’ Awwissu huma l-poeta Malti li jgħix Londra, John Aquilina, li l-ewwel ġabra tiegħu rebħet il-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb; il-poetessa u attriċi Lilia Ben Romdhane li tuża d-djalett Tuniżin; il-poeta Gjoko Zdraveski mir-Repubblika tal-Maċedonja; u r-rumanzier u drammaturgu magħruf Alfred Sant, li se jintervistah l-awtur u traduttur Mark Vella.

Fl-ewwel lejla se jintwera għall-ewwel darba l-film tal-poeżija “Relazzjoni” ta’ Maria Grech Ganado maħdum minn Nicky Aquilina u Lyanne Mifsud. Dan huwa wieħed miż-żewġ films ikkummissjonati minn Inizjamed u l-Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018 għall-festival tal-2017. Il-film se jintroduċih il-lettur u direttur Kenneth Scicluna.

Għall-ewwel darba fit-tnax-il sena tal-Festival, waqt il-lejla tal-Ħamis se jdoqq il-kitarrist jazz li jgħix Pariġi u jidderieġi l-Malta Jazz Festival, Sandro Zerafa, li se jakkumpanjah fuq il-kuntrabaxx Oliver Degabriele.

Il-Ġimgħa 25 ta’ Awwissu

Il-Ġimgħa 25 ta’ Awwissu l-awturi mistiedna huma l-awtur tar-rumanzi polizjeski Mark Camilleri; il-poeta u rumanzier mil-Lussemburgu li jikteb bil-Franċiż Jean Portante; il-poetessa u novelliera Bosnijaka Asja Bakić; u l-kittieb Palestinjan ta’ fama internazzjonali Mourid Barghouti, li se jintervistah il-poeta u lettur Norbert Bugeja. Mourid Barghouti huwa l-awtur ta’ kotba ta’ poeżija u proża fosthom tar-rakkont ta’ tifkiriet I Saw Ramallah.

Fit-tieni lejla tal-Festival se jintwera l-film tal-poeżija ta’ Victor Fenech, “Fuq Għoljiet Dingli,” li nħadem mill-artist u lettur Trevor Borg, u se jintroduċih ukoll Kenneth Scicluna. Il-mużiċisti li se jdoqqu l-Ġimgħa huma l-aħwa John Bartolo fuq id-drums u l-kitarrist tal-grupp Brikkuni, Jimmy Bartolo.

Għall-ewwel darba, waqt il-qari tal-Ġimgħa bejn it-8.00pm u l-11.00pm, se jkun hemm sessjoni miftuħa tal-arti u l-artiġjanat bl-Ingliż u bil-Malti għat-tfal ta’ kull età biswit il-bitħa tal-Festival. F’din l-attività li se tittella’ minn More or Less Theatre bi sħab mal-Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018 it-tfal joħolqu stejjer u mudelli tal-kartapesta bbażati fuq il-kulturi ivvintati waqt il-programm Oħloq Kultura li jsir fl-iskejjel. It-tfal jistgħu jinkitbu billi tintbagħat email lil info@moreorlesstheatre.com li fiha min japplika jniżżel il-ħinijiet li fihom se jkunu preżenti t-tfal.

Is-Sibt 26 ta’ Awwissu

Il-kittieba li se jieħdu sehem is-Sibt 26 ta’ Awwissu huma l-poetessa minn Wales Zoë Skoulding; il-poeta u rumanzier magħruf Immanuel Mifsud; il-poeta mil-Latvja Arvis Viguls; u r-rumanziera u attivista magħrufa minn Myanmar (Burma) Ma Thida, li se tintervistaha l-awtriċi Clare Azzopardi. L-iktar xogħol riċenti ta’ Ma Thida huwa d-djarju tagħha tal-ħabs, Sanchaung, Insein, Harvardi, li ħareġ bl-Ingliż madwar id-dinja bit-titlu, Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps through Insein in 2016 (Silkworm, it-Tajlandja).

F’din it-tielet u l-aħħar lejla tal-Festival se jintwera l-film tal-poeżija barrani “Off the Trail” (2015) ta’ Jacob Cartwright u Nick Jordan, ibbażat fuq il-poeżija “Endless streams and mountains” ta’ Gary Snyder, li rebaħ il-Premju ZEBRA tal-2016 għall-Aħjar Film tal-Poeżija mogħti minn Haus für Poesie f’Berlin. Il-film se jintroduċih Noel Tanti. Il-mużiċisti li se jdoqqu se jkunu John Bartolo fuq id-drums u Jimmy Bartolo fuq il-kitarra.

Apparti l-Festival

L-attivitajiet ta’ qabel il-Festival bis-sehem tal-awturi mistiedna u għadd ta’ organizzaturi ta’ festivals li bħal Inizjamed huma msieħba f’Literary Europe Live se jsiru l-Ħadd 20 ta’ Awwissu, it-Tlieta 22, u l-Erbgħa 23, dejjem fit-8.00pm. Hemm ukoll attivitajiet il-Ġimgħa u s-Sibt tal-Festival, 25 u 26 ta’ Awwissu fis-7.00pm, fil-Forti Sant’Iermu.

Il-Ħadd 20 ta’ Awwissu, fit-8.00pm, fi Blitz, 68 Triq Santa Luċija, il-Belt, se jkun hemm diskussjoni bl-Ingliż dwar “High Literature / Pop Culture,” bis-sehem ta’ Immanuel Mifsud, Arvis Viguls, u Asja Bakić. Tmexxi d-diskussjoni l-ġurnalista Ramona Depares.

It-Tlieta 22 ta’ Awwissu, fit-8.00pm, il-poeta Antoine Cassar se jintervista bl-Ingliż lil Lilia Ben Romdhane, Zoë Skoulding u Gjoko Zdraveski dwar “Poetry as Public Space” fl-Iskola tal-Arti, Casa Brunet, 106, Triq l-Ifran, il-Belt VLT 1458.

L-Erbgħa 22 ta’ Awwissu fit-8.00pm, se jkun hemm edizzjoni speċjali tal-Palk Ħieles multilingwi (Open Mic), ikkoordinata minn Jean Paul Borg, fil-Maori Bar, Triq il-Lanċa, il-Belt, miftuħa għall-awturi u l-kantawturi.

Il-Ġimgħa u s-Sibt tal-Festival, 25 u 26 ta’ Awwissu fis-7.00pm, fil-Forti Sant’Iermu, qabel ma jibdew il-lejliet tal-Festival, se jsiru żewġ attivitajiet mhux tas-soltu. Il-Ġimgħa, se jkun hemm sessjoni informattiva minn żewġ konsulenti tal-pubblikazzjoni li jispeċjalizzaw fil-promozzjoni tal-awturi u l-kitbiet tagħhom, Luis Coimbra u Paolo Ferreira mill-kumpanija Booktailors fil-Portugall. Is-sessjoni jisimha, “The Double Agent: Literature for Sale”.

Is-Sibt fis-7.00pm se jkun hemm sessjoni bl-isem ta’ “Speed Dating: Face to face with Literatures in Europe”, li fiha dawk li jattendu jkollhom ħames minuti ċans, bil-qanpiena, biex jitkellmu ma’ rappreżentanti minn letteraturi Ewropej. Dawn jinkludu Alexandra Büchler u Siân Williams minn Literature Across Frontiers u Literary Europe Live; Mika Buljević minn Kulturtreger|Booksa, Zagreb; Juta Pīrāga mill-International Writers and Translators House, Latvia; u Judit Böröcz mill-Petöfi Literary Museum, Budapest.

Fil-ġimgħat ta’ qabel il-Festival, l-awturi Immanuel Mifsud u Mark Camilleri ħadu sehem f’avvenimenti li saru fil-Qala, Għawdex, fir-Residenza San Vinċenz de Paul u fi skola sajf.

Din it-12-il edizzjoni tal-Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta’ Malta, flimkien mal-laboratorju tat-traduzzjoni tal-Literature Across Frontiers, qed jittellgħu minn Inizjamed bi sħab mal-Kunsill Malti għall-Arti u Literature Across Frontiers u bl-għajnuna tal-Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018, Heritage Malta, l-Għaqda tal-Malti – Università, il-voluntiera Tal-Kultura, u Studio Solipsis. Dan il-Festival ingħata rikoxximent internazzjonali permezz tat-timbru tal-EFFE, Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe.

Il-logo l-ġdid tal-Festival u l-materjal promozzjonali l-ieħor iddisinjah l-artist Pierre Portelli.

Hemm aktar tagħrif dwar il-festival fuq il-paġna ta’ Inizjamed u l-attività “Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival 2017” fuq Facebook u fuq is-sit tal-Festival